YourNNY Your Source for News & Sports in Northern New York

BREAST CANCER RESEARCH. 8:43 NOW, SCHOOL BUSES ARE GETTING READY TO ROLL BACK TO THE CLASSROOM COUNTDOWN, IT’S DEFINITELY ON. THAT TRANSITION CAN COME WITH EXCITEMENT AND ANXIETY FOR PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS. JENNIFER: IT DEFINITELY CAN. JOINING US FOR SOME MUCH NEEDED ADVICE, THE DIRECTOR OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT SOCIETY, AND FOR CHILDREN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING FOR AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. THIS CAN BE A BUSY TIME OF YEAR. WHAT SIGNS SHOULD PARENTS LOOK FOR THAT KIDS MAY BE MORE ANXIOUS THAN WE THINK? >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. SOME CHILDREN MAY WORRY ABOUT SCHOOL OR CAREGIVERS DIRECTLY. OTHERS ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF STRESS, CHANGES IN SLEEP, DIFFICULTY FALLING ASLEEP AT NIGHT. DIFFICULTY WITH EATING, COMPLAINTS OF ACHES OR PAINS, SUCH AS STOMACH ACHES, DEVELOPMENT OF KIND OF NEW DIFFICULTY WITH SEPARATING FROM PARENTS, MAYBE GOING TO FRIENDS OR RELATIVE’S HOUSE. CHANGES IN MOOD, TEARFULNESS, CLINGINESS OR I REMRRIIRRITABILI AND THANKS FOR THOSE SIGNS. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO PREPARE THEM BEFORE OR DURING THE TRANSITION? >> PREPARING THE CHILDREN FOR SITUATIONS, ATTENDING A NEW SCHOOL OR BEGINNING A NEW SCHOOL YEAR AS WELL AS A PLAN CAN BE VERY HELPFUL. PARTICULARLY YOUNG CHILDREN WHO MAYBE ARE EXPERIENCING A NEW SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME DUE TO PREVIOUS DISRUPTIONS RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. STRATEGIES SUCH AS REHEARSING THE MORNING TRANSITION THROUGH PLAY WITH DOLLS OR ACTION FIGURES AND INCLUDES THE HOME ROUTINE. GETTING UM, HAVING BREAKFAST, AS WELL THE GOODBYE OR DROP-OFF WITH PARENTS, SAYING GOODBYE WITH A CHILD FRIENDLY RITUAL LIKE A HIGH-FIVE OR A HANDSHAKE, A SPECIAL HANDSHAKE. READINGS BOOKS ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL. PREVIEWING ACTIVITIES THAT CHILDREN MIGHT ENJOY AT SCHOOL AND IF POSSIBLE, VISITING THE SCHOOL OR THE CLASSROOM, IF POSSIBLE, AND MEETING THE TEACHER. IF NOT, THE PLAYGROUND CAN BE HELPFUL. ALSO FOR OLDER CHILDREN, IF THEY’VE HAD PAST EXPERIENCES GOING TO SCHOOL, WHICH THEY WILL HAVE, BEING ABLE TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS LIKE AND HOW THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL AND BRAVE DOING SOMETHING NEW, EVEN TALKING ABOUT OTHER EXAMPLES WITH BRAVERY STORIES WE CALL THEM, OF MASTERING SOMETHING THAT WAS CHALLENGING. AND CELEBRATING THE RETURN TO SCHOOL WITH THEME NIGHTS BY HAVING A SPECIAL EVENT EACH NIGHT THAT THE CHILD COMES HOME THAT THEY CAN LOOK FORWARD TO. IT CAN BE SIMPLE, DRESSING UP IN COSTUMES FOR DINNER, HAVING A TREASURE HUNT, AND REALLY, FOR ALL CHILDREN AND ALL PARENTS, HAVING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, THAT IT CAN TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO DO — ADAPT TO A NEW SCHEDULE AND ROUTINE AND THAT’S EASIER OVER TIME. JENNIFER: SO TRUE. YOU FEEL BETTER A MONTH INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR. >> ABSOLUTELY. JENNIFER: SOME KIDS ARE QUICK TO TELL YOU WHAT’S ON THEIR MIND AND OTHERS ARE QUIETER AND LESS LIKELY TO BRING UP CONCERNS. YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG, BUT THEY’RE NOT SAYING WHAT ARE THE GOOD STRATEGIES TO DRAW THEM OUT. >> IT’S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. I THINK ENGAGING CHILDREN IN CONVERSATION WHILE DOING AN ACTIVITY LIKE DRAWING OR TAKING A WALK THAT DOESN’T REQUIRE DEEP FOCUS ON EYE CONTACT CAN SOMETIMES BE HELPFUL IN BRINGING OUT SHY CHILDREN. ADDITIONALLY WHEN CHILDREN SHARE EXPERIENCES ABOUT THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES AND MODEL COPING STRATEGIES THAT MAYBE THEY’VE USED, MAYBE THEIR OWN WORRY AS A CHILD GOING TO SCHOOL AND WHAT THAT’S LIKE TO BE HELPFUL. AND READING BOOKS WITH CHILDREN OR CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPRESSING WORRIES AND SCHOOL CAN BE A GOOD JUMPING OFF POINT TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS. RHONDELLA: THANK YOU, NO ONE WANTS TO FEEL HELPLESS AS A PARENT. YOU’RE DIRECTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, CHILD AND ADOLESCENT, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK WE ALL HAVE MEMORIES, I REMEMBER T

2,000 Philadelphia school district workers vote to authorize strike ahead of school year

A union representing about 2,000 School District of Philadelphia employees voted to authorize a strike on Saturday, just over one week before school starts, the union announced in a news release.32BJ SEIU, the union, voted to strike if it does not have a new contract by Aug. 31, the date its current contract expires, the union said.The union is asking for higher wages and adequate training programs, calling the conditions under the current contract “unacceptable.”John Bynum, assistant district leader of the union, said the school district has not trained its teachers to de-escalate serious situations in schools, including active shooter training.”The Philadelphia School District needs to respect us, protect us, and pay us living wages. Bus drivers, cleaners, and those who kept our schools open during the pandemic were called essential, now it’s time for that to be reflected in a fair contract for Philadelphia School District workers,” Bynum said.Larisa Shambaugh, chief talent officer for the School District of Philadelphia, said she is hopeful that they can reach a fair contract that “values and supports our employees.””We deeply value the work of our staff who are represented by 32BJ SEIU District 1201,” Shambaugh said in a statement. “We continue to actively participate in conversations and negotiations to secure a new contract as soon as possible, without disruption to in-person learning to begin the 2022-2023 school year.”The employees included under the contract are primarily bus drivers, bus attendants, bus mechanics, building cleaners, building engineers and trades workers.The workers agreed to pay cuts and mandatory weekly contributions from their pay to help fund the school district budget, keeping children in school and sparing thousands from unemployment due to school closures, according to the union’s news release.”SEIU 32BJ members have shown their commitment to Philadelphia’s Public Schools through the financial crisis and a global pandemic. They are simply asking for pay and training that honors their commitment to PSD and is in line with other union workers across the City of Philadelphia,” the press release said.

Philadelphia —

A union representing about 2,000 School District of Philadelphia employees voted to authorize a strike on Saturday, just over one week before school starts, the union announced in a news release.

32BJ SEIU, the union, voted to strike if it does not have a new contract by Aug. 31, the date its current contract expires, the union said.

The union is asking for higher wages and adequate training programs, calling the conditions under the current contract “unacceptable.”

John Bynum, assistant district leader of the union, said the school district has not trained its teachers to de-escalate serious situations in schools, including active shooter training.

“The Philadelphia School District needs to respect us, protect us, and pay us living wages. Bus drivers, cleaners, and those who kept our schools open during the pandemic were called essential, now it’s time for that to be reflected in a fair contract for Philadelphia School District workers,” Bynum said.

Larisa Shambaugh, chief talent officer for the School District of Philadelphia, said she is hopeful that they can reach a fair contract that “values and supports our employees.”

“We deeply value the work of our staff who are represented by 32BJ SEIU District 1201,” Shambaugh said in a statement. “We continue to actively participate in conversations and negotiations to secure a new contract as soon as possible, without disruption to in-person learning to begin the 2022-2023 school year.”

The employees included under the contract are primarily bus drivers, bus attendants, bus mechanics, building cleaners, building engineers and trades workers.

The workers agreed to pay cuts and mandatory weekly contributions from their pay to help fund the school district budget, keeping children in school and sparing thousands from unemployment due to school closures, according to the union’s news release.

“SEIU 32BJ members have shown their commitment to Philadelphia’s Public Schools through the financial crisis and a global pandemic. They are simply asking for pay and training that honors their commitment to PSD and is in line with other union workers across the City of Philadelphia,” the press release said.