Kid Connection

  • Kid Connection Logo                                         Sunset Kid Connection

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Overview of Kid Connection

  • The Kid Connection is a Tier 2 Intervention Program that provides TK-5th grade students an opportunity to learn and practice the 5 competencies of Social Emotional Learning in a small group setting.  Research indicates that students who are taught social emotional learning skills show academic gains, improved classroom behavior, are better able to manage stress, anxiety, and depression, and have more satisfying relationships with others.  The 5 Social Emotional Learning competencies are:

    Self-Awareness

    Self-Management

    Social Awareness

    Relationship Skills

    Responsible Decision Making

    During their weekly half-hour Kid Connection session, small groups of students meet with the Kid Connection Specialist in a dedicated Kid Connection room.  The sessions are held during the school day.  Examples of specific lessons taught and practiced include being aware of emotions, managing emotions, taking a deep breath, being mindful, beginning a conversation, joining a group, taking turns, resolving conflict, maintaining friendships, and making a responsible decision.  

    Over the last 30 years, the Kid Connection has supported the social emotional development of thousands of students in the LVJUSD. For more information regarding The Kid Connection, please contact: Kat Riba, Kid Connection Specialist at Sunset Elementary School at kriba@lvjusd.org.,

    or Mallory Rachel, Ed.S., NCSP
    Mrachel@lvjusd.org
    925-960-2937

Parent Tips: Expressing Your Emotions

    • The first step in expressing your emotions is to understand and label how you feel.  Encourage your child to take a deep breath and think about how he/she is feeling.  What is your child’s facial expression, tone of voice and body language communicating?
    • Have your child label his/her feeling, “I feel ________.”  
    • Talk with your child about healthy ways to express emotions (Talk about how he/she is feeling, draw a picture or write in a journal about how he/she is feeling, take a break, do some deep breathing, get some exercise, get involved in an activity).  Model healthy ways of expressing emotions.
    • Remind your child that there aren’t “bad” emotions.  Everyone feels angry or sad at times.  We can learn healthy ways to express our feelings.  Provide positive feedback when your child expresses emotions in a healthy way.

Archived Tips

  • Kid Connection Skill Streaming: Solving a Problem

    Kid Connection Skill Streaming: Setting a Goal

    Kid Connection Skill Streaming: Dealing with Boredom

    Kid Connection Skill Streaming: Supporting Your Child's Emotional Regulation - Self Control

Parent Tips: Dealing with Anger

    • Explain to your child that anger is a natural emotion that everyone feels at times.
    • Talk with your child about times you have felt angry (don’t do this when you ARE feeling angry).  
    • Help your child to identify times he/she has felt angry.  How did his/her body feel?  
    • Brainstorm strategies your child can use when feeling angry (count to 10, breathe deeply, label his/her emotion, walk away, draw a picture, write in a journal).

     

LVJUSD Link to Mental Health

Additional Resources for Social Emotional Learning

  • A kids' book about COVID-19: Rainbows in Windows

    An informative and comforting book about COVID-19 has been shared with our staff.  Rainbows in windows: a book about big imaginations, big feelings and sheltering in place during a pandemic was written by Arianna Schioldager, edited by Evelyn Rusli and illustrated by Karo Oh. Presented by Yumi.  Mrs. Simons has created a read aloud of this book to share with the Sunset Community.
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  • Things I Can Control Chart & Worksheet

    Mrs. Borjon posted a lesson from Growful Mindset about things we can control in our environment and things we can't. She received positive feedback on how this chart was helpful to parents and students.
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  • Visual Breathing

    Two Sunset support staff members, Kelly Mackey and Caroline Doidge, suggest calming ourselves using a technique called visual breathing. "Essentially, it is a way to visualize breathing and begin to calm the mind and body."
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  • Grounding Exercise

    And to help with refocusing, two Sunset support staff members, Kelly Mackey and Caroline Doidge, suggest trying a Grounding Exercise which can 1) be used to help regain emotional regulation when student is upset/tantruming, 2) be used to help refocus a student who is off task/regain compliance and 3) be used as a fun break activity in between academics.

     
    This technique can be used with a student who is emotionally dysregulated to help them regain emotional regulation.  The parent can in a calm slow voice say "5 things that I see are....." and model for the student how to do it....then engage the student and see if they will participate.   This can help to shift their focus and interrupt the tantrum. Even if they don't participate at first, parent to continue to model and see if the student will engage along the way.  
     
    This can also be used for students who are unfocused or having difficulty keeping a calm body.  It can be used to help them refocus and regain compliance when they are off task. Ask them to do this activity with parent and then immediately after ask them to do the academic work.  It's called behavior momentum....when you get someone answering simple questions to start with they are then more likely to answer/perform difficult questions/ tasks immediately after.
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