Parent Partnership in Education Newsletter 
As students, teachers, and families prepare for the 2020-2021 school year, social-emotional learning will play an important role in helping them navigate the emotional and logistical challenges created by the events of the past few months. Social Emotional Learning can help understand and examine biases, reflect on and address the impact of racism, build intercultural relationships, and cultivate adult and student practices that close opportunity gaps and create more inclusive school communities for these difficult times. Therefore, Parent Support Network has dedicated this electronic newsletter to provide you with resources to cope with and to strengthen the socio-emotional skills of children and adults. This newsletter includes "Growth Mindset: What You Need to Know" by Understood and "How to Be Ready to Support Your Child" from the American Research Institute (AIR).
We also continue to partner with educators, community agencies, and advocates to provide families updated resources and supports., like ongoing virtual parent support groups and distance learning workshops. Check out our website often for updates. These virtual workshops are provided for parents, educators and other professionals who are working with and are dedicated to children who are at risk or who have serious emotional, behavioral and/or mental health challenges, be successful in and out of school. 
Parent Support Network of RI offers peer mentors, who are parents with lived experience, caring for children with behavioral health needs, to support and assist parents with their children's behavioral health and school related needs. Please call our warm line to learn more. 

Growth Mindset: What You
Need to Know
by: Understood Writer Amanda Morin





At a Glance

  • Growth mindset refers to how we face challenges and setbacks.
  • Having a growth mindset can have real benefits.
  • There are lots of ways to help kids develop a growth mindset.

“I can’t do this homework. I don’t understand math.”

“I can’t do this homework yet. I don’t understand how to make sense of this math problem.”

Do either of these statements sound like something your child would say? Which one? How your child takes on challenges isn’t just about being motivated or resilient. It may be the result of having what’s known as a growth mindset.

This term describes how we face challenges and setbacks. People with a growth mindset believe their abilities can improve over time. On the other hand, people with a fixed mindset think their abilities are set in stone or can’t change, no matter how hard they try.

Having a growth mindset can have real benefits. It helps kids (and their families) reframe how they approach challenges. That’s the power of the word yet in the above complaint about homework. Even though the homework is hard, it shows growth mindset to recognize it may not always be that hard. 

Learn more about growth mindset and what it can mean for your child.
How You Can Be Ready to Support Your Child
BY: American Institutes for Research  (AIR)

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for families and caregivers, from loss of typical working situations or loss of job, to finding ways to meet basic needs like food and safety, for example. In addition, most – if not all – of us have lost access to community resources like schools and community centers, and we have had to shift to learning at home. Were you ready to support your child in the shift to learning at home? Did you feel like you had the capacity and the knowledge to support your child’s academic, social, and emotional needs while also juggling your other responsibilities? It is likely that you did not, and that is OK. This is an unprecedented time of change, and we are all learning and adapting as best we can.

AIR experts have assembled a collection of resources that focuses on building positive conditions for learning at home, and this resource focuses on the foundation: YOU. We want to make sure to support you—and ensure that you have the motivation, capacity, and knowledge to take on this task.

A Focus on:
  • Understanding stress and anxiety: what is it and why does it matter?
  • Using this information: what are the strategies for making sure that you are ready to support your child?
  • Things to look for: what is normal and what may be a potential warning sign that something needs more attention?
  • Resources: what materials are available if you want to explore this topic in greater detail?
Upcoming Events, Distance Learning Workshops and Support Group Schedule


PSN offers training and professional development workshops for parents, schools, and communities. We also work with school districts to develop workshops and training that meet the needs of their schools, taking into account the mental health needs of children.

Call us to  register or if you need technical support to prepare for training.  Also our Helpline is open for families and community, needing Resources and Emotional support during Covid-19 pandemic.
 Contact us at  401-467-6855
Virtual Workshop:
Social Emotional Learning
 a Workshop for Parents
Monthly Every 4th Thursday
Next workshop Date: October 21
Time: 12:00p-1:30p


Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults effectively acquire and apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to:

• Understand and manage emotions.
• Set and achieve positive goals
• Feel and show empathy for others.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships
• Make responsible decisions

Registration link :
4 Part Series is Back!
Virtual Workshop:Social Emotional Learning
 4 module Series Workshop

Workshop Date: November 11, 18 & December 2 ,9
Time: 12:00p-1:30p


If you've taken the Basic SEL workshop, than this workshop will be an opportunity for you to dive deeper into each SEL competency and learn new resources and strategies to better develop your child's Social Emotional skills and your won.

  • 1st Module: Intro to SEL
  • 2nd Module: Self Awareness
  • 3rd Module: Social Awareness and Relationship skills
  • 4rth Module: Responsible Decision Making

Regisration Link:

Join Zoom Meeting:
PSN Parent Peer Mentors 

PSN Parent Peer Mentors are family leaders with lived experience raising children, youth, and young adults who are at risk or who have serious emotional and behavioral health challenges; work in partnership with the schools and community partners to promote family engagement and student success; and are knowledgeable of school support services and the special education process. PSN Parent Peer Mentors provide peer support, share up to date information and assist parents to participate in their child's educational team meetings and overall school success. PSN Parent Peer Mentors provide assistance with accessing special education, developing proactive behavioral strategies, dealing with discipline, attendance and truancy issues, and coordinating behavioral health services with education. 

During the COVID-19 
PSN Parent Peer mentors are available by phone 
401-467-6855 

PSN has a diverse team with Bilingual Spanish & English Parent Peer Mentors and we work with interpreters and assist with cultural responsiveness.  Partners can access parent peer mentor services by sharing our brochures and information with families or going to our website and work with the family to sign consent and release and send over to our program and we will follow up with the family.

For more information and releases go to: www.psnri.org 


PSN Statewide Helpline 
 

This statewide helpline is run by parents and family members who have direct experience and understand your needs first hand. We have knowledge and  experience with work early childhood, schools and special education, behavioral health centers, child welfare and the juvenile justice system. We are here to provide emotional support and help you navigate and access the services and supports you need. Parents can do a self referral and our services are free of charge to families. Agencies can make referrals with consent. 

Helpline Available:
 Mondays- Fridays 9am-5p &  Saturdays 9am-12p 
Call for more information at 401-467-6855
Contact:

Naiommy Baret, Bilingual Behavioral Health Education Coordinator &  Training  Specialist

Melody Sorea, Bilingual Behavioral Health Education Specialist

 Parent Support Network of Rhode Island
535 Centerville Road, Suite 202
Warwick, Rhode Island  
401.467.6855
n.baret@psnri.org
m.sorea@psnri.org