The Willows Community School

Join us for a Special Lunchtime Zoom Session with?Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Director, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Diana Divecha, Ph.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, Child Study Center, and Robin Stern, Ph.D., Associate Director, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, What 100 Years of Research Tells Us About Guiding Children and Families Through Crisis. Children are neither inherently resilient nor vulnerable. There is no “resilience gene.” Instead, how children fare arises out of who they are as individuals, together with the experiences they have. As always, parents and educators are at the fulcrum of pressure—protecting children while trying to respond to the disaster they face. 100 years of research on children in various crises—wars, famines, natural disasters, the pandemic—has taught us some important lessons. This workshop will share 5 key findings and offer space for families to think about ways to address their current situation. Open to all! To learn more and save your place, RSVP below: https://lnkd.in/drktHppZ

Join us TOMORROW for a special lunchtime ZOOM event featuring Dr. Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist, New York Times monthly columnist, and best-selling author of “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers”. Dr. Damour will explore how adaptability, emotional durability, outward focus, and conscientiousness can prepare children and parents to navigate uncertainty. We look forward to seeing you on January 15 at 12 PM. RSVP using the link in our bio!

Join us for a special lunchtime ZOOM event featuring Dr. Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist, New York Times monthly columnist, and best-selling author of “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers”. Dr. Damour will explore how adaptability, emotional durability, outward focus, and conscientiousness can prepare children and parents to navigate uncertainty. We look forward to seeing you on January 15 at 12 PM. RSVP Below! https://lnkd.in/gKbnXMHx

Media Literacy Week is approaching! It starts on October 21, and this year, the theme celebrates one of the five components of media literacy’s definition each day of Media Literacy Week: Access, Analyze, Evaluate, Create, and Act. At The Willows, we are working toward emphasizing these components in all grades throughout the year. Stay tuned for updates as we continue this important work.

Dr. Lisa Damour, Clinical Psychologist, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, New York Times Columnist and CBS-TV News Contributor Beyond All-or-Nothing: A pragmatic approach to kids & social technologies. Tips to Reduce Parent anxiety Dr. Damour discusses the mental health crisis impacting tweens and teens and offers strategies for parents to embrace adolescent emotions and reduce their own anxiety. ? “Mental Health is not about feeling good. It’s about having the feelings that fit their context and being able to manage those emotions effectively.” – Dr. Damour RSVP: https://lnkd.in/drktHppZ

Michael Thompson, Ph.D.,?Internationally Acclaimed Psychologist, Speaker, Consultant, and?New York Times?Bestselling Author returns to The Willows with a new talk on this much-discussed topic: Children and Devices: How Much Should Parents Worry? What is the biggest worry that parents currently have??Devices and Technology!?Dr. Thompson will bring his expertise and wisdom to help parents on this all-consuming issue and offer guidance to safeguard the well-being of children and reduce parental anxiety. He will cover such questions as: - Have cellphones changed childhood? - How to think about your child’s use of technology? Dr. Thompson will offer common sense and a psychologically based approach to devices, digital connectivity, and technology. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/drktHppZ

We are thrilled to announce that?The Willows Community School?has been recognized?by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence?as a 2025 RULER Spotlight School. This honor highlights our dedication to fostering a supportive and emotionally intelligent environment for our students, staff, and families. Being selected as a RULER Spotlight School is a testament to our commitment to creating a?learning environment where the well-being of our educators and students?is?the priority.?We are proud to be a model for other schools nationwide, showcasing best practices and strategies for effective?RULER?implementation. Thank you for your continued support in helping us achieve this milestone!

With it being the Year of the Dragon, Lower School Art teachers Kristy Acero & Christian Isbell lead DK-4th grade in a large-scale, collaborative project, with each grade creating a portion of a 3-D realistic dragon. Spanning close to 50 feet in length, the dragon is a definitive example of a team effort, with each grade contributing to the larger goal. Currently displayed in the Building 1 hallway, the dragon serves as a reminder of the collective strength of our community, and how the sky's the limit when we work together. Learn more about the creative process and construction of the dragon in the video!