PARENT CORNER: Career Day!

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December 14th is our Career Day. At BSEA we are excited to host professionals from all fields. If you, a family member or friend would like to speak to our students and share your education, and career, please contact our principal, Ms. DeFilippis . If you know a professional in Computer Programming, Engineering or any other science field  the Science Department would greatly appreciate your help in contacting these individuals to discuss their field of interest with our students.  We look forward to seeing you.

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FAMILY SCIENCE DAY @ THE BROOKLYN BOTANICAL GARDEN

Hello to all BSEA Parents,

Please  join Mrs. Jennings and the Urban Advantage (UA) Staff on Saturday October 24, 2015 at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

7th grade science teacher, Mrs. Jennings is a Lead Teacher working with the UA team at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and will be welcoming and working with visiting families on Saturday October 24, 2015 for this years  Science Day! This special event will run from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Please contact Mrs. Jennings for a family voucher that will allow FREE access to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Please enter the garden on the 1000 Washington Avenue side in order to locate all science activities. Students will have the opportunity to pot their own carnivorous plant, as well as take part in a scavenger hunt. Parents will receive a $5.oo gift card to the Cafe just for completing a survey of their ideas about the event.  The Free voucher allows up to four (4) people entry to the garden. If you have a very large family or would like to bring another family, please request two (2) vouchers. Vouchers are available until we run out, and can be used for Science Day at the Museum of Natural History on Sunday October 25, 2015.

 

 

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September News:

Welcome to Parent Corner!

Do you want to know how to help your kids to stay awake this school year? if yes then read on…

Ask any teacher and they will tell you that they have at least a hand full of students who regularly fall asleep in class. Several of those students simply walk in and their heads go down. One or two even snore. A recent article in “Thrive” magazine, a New York Methodist Hospital magazine, addressed this issue and provided good advice to parents. The information you are reading is based on this article.

‘JUST Five More Minutes!’

“More than 50% of parents responding to a 2014 National Sleep Foundation study survey recognized that lack of sleep was impacting their children’s behavior, mood, performance and quality of life”. So if your wondering why Suzi is moody after staying up all night playing video games, there is a clinical reason.

According to Dr. Weingarten, ” We have an epidemic of sleep deprivation, not only among adults but among children, It affects their lives, including school performance and social interactions”.

There are several ways for parents to recognize the signs of a sleeping problem in their kids and some lifestyle changes or seeking professional help, if necessary, can help their kids gain a good nights’s rest. The following information was documented in the article:

WAKE-UP-CALLS

If your teenager consistently sleeps through an alarm, falls asleep at school or is tired on a daily basis, you will probably draw the conclusion that a lack of sleep is to blame, but some symptoms can be less obvious.

“In adults and older teens, daytime sleepiness is probably the most prominent indicator of sleep deprivation”, says Jeremy Weingarten, MD., chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, and director of the Center for Sleep Disorder at New York Methodist Hospital. “With younger kids, sleep deprivation often manifests as hyperactivity and difficulty concentrating, and there is some overlap of this with younger teens. It’s counterintuitive that a teen would not be getting enough sleep yet would actually be hyper, but it’s very true in some kids”.

SNOOZING TO AVOID LOSING

According to the National Sleep Foundation, only about 15% of teens receive eight and half hours or more of sleep nightly. The recommended amount of sleep for teens is eight to ten hours.This lack of sleep can manifest in other ways that can impact health, including:

  • Acne or skin-related issues
  • Higher susceptibility to colds and viruses
  • Weight gain from unhealthy food choices and inactivity
  • Changes in mood, including anger, impatience or sadness

The right quantity and quality of sleep can improve your child’s concentration, increase energy levels for sports or extracurricular activities, and help him or her to cope with stress.

Simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference in sleep health. Keeping a sleep journal can help parents and teens realize the factors affecting sleep.

“Helping your teen plan better to avoid over scheduling is important”,says Boris Dubrovsky, Ph.D., psychologist at NYM. Over planning too many activities to get done each day is jut not a good idea.”So how can parents reset their teens, if they know their kids are not getting enough sleep?

  1. As a parent, you want to set a bedtime for your teen that accommodates at least nine hours of sleep.
  2. Help your child plan to complete activities at least an hour before bedtime and ask him or her to avoid using electronic devices at least a half hour before going to bed. That will help to increase relaxation”. Its easier for kids to think of their bed for sleeping if they are not encouraged to read, or use their laptops and phones while in bed.
  3. Help kids to minimize exposure to bright lights, this is simple, “turn off bright lights and devices like iPads and smartphones before bedtime” because “this can keep from disrupting circadian sleep rhythms”(Dr. Weingarten).
  4. If increasing time for sleep doesn’t improve your childs sleeping habit you may want to speak to your pediatrician. According to “Thrive” “a sleep medicine doctor can help determine the cause of the sleep deprivation and provide therapeutic solutions”.

According to Dr. Dubrovsky if teenagers “are doing everything right in the evening and still can’t fall asleep and or they sleep through alarms, and the pattern causes them to miss school or fall asleep in class”, parents are advised to seek the help of a specialist.

SEVEN SOLUTIONS FOR TEEN SLEEP DEPRIVATION

  • Maintain consistent bedtime and wake-up times, including on the weekends.
  • Help your teen plan ahead to avoid late-night cramming for exams or working late to meet homework deadlines.
  • Collect and turn off electronic devices like iPods, laptops, and smartphones at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
  • Avoid energy or caffeinated drinks after 4:00 pm
  • Eat dinner earlier and avoid snacks, especially chocolate, before bedtime.
  • Relax with a book or soothing music before bedtime but not while in bed.
  • Make your teen’s bed a sleep sanctuary with comfortable pillows and bedding so the association is for  sleep instead of watching TV, reading or gaming.                                 – Jeremy Weingarten, M.D