Pittsford Central School District hosted the first Power Hour of the school year on October 24 at Calkins Road Middle School to discuss self-care and stress management for parents and guardians. Pittsford Power Hours are designed to provide an opportunity for parents, guardians, and staff members to interact and learn together to better support our school community.
Moderated by the Director of Student Services, Shana Cutaia, the event featured a panel of PCSD staff members, including Leylan Akyuz, Student and Family Engagement Coordinator; Amy Daniels, School Counselor at Calkins Road Middle School; and Martha McKenna, School Counselor at Mendon Center Elementary.
The evening began with a self-reflection exercise, where participants were asked to identify and categorize the sources of stress and anxiety in their lives, differentiating between long-term and immediate situational stressors.
Parents and guardians were encouraged to prioritize self-care to effectively support their children. “This is the concept of putting that [oxygen] mask on yourself first before you can help someone else, and really modeling that healthy coping behavior for our students,” stated Cutaia.
This involves finding techniques and changing habits that promote self-care, such as social connections with family or friends, meditation, exercise, getting enough sleep, and gratitude journaling. Self-improvement is a process rather than a quest for perfection, said panel members. Open communication, demonstrating positive behavior, and normalizing anxious feelings help build resilience in children.
This event and previous Power Hour presentations can be viewed at PowerHour.
Mark your calendars and save the date for the next Power Hour on January 4, 2024, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Calkins Road Middle School focusing on promoting healthy habits for nutrition, sleep, and managing social media use.