#SAMEHERE

Hello Parents,

We are so excited that our school has chosen to use the #SameHere Scale Apps developed by the nonprofit: samehereglobal.org, for mental health check-ins.

The apps are called “SameHere Teacher” and “SameHere Student.” They facilitate and enhance vital mental health conversations in schools by asking students to privately share “how they are doing” with their designated teacher, on a daily basis. The apps will offer our school an easy to use social and emotional tool, designed to help students open-up and foster communication through the practice of actively requesting and sharing emotional states. The six emotional states, displayed in the graphic above, are based on a science developed by a Dr. Stephen Porges, called “Polyvagal” (if you would like to read up and learn more about it).

This Scale was intentionally designed as a non-diagnostic tool. It’s simply a way for our school community to have common language, across all stakeholders, enabling students to communicate how they are how they are doing, and what events they are experiencing and thoughts they are having, that are contributing to their emotional states. The Scale will also lead to conversations around self-care and emotion regulation tools that will become common practices for our students.

The privacy of all students at PS 205 The Clarion School, is extremely important – all responses and communication that takes place through the apps is protected. Only assigned teachers and school professionals will have access to student responses. Students will not be able to see each other’s individual/personal responses. Further, the apps are COPPA and FERPA compliant. For any parents that would like to opt their students out of using the apps, please send an email MSilverman2@schools.nyc.gov and use the subject “SameHere Scale.”

We believe these apps will break down the barriers of communication between teachers and students. Especially in our current climate – coming off a number of challenging years – we must acknowledge and proactively address the mental health of our students. Implementing mental health tool and conversations into our classrooms equips our students with vital knowledge about self-regulation, communication, and helps ensure students feel safe and can reach out for help around any challenges they may be facing.

Additional information about the app can be found here. If you would like to use the Scale yourself, to test it out, or to get to know the language and use it with your other family members, you may download it in the Apple App and Google Play Stores at “SameHere Scale” with a free one-week trial.

Sincerely,

Michael Silverman

Assistant Principal