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UPDATED: Counseling support for Carver families

 

Transformation Waco Logo

 

April 7, 2020


Dear Carver Families,

To those who knew Phillip Perry, he was a gentle giant of a man. His passing has left a huge hole in our hearts, and we grieve his passing even as we are grateful for having known him and had his influence in our lives. As we continue to work through this loss together, Waco ISD and Transformation Waco want to make sure we are supporting you, no matter where you are in the healing process.

Last week, we offered guidance and support to our students and families through virtual counseling sessions and a counseling hotline. We will be providing these services again this Thursday, April 9 starting at 9 a.m. We will do this in multiple ways:

  1. Waco ISD Virtual Group Counseling Sessions - Carver Middle School counselors will be available to comfort and speak with their students and/or families in small group settings. One-hour Zoom sessions will be held at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Thursday.
  2. Waco ISD Counseling Hotline - Counselors will be available to comfort and support students, families, and staff individually on Thursday between 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Please call 254-755-9423.
  3. National Counseling Hotline - Please call 800-273-8255 (TALK) or text TX to 741-741 to talk to counselors from a national network with connections to local resources.

Please know that the Carver Middle School counseling team and their district colleagues are here to support you and your family during this challenging time. If your child would like to connect with school counselors and/or peers, I encourage them to participate in the group counseling sessions or individual counseling session opportunities as discussed above.

Sincerely,

Robin McDurham, Ed.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Transformation Waco

 

 

April 1, 2020

 

Dear Carver Families,

As we grieve the loss of Mr. Perry, I am saddened that we cannot be together to share special memories or support and comfort each other in person. That makes this an especially difficult time for all of us.

Waco ISD’s student support team in collaboration with Transformation Waco would like to offer guidance and support to our students and families. While we can’t physically be present to support our students, we can use technology to offer counseling in a virtual environment. We will do that in multiple ways:

1. Waco ISD Virtual Group Counseling Sessions - Counselors will be available to comfort and speak with students and/or families in small group settings on Thursday, April 2, and Friday, April 3. One-hour sessions will be held at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. Links and information to participate in any of these sessions are listed below.

2. Waco ISD Counseling Hotline - Counselors will be available to comfort and support students, families, and staff individually on Friday, April 3, between 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 1:00-3:00 p.m. Please call 254-755-9423.

3. National Counseling Hotline - Please call 800-273-8255 (TALK) or text TX to 741-741 to talk to counselors from a national network with connections to local resources.

Connecting with others is an important part of the grieving process. Expressing feelings regarding a significant loss can help children understand how they are feeling and help them cope. I hope that you will take the opportunity to discuss the loss of Mr. Perry as a family and help them identify ways to be supportive to a friend or classmate during this time.

Please know that the Waco ISD counseling team is here to support you and your family during this challenging time. If your child would like to connect with school counselors and/or peers, we encourage them to participate in the group counseling sessions or individual counseling session opportunities as discussed above. For immediate assistance, please contact the national counseling hotline.

In addition to the chart with information needed to access virtual meetings, we are providing a list of additional resources for talking to your children about grief.

Sincerely,

Robin McDurham, Ed.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Transformation Waco

 

Tips for Parents When Talking to Your Children About Grief

National Child Traumatic Stress Network: https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/traumatic-grief 

NCTSN for School Personnel:  https://www.nctsn.org/audiences/school-personnel 

Texas Children's Hospital Trauma and Grief Center: https://www.texaschildrens.org/departments/trauma-and-grief-center  

(For Parents) Childhood Traumatic Grief Education Materials: https://rems.ed.gov/docs/SAMHSA_ChildhoodTraumaticGriefForParents.pdf  



Waco ISD Virtual Group Counseling Sessions

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Session 1 from 9-10 a.m.
https://zoom.us/j/501502732?pwd=b2ROZmV4bzNjTmFYcFZRaS9ocHVPUT09
Meeting ID: 501 502 732
Password: 123456

Session 2 from 10-11 a.m.
https://zoom.us/j/406796456?pwd=SU5xU0hsdWV1SFAzSndGUk44LzRGQT09
Meeting ID: 406 796 456
Password: 123456

Session 3 from 1-2 p.m.
https://zoom.us/j/773399381?pwd=Qk5UTERtbFQ1RFBLU0RhUWxGN25qUT09
Meeting ID: 773 399 381
Password: 561435

Session 4 from 2-3 p.m.
https://zoom.us/j/458827267?pwd=T2RtVUVQYmpBV0svbEJYUVhhM2h0QT09
Meeting ID:458 827 267
Password: 569009 

Friday, April 3, 2020

Session 1 from 9-10 a.m.
https://zoom.us/j/261101405?pwd=NlJVbGtMTkNEZkpLamV3M21KaEV0QT09
Meeting ID: 261 101 405
Password: 986899

Session 2 from 10-11 a.m.
https://zoom.us/j/684957790?pwd=c2ZFUU5aOENHYnkrRUk4WWoyVWRpZz09
Meeting ID: 684 957 790
Password: 605415

Session 3 from 1-2 p.m.
https://zoom.us/j/450247437?pwd=ZG5iK2JMbXVqZXNTdlpjK3dKVXZPUT09
Meeting ID: 450 247 437
Password: 603826

Session 4 from 2-3 p.m.
https://zoom.us/j/931479923?pwd=czQ2OFgrdDNNUU81MUVWYW83b21DQT09
Meeting ID: 931 479 923
Password: 988125