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Saint Clare School 716 Myrth Avenue Essex, Maryland 21221
The Rainbow Program
For families new to Saint Clare, Rainbows
is a weekly support group for children in grades K-8 who are living with
single parents, step-families or have recently experienced the loss of a
loved one by death/separation.
When a parent dies or a divorce takes
place, the child experiences a complex set of emotions called grief.
However, most grieving children find it extremely difficult to
verbalize the accompanying feelings.
We all know that children do not come
to school and leave their feelings outside the classroom door.
Quite the opposite, all emotions (good and bad) come to class
with them. Learning is often hampered.
When a significant event happens within the family, the ENTIRE
family is affected. Consequently,
even though the loss of a spouse through death or divorce appears only
to be an adult problem, it has profound effects on the children it
touches.
God has blessed our school family with
some sensitive, caring, trained adults who have said “YES” to
helping these children put their feelings into words, to work through
grief, to build a stronger sense of self-esteem, and to begin to accept
what has taken place within their family. This is not a counseling program, rather, a safe place fro
children to express their feelings and know that there are other
children feeling the same way.
If your child is part of a
single-parent family or stepfamily, this will be a wonderful opportunity
for him/her to share with a special someone on the outside what is
happening on the inside.
As a loving parent, you probably have
questions and concerns about the program.
Once a week, the children come together in small, age-appropriate
groups to discuss various topics in relation to the change in their
families; such as, SCIENCE OF SELF, TRUST, ANGER, FAMILY, GOD – there
are 12 topics in all. The
children share their feelings through activities, games and discussions.
At the beginning of each session, everyone is reminded about
confidentiality, “What goes on in the group stays in the group.”
Each member of the group signs a
Confidentiality Contract. This contract states that they each may share what THEY say
or do in Rainbows, but may not share what another says or does.
The purpose of this contract and weekly reminder is to make
everyone feel comfortable about sharing.
Each person in the group is bound by this contract, including the
adult facilitator. If you,
as a parent, would like to know what is happening with your child in
Rainbows, ask him/her, Not the facilitator. Because sharing is the vital part of the program, we
encourage all children to share their feelings with the group AND at
home.
Through the Rainbows support group, we
hope to assist your child in expressing and understanding his/her
feelings, to feel acceptance for what has happened, and to feel a sense
of belonging and love. Because
we are unable to answer their questions and solve their problems, we
will accomplish this through the channels of peer support, nurturing
adults to guide them, and a secure place in which to share their
feelings. Please use the registration form. If you feel your child can benefit from Rainbows, both you and your child must sign the form and return it to school .
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