Election Message from the PK-12 Leadership Team

As we know, we cannot predict the outcome of this presidential election. Yet, we do know, as we’ve seen and/or heard, that this election season has been marred by the worst kind of divisive rhetoric with tensions running high, and despite the outcome, they may continue to do so.  To that end, we want to take this moment to connect with our beloved PHA community to reiterate our unwavering core values and beliefs. At PHA, everyone is welcome, no matter where you come from, what language(s) you speak, what color your skin is, what religion you practice, or what your gender or sexual orientation is– you belong to our inclusive school community. We value EACH AND EVERY one of you -  you make up the beautiful, intricately woven fabric of our uniquely diverse PHA community, whereas,  we will support each other through whatever the next few weeks or months may bring.

Across various grade levels at PHA, our educators have used this election season as an opportunity to engage our students in developmentally appropriate dialogue about government, civics, media literacy, and our system of democracy.  To support this learning at home, we’ve included a couple of DESE vetted resources, as well as resources from our partner, Cartwheel Care, Inc. below:

• Harvard Graduate School of Education, Education Now webinar, "How to teach students, to listen and talk across their differences, particularly post-election," November 14, 3:00-3:30
• PBS Learning Media: Media in Elections: This collection includes videos, tools, and activities related to the roles of news coverage and social media in election outcomes.
• How to Cope with Political Stress this Election Season from the American Psychological Association (APA)
• A Family Tip Sheet: Managing Election Anxiety: practical, age-appropriate strategies for reducing election-related anxiety for students, parents, and caregivers.
• Supporting Students in Politically Charged Times from the National Association of School Psychologists

Further, in the coming weeks, if your child needs extra help processing post-election outcomes-what might be happening in the world around them, please contact your campus’ school guidance counselor at:

Sincerely,

The PK-12 Leadership Team