--- title: May-Day SEL To the Resuce --- Survive May with SEL strategies! 🌟 ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­    ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­   | View in browser The Month of May ➡️ When your “to-do” list becomes your “to-cry” list  The irony that May is Mental Health Awareness month isn’t lost on us educators who might very well be hanging on by a loose thread right now!    Why is that the case? Well, why don’t we count how many fires you are currently roasting marshmallows over… End-of-the-year testing, evenings spent grading, report card repairing, packing up the classroom, moderating conflict, and trying to capture students’ attention is about as easy as trying to catch a butterfly in a hurricane! So, what can you do to get through May and onto beloved June? ☀️ "June, aka a month of only Fridays, everyday." - a quote from my dear friend (and almost retired Rochelle D231 teacher/legend), Dede Ponto!  Use your lunch break to rest! (Put your hands up & step away from the copy machine!) Take a mindful walk and practice controlled breaths to lower your anxiety. Check on your colleagues and friends - Connection is a powerful form of care! Check-in with yourself when you're feeling stressed! Recognize what you're feeling, identify the cause, and stretch to uncoil the springs in those shoulder muscles! Christine Schweitzer cschweitzer@roe4.org   To help you in this journey, look for monthly strategies and celebrations in each Area 2 SEL newsletter! (Did you miss my previous emails? Catch up here! February \| March \| April)   Monthly Focus Mental Health Awareness Month Know the Facts - Nearly 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year in the U.S. - About 1 in 7 children in the U.S., ages 6-17, experience a mental health disorder annually. (Source: NAMI)   Everyone has mental health - It’s simply the state of your overall mental wellness. However, a mental illness/disorder is a health condition with symptoms that could be diagnosed or treated.   Learn More in the 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit  SEL Strategy Mental Health Classroom Activities Implement one of these mental health awareness activities this month with your students!    Craving for more? Discover other mental health activities for kids here! Pre-K & Elementary DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC Middle & High School DOWNLOAD GRAPHIC  Craving for more? Discover other mental health activities for kids here!   May's Superstar Nominations! 59 educators have been recognized as Area 2 SEL Superstars since December! Let’s see who was nominated for the month of April! Tami Lopata, 2nd Grade Teacher at Rock Cut Elementary in Harlem SD #122 Sarah Nauman, School Counselor at Dorothy Simon Elementary in Winnebago Officer Jeff Spelman, School Resource Officer for Winnebago School District Erin Rybski, Social Worker at Loves Park Elementary in Harlem SD Gracie Caltagerone, 1st Grade Teacher at Dorothy Simon in Winnebago Sue Green, PreK Paraprofession at Dorothy Simon in Winnebago Katie Caporale, Social Worker for Hiawatha CUSD 426 and the WINNER of the March SEL Superstar Drawing is:  Gracie Caltagerone This is your last chance to submit your nominations for the 2025-2026 school year! Deadline: May 31 NOMINATE SOMEONE Why give up a summer day to go to Symposium?  June 9 \| Embassy Suites Downtown Rockford   ✔️Actually enjoy a PD day (good speakers, great space, lots of options) ✔️Lunch + ice cream included ✔️8 PDHs in one day - no subs, no schedule gymnastics ✔️Leave with ideas you'll actually use next year ✔️Good vibes for a great start to your summer Register by May 29! Now that you're convinced, let's get your admin on board, too.   It's a simple yes: 8 PDHs in one day and no substitute required! ⭐PLUS,⭐ if you have a group of 3+, your rate just got even cheaper. That's a cost-effective way to invest in your team's growth!    Don't worry. We've already written the request for you:  'Convince Your Admin' Letter Are you passionate about improving the lives of students and their health?  If so, you can help shape the transformation of child and family supports in Illinois! How? By attending a Community Network Anchor event!   The goal of this statewide initiative is to improve access to all health supports in the following 9 counties: Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, Carroll, Ogle, Lee, Whiteside, and DeKalb. Register to attend the May 12th free event at Kishwaukee College in Malta from 6-8pm.   Save the date for our next meeting this fall! Wednesday, September 9th, 6pm-8pm “The Power of Lived Experience” Community Event  Register for May 12 Save the date for our next meeting this fall! Wednesday, September 9th, 6pm-8pm “The Power of Lived Experience” Community Event  Statewide SEL Updates HB 4536 Update  House Bill 4536 has passed committee with a unanimous 8–0 vote to pass, so it now moves to the Senate. The bill updates the Regional Superintendent of Schools Article of the School Code (105 ILCS 5/3-11) to expand how trauma and trauma-responsive learning environments are defined in educator training. It explicitly recognizes ongoing, relational, and developmentally expressed trauma, including the experiences of students impacted by adoption, foster care, and kinship care.   Resilience Supportive Schools Illinois  Prepare to use the Resilience Supportive Schools Illinois (RSSI) Platform next school year with this updated resource! Download Statewide SEL Trainings K-12, 0 PDH, Virtual, Free - 05/07/2026: Complimentary Webinar: 3 Positive Ways to Engage Families (That Impact Students) Pre-K-12, 1PDH, Virtual, Free - 05/12/2026: Beyond Social Skills: Friendship-focused Supports for Autistic Students Pre-K, 0 PDH, Virtual, Free - 05/12/2026: Supporting Your Child’s Sleep Health Pre-K, 7.5 PDH, Virtual, Free - 05/13/2026: Book Study: Seven Crucial Conversations in Early Childhood Education: Where Have We Been and cDoes it Matter? (webinars and assignments) Forwarded this message? 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