"Community of Caring" 2009-2010

Mrs. Sue Livera

Welcome back to school!  I am enjoying beginning my third year in the Rockledge community and appreciate the warm and generous reception.  It is a pleasure becoming reacquainted with you and I look forward to another successful year.  As always, I am available as best as I can and welcome your call or email (susan.livera@pgcps.org). 

I will update this site as often as there are new programs, resources, services or “things” that might be of interest.  Check the credenza in the front hall for updated flyers re. programs, resources or events.

The environment has become a passion for me and I invite you to work with the students and me to truly make some differences this year.  We recycle paper and will continue to do this.  We want to recycle plastic, cans, and cardboard.  We also want to reduce and even eliminate our dependence on plastic, Styrofoam and those other non-recyclable materials.

How can you help?  Provide alternatives to plastic water bottles and glass bottles.  Provide a reusable lunch box.  Provide lunches made at home (to eliminate the paperboard and plastic in those lunchables – to say nothing of reducing the amount of sodium and sugar contained in those) with sandwiches wrapped in aluminum foil – recyclable and reusable – or – better -containers that can be reused.  Pack fruit and snacks in the same. 

Recycling is really a habit to be tried and made permanent.  Some complain that it takes more time and effort to be “green”.  I know!  However, if we don’t save our planet who on earth (literally) will?  Your children will follow your lead.  Hopefully they will come home with new ideas to try.  I intend to share whatever I can with them and be a real bugger about it all!!  You will hear a lot more as the G.O.L.D. Team becomes the voice of becoming a “Green School”. 

I will be in each of the classrooms (22) at a minimum of once per month.  The students will learn problem-solving terminology from the Second Step program and will apply the steps during each lesson to a specific theme.  I am hoping to be able to offer a parent version of that.  Stay tuned!

Classroom themes include:  future planning – completing the Individual Learning Plan (ILP), organization, and skills not limited to acknowledging feelings, perspective taking, applied problem solving and anger management. 

Some of the school-wide efforts under my direction will be:

• Working with Peer Mediators (trained 5^th grade students) to provide a way to help students resolve social problems in a peaceful way.
• Planning and implementing additional recycling programs, promoting care for the environment and monitoring the peace in the school under the leadership of our G.O.L.D. Team (4^th and 5^th grade students)
• Promoting the 5 core values in our Community of Caring:  RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, CARING, TRUST and FAMILY (see main page of the RES website and link on to the Community of Caring site) and note the display in the glass cabinet in the front hall.  NOTE:  we have a committee of staff working with my co-chair, Nancy Zipper, and I.  We welcome parent volunteers!!
• Identifying and featuring students selected by their teachers on a monthly basis i.e. our “Rockin’ Roadrunners”.  Their pictures will be taken and posted on the bulletin board outside the multi-purpose room.  Every student will be chosen at least once during the year.  The criteria?  That they are obvious in their practice of our core values.

I spend most of the recess time outside on the playground.  It is a wonderful chance for me to be there to support the Monitors, to help eliminate any potentially disruptive behaviors and to interact in a more relaxed setting.  It suits my general counseling style to be as available as possible and it has made an obvious difference in reducing the fuss that has come in to the classrooms that take up too much teaching time.

Oh yes, then there are the 520+ students to whom I remain committed to helping them with whatever they need to achieve social, academic and behavioral success. 

Do not hesitate to contact me at any time.  I will get to you as soon as I am able and appreciate in advance your understanding of the challenge of time and volume!!!

How can I help you and/or your child(ren)?  While I am in the classrooms doing relevant teaching – all to help children learn how to problem solve, I am also available to work with groups and individuals to help them find a way to figure out resolution for their needs.  It is not my job to “solve problems”; rather, teach children how they can solve their problems.  Not unlike parenting, if we tell our kids what to do, they will not know how to think, consider, ponder, worry and/or celebrate learning how to find their own way.  A good psychologist friend once described a definition of self-esteem:  healthy esteem comes from doing something yourself.  Think about this!  Then consider how you parent.

Some resources to note:

*COUNSELING:  PGCPS provides FREE Walk-In counseling each evening of the week and on Saturday mornings at different locations in the County.  Specific information can be obtained via the PGCPS website or from me.  Copies of the information are also available on the credenza in the front lobby of school.

This counseling is for short-term issues.  If you need more intensive and extensive help, I suggest that you talk with your family doctor or your child’s pediatrician.  It is important to know the limits in your health insurance.  If you don’t have that insurance, contact me and I can give you the application for Maryland Health Insurance….

*FOOD and related basic supplies:  Contact or visit the following –

1.       Bowie Food Pantry – we have supported them and will continue to.  They tell us that there has never been such a need; that our own community has an increasing number of families in great need.  You can take goods directly to the pantry or bring them to school and we’ll get them to them.  Think good nutrition!  Whole grain pasta with vegetable sauces, hot cereals, soup, 100% fruit juices are just some examples.  Think personal needs as well:  toiletries, soap, clothes washing detergents, etc.

*From the National PTA:  these are websites available at the National PTA’s website

• Watching Television With Your Children
• Watching Movies With Your Children
• Video Game Safety
• Internet Safety
• Listening to Music
• Cell Phone Safety
• Toy recalls.  Iffy economy brings bad tidings for toy sales

And, a very special one to consider:  www.teacherthankyoucard.org.   The intent is to create an enormous card to thank a teacher or teachers who have made a difference in your child’s life…or yours for that matter.  Check it out!