Below are two of this year’s MOC-Floyd Valley District Foci:
- Social & Emotional Well-Being to Support Learning
- We will strive to address the social and emotional needs of students and staff so that everyone feels a sense of belonging at MOC-FV, and is able to learn and grow in a safe, supportive environment.
- Communication to Support Learning
- We will communicate with parents and others in a mission-focused, positive, productive manner.
In an effort to address these foci and better serve our students and their families, we recently invited two speakers to share with parents and community members. On Tuesday, September 17, Jeff Herzberg, Chief Administrator at Prairie Lakes AEA, Superintendent at Gilmore City-Bradgate, and strong advocate around mental health, shared an important message with MOC-Floyd Valley parents. Mr. Herzberg’s message centered around helping parents navigate the challenging waters of trauma and mental health. He shared research around the impact of trauma, truths about mental health, strategies for self-care and resources for parents.
The following evening, Wednesday, September 18, Mike Donahue, co-founder of Value Up, shared another important message with parents. According to Mr. Donahue, parents try to understand the pressures our kids face, but struggle to relate because they did not grow up in the digital age. Students have a hard time “shutting down” and the drama that occurs at 11:00 in the morning may follow them until they go to bed at night. Mr. Donahue notes that one of best ways we can help our children is by listening to them, not lecturing, and patiently working to get to their deeper feelings. Mr. Donahue’s closing message was, “Love your kids when they are home. Make sure it is a place where they feel safe, feel loved, and can decompress from the stresses of life.”
Prior to meeting with parents, Mr. Donahue spent the day working with MOC-Floyd Valley Middle and High School students. First, he shared a message with all of our 6-8 students, followed by all of our 9-12 students. During the assemblies he emphasized “walking a mile” in someone else’s shoes and understanding that every person has value. He states, “When students understand their innate value and the innate value of others, they are more likely to thrive.” The message touched on topics of value, respect, and building a school culture that promotes positive and respectful interactions. In addition to the assembly programs, Mike led a leadership seminar with 75 students from the high school and middle school. The focus of this leadership seminar was to equip students with ways that they can serve as positive leaders in the school and promote the positive and respectful school culture that they want.
Both speakers agreed to let us record their presentations and make them available to parents and community members who were unable to attend. We will be making these available on the MOC-Floyd Valley School District website in the very near future.