Good evening, DVC Families,
Please help us select the parent representatives for this year’s School Site Council by voting for up to 3 of our wonderful parents/guardians: School Site Council Voting Form: Parent Representatives
The voting will be open until 5pm tomorrow evening (Friday, 9/10).
Thank you for your time,
Erin D’Souza
Principal
Suicide Prevention Week Challenge #4: Pause and Take A Breath
It’s not too late to join the Suicide Prevention Week challenge. To get started download the challenge flyerand challenge card! Today’s challenge is focused on a simple, but profound coping skill: Breathing. Schedule a 10-minute ‘Breathe Break’ into your calendar and use this time to remove distractions and partake in a breathing exercise of your choice. This can be done individually, during a zoom meeting, or even as a family.
Most of us experience any number of emotions from day to day. Experiencing negative emotions, especially when under stress, is part of the human experience; however, if left unprocessed or unacknowledged, they can cause harm physically and emotionally. Prolonged crises, such as the ones we have experienced due to COVID, and any form of significant life transition can lead to long-term and toxic stress. This type of stress can be especially amplified among people who were already experiencing significant life challenges, chronic health or mental health conditions, and disabilities.
Research has found that breathing practices are effective at reducing stress, balancing our energy and emotions, and helping us process some of the more challenging feelings that can arise. But incorporating self-care, such as breathing, into our busy lives is easier said than done and may also be particularly challenging for people who have experienced trauma.
Being gentle with ourselves by setting boundaries and limits that support our mental health may be the most important self-care act of all. As author Brianna Wiest says: “Self-care should not be something we resort to because we are so absolutely exhausted that we need some reprieve from our own relentless internal pressure. True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.”
But changing the expectations of ourselves and others takes time and practice. Starting with small actions can be a good way to begin. For example, try out one of the breathing exercises below or mindful breathing, which has been known to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
Belly Breathing:
It may sound strange, but many people forget how to breathe properly, using their chest and shoulders to breathe, resulting in short and shallow breaths which can increase stress and anxiety! When you breathe, your belly should expand, involving your diaphragm, a large muscle in your abdomen. This type of breathing is known as diaphragmatic, or belly breathing and can lower stress levels, reduce blood pressure, lower our heart rate, and help us relax. Belly Breathing is at the center of the practice of meditation which is known to help manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness.
Download, share and watch the 30-second Belly Breathing Animation, which can be found here: https://www.suicideispreventable.org/social-media.php
Color Breathing
Visualize a color that represents how you want to feel, imagine inhaling that color in. Visualize a color that represents what you want to let go of, imagine exhaling that color out.
4-7-8 Breathing Technique
Otherwise known as “relaxing breath”, 4-7-8 breathing, is a simple breathing exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime to aid in stress reduction, grounding, and even sleep. Inhale for a count of 7, hold for a county of 4, and then exhale for a county of 8! Download and share the 4-7-8 Breathing Card and Social Media post.
Square Breathing
One of the most common breathing exercises is referred to as square breathing which is the act of breathing in the form of a square! Inhale 2…3…4… hold 2…3…4! Download and share the Square Breathing Card and Social Media post.
Find even more activities in the Suicide Prevention Week 2020 Kit here.
Connect with thousands throughout the country during Suicide Prevention Week by using the hashtags #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionWeek #WorldSuicidePreventionDay
Reto #4 Semana de Prevención del Suicidio: Pause y Respire
No es tarde para unirse al reto de la semana de Prevención del Suicidio. Para comenzar descargue el folleto y tarjeta de retos. El reto de hoy se centra en una habilidad de afrontamiento simple pero profunda: la respiración. Programe en su calendario una “Pausa para respirar” de 10 minutos y utilice este tiempo para eliminar distracciones y participar en un ejercicio de respiración que usted elija. Esto se puede hacer individualmente, durante una reunión de zoom, o incluso en familia.
La mayoría de nosotros experimentamos una gran cantidad de emociones todos los días. Experimentar emociones negativas, especialmente cuando está bajo estrés, es parte de la experiencia humana; sin embargo, si no se procesan o no se reconocen, pueden causar daño físico y emocional. Las crisis prolongadas, como las que hemos experimentado debido al COVID, y cualquier cambio significativo pueden provocar estrés tóxico de largo plazo. Este tipo de estrés puede amplificarse especialmente entre las personas que ya estaban experimentando grandes desafíos en su vida, enfermedades crónicas o enfermedades mentales y discapacidades.
Los estudios han descubierto que las prácticas de respiración son efectivas para reducir el estrés, equilibrar nuestra energía y emociones y ayudarnos a procesar algunos de los sentimientos más desafiantes que pueden surgir. Pero es más fácil hablar sobre el cuidado personal que de ponerlo en práctica inclusive puede ser particularmente desafiante para las personas que han experimentado trauma.
Cuidar de sí mismo y tener límites protege su salud mental y puede ser lo más importante para su autocuidado. Parece que hemos creado la expectativa que el autocuidado es algo opcional, algo que podemos hacer ocasionalmente cuando tenemos tiempo. El autocuidado no debe ser algo al que recurrimos cuando ya estamos desgastados y necesitamos descansar de nuestra propia presión interna. El autocuidado no se trata de baños salinos y pasteles de chocolate, se trata de las decisiones que tomamos para crear una vida de la que no tenemos que escapar regularmente.
Pero cambiar las expectativas de nosotros mismos y de los demás toma tiempo y práctica. Acciones pequeñas pueden ser una forma buena para empezar. Por ejemplo, si el decir no a las obligaciones sociales es muy difícil, trate de tomar un descanso breve antes y después de cada evento. Durante este descanso, use el tiempo para practicar cómo darle atención a la respiración, una práctica que ha demostrado reducir el estrés y la ansiedad.
Técnica de respiración 4-7-8
Uno de los ejercicios más comunes se conoce como respiración 4-7-8. Respire por la nariz mientras cuenta hasta 4. Pause y detenga su respiración mientras cuenta hasta 4 y exhale por la boca mientras cuenta hasta 8. Descargue y comparta la tarjeta de respiración 4-7-8 y la publicación para redes sociales. Encuentre aún más actividades en la caja de activación de la Semana de Prevención del Suicidio 2021 aquí.
Conéctese con miles de personas en todo el país durante la Semana de Prevención del Suicidio utilizando los hashtags: #PrevencióndelSuicidio #DíaMundialparalaPrevencióndelSuicidio
It’s not too late to join the Suicide Prevention Week challenge. To get started download the challenge flyer and challenge card! For today’s challenge we ask that you familiarize yourself with a suicide prevention resource. Visit their website or social media page and like, share or comment to show your support for the work they do. Find a list of resources here, or:
If you or someone you know needs help, please know that you are not alone. Crisis lines, counselors, intervention programs, and more are available to you, whether you are in crisis yourself or concerned about someone else. For this challenge spend some time learning about one or more of these resources:
Connect with thousands throughout the country during Suicide Prevention Week by using the hashtags #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionWeek #WorldSuicidePreventionDay
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students of Da Vinci Communications, Design, Science and Connect High Schools:
Last night some of you may have received texts, emails and/or calls from students, parents and community members about a threat to our schools posted on a social media platform that was then further disseminated on other social media sites.
After having received the initial notification about the threat, the El Segundo Police Department (ESPD) was contacted and they immediately launched an investigation in collaboration with Da Vinci Schools regarding this matter. They were provided with all necessary information including information that we received last night from students, parents, and DV staff members. Thanks to everyone’s assistance and cooperation, the individual(s) involved were identified and the matter has been dealt with safely.
Having verified that the threat was deemed not to be credible, has been neutralized, and that those involved have been dealt with, the affected schools, DV Communications, Design, Science and Connect high schools will be open and in session today, Wednesday, September 8, 2021.
All of our safety measures will be in place as always and we will make sure to do everything possible to continue to provide a safe learning environment for our students and staff. In an abundance of caution, ESPD will have officers present on site throughout the day.
If you have any questions or further concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Be well and be safe,
Vicente Bravo
Chief Administrative Officer
Da Vinci Schools
201 N. Douglas Street
Office – #1308-Musician
El Segundo, CA 90245
(424) 290-3244 direct
(310) 725-5800, Ext. 1308 main
vbravo@davincischools.org
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