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More US Schools Are Taking Breaks for Meditation. Teachers Say It Helps Students' Mental Health School districts across the U.S. are adopting mental health practices as a part of their daily schedules and curriculums By Associated Press | Aug. 4, 2024, at 12:10 a.m. Save More U.S. News & World Report More US Schools Are Taking Breaks for Meditation. Teachers Say It Helps Students' Mental Health More Sharon Johnson Sharon Johnson Malachi Smith meditates during a mindfulness session in his classroom at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School, May 14, 2024, in Rex, Georgia. School districts across the U.S. have been introducing yoga, meditation and mindfulness exercises to help students manage stress and emotions. (AP Photo/Sharon Johnson) REX, Ga. (AP) — The third-grade students at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School had only a few days until summer vacation, and an hour until lunch, but there was no struggle to focus as they filed into the classroom. They were ready for one of their favorite parts of the day. The children closed their eyes and traced their thumbs from their foreheads to their hearts as a pre-recorded voice led them through an exercise called the shark fin, part of the classroom's regular meditation routine. Recommended Videos Powered by AnyClip US Working on $500 Million Military Aid Package for Philippines 5.8K 1 Play VideoBrand logo thumbnail-jjkviuscobcuet3ln42damdwjzihat2yUS Working on $500 Million Military Aid Package for PhilippinesNOW PLAYING thumbnail-o43xe2konz3uemtqob5handek42dcqsnSigns Your Child Is Struggling With Going Back to School and What To Do About It thumbnail-pjvti6sfgvcuet3ln42damdwjzgeinjuBoar’s Head Is Recalling 7 Million Pounds of Meat thumbnail-nnzxawlmgreue3kggnftasspinzgquskVenezuelans Challenge Their Disabilities With Four Legged Allies thumbnail-kvpvm3bwny4eessyl4yuiytqg5zxawllStunning Number of Teens Suffer from Depression During Pandemic, CDC Study “Listen to the chimes," said the teacher, Kim Franklin. "Remember to breathe.” Schools across the U.S. have been introducing yoga, meditation and mindfulness exercises to help students manage stress and emotions. As the depths of student struggles with mental health became clear in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year endorsed schools' use of the practices. Research has found school-based mindfulness programs can help, especially in low-income communities where students face high levels of stress or trauma. The mindfulness program reached Smith Elementary through a contract with the school system, Clayton County Public Schools, where two-thirds of the students are Black. GreenLight Fund Atlanta, a network that matches communities with local nonprofits, helps Georgia school systems pay for the mindfulness program provided by Inner Explorer, an audio platform. Joli Cooper, GreenLight Fund Atlanta's executive director, said it was important to the group to support an organization that is accessible and relevant for communities of color in the Greater Atlanta area. Children nationwide struggled with the effects of isolation and remote learning as they returned from the pandemic school closures. The CDC in 2023 reported more than a third of students were affected by feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness. The agency recommended schools use mindfulness practices to help students manage emotions. Read: His Brother Was Found Dead, His Mother Was Arrested, Then This Baby Was Found Crawling by a Highway “We know that our teenagers and adolescents have really strained in their mental health,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen told The Associated Press. “There are real skills that we can give our teens to make sure that they are coping with some big emotions.” Approaches to mindfulness represent a form of social-emotional learning, which has become a political flashpoint with many conservatives who say schools use it to promote progressive ideas about race, gender and sexuality. But advocates say the programming brings much-needed attention to students' well-being. “When you look at the numbers, unfortunately, in Georgia, the number of children of color with suicidal thoughts and success is quite high,” Cooper said. “When you look at the number of psychologists available for these children, there are not enough psychologists of color.” Black youth have the fastest-growing suicide rate among racial groups, according to CDC statistics. Between 2007 and 2020, the suicide rate among Black children and teens ages 10 to 17 increased by 144%. “It’s a stigma with being able to say you’re not OK and needing help, and having the ability to ask for help,” said Tolana Griggs, Smith Elementary's assistant principal. “With our diverse school community and wanting to be more aware of our students, how different cultures feel and how different cultures react to things, it’s important to be all-inclusive with everything we do.” Nationwide, children in schools that serve mostly students of color have less access to psychologists and counselors than those in schools serving mostly white students. The Inner Explorer program guides students and teachers through five-to-10-minute sessions of breathing, meditating and reflecting several times a day. The program also is used at Atlanta Public Schools and over 100 other districts across the country. Teachers and administrators say they have noticed a difference in their students since they’ve incorporated mindfulness into their routine. For Aniyah Woods, 9, the program has helped her “calm down” and “not stress anymore.” “I love myself how I am, but Inner Explorer just helps me feel more like myself,” Aniyah said. Malachi Smith, 9, has used his exercises at home, with his father helping to guide him through meditation. “You can relax yourself with the shark fin, and when I calm myself down, I realize I am an excellent scholar,” Malachi said. After Franklin’s class finished their meditation, they shared how they were feeling. “Relaxed,” one student said. Aniyah raised her hand. “It made me feel peaceful,” she said. ___ The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Photos You Should See - July 2024 Visitors reach through the White House fence, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) View All 20 Images Tags: Associated Press, children, Meditation, health, mental health, Georgia, education Read More His Brother Was Found Dead, His Mother Was Arrested, Then This Baby Was Found Crawling by a Highway Nevada Attorney General Appeals to State High Court in Effort to Revive Fake Electors Case Dueling Harris and Trump Rallies in the Same Atlanta Arena Showcase America's Deep Divides Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie Announces the Death of His Wife, Rhonda Massie Pritzker Signs Law Banning Health Insurance Companies' 'Predatory Tactics,' Including Step Therapy A Dam Fails After Rain, Wind, Tornadoes Pound the Midwest. the Chicago Area Is Cleaning Up Related Articles Best States States Restricting Gender-Affirming Care America 2024 The 2024 Swing States: Wisconsin America 2024 The 2024 Swing States: Michigan America 2024 The 2024 Swing States: Nevada America 2024 The 2024 Swing States: Pennsylvania America 2024 The 2024 Swing States: Georgia Best States Rankings #1 Utah #2 New Hampshire #3 Nebraska #4 Minnesota #5 Idaho See Full Rankings List » Healthiest Communities Your trusted source for in-depth analysis on the issues impacting your community’s well-being delivered right to your inbox. 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The ideal candidate who is comfortable with the following Responsibilities Installs, upgrades and customizes ISV software tools in a multi-system z/OS mainframe environment Automation SA/390 support Provides usage support for Applications Development, Infrastructure, IT Operations and IT Production Support and user community Required to be on call 24x7 on a rotating basis for problem resolution and high systems availability Use IBM and ISV online tools for opening and managing problem report tracking and resolution Actively participates in periodic DR exercises; maintains DR readiness of systems Monitors status of systems to proactively prevent issues from occurring. Hardware Configuration Works to accomplish organizational goals that are consistent in supporting both IT and Business objectives Performance and capacity planning Job Type: Contract Pay: $55,017.00 - $122,659.00 per year Benefits: - 401(k) - Dental Insurance - Health Insurance - Vision Insurance Schedule: - Monday to Friday Experience: - z/os systems programming: 5 years (Required) - IBM Storage: 5 years (Required) Contract Renewal: - Possible Full Time Opportunity: - No Work Location: - Fully Remote This Company Describes Its Culture as: - Detail-oriented -- quality and precision-focused - People-oriented -- supportive and fairness-focused - Team-oriented -- cooperative and collaborative Company's website: - www.calibrocorp.com Benefit Conditions: - Waiting period may apply - Only full-time employees eligible Full job description IT Specialist Sarreid, ltd Wilson, NC Job Overview The IT Specialist’s role is to assist with the ongoing maintenance, installation, configuration, and daily utilization of infrastructure software and hardware. The ideal candidate will have practical experience in troubleshooting, system maintenance, and providing end user support and clear communication. Skills & abilities Ensure security of network - Install, maintain updates and ensure reliability of virus protection software on all PC's - Create and maintain a written description of the network backup procedure - Maintain and ensure reliability and completeness of backups of all PCs on a daily basis - Ensure that users know how and where to store data that needs to be backed up - Restore lost files for users as necessary Maintain network hardware in good working condition - Establish and adhere to a written equipment maintenance schedule - Troubleshoot, diagnose and repair network hardware problems as necessary - Tune machines for optimal and reliable performance - Install new machines and network infrastructure as necessary Install & configure application software as necessary - Ensure software licensing compliance - Ensure adherence to the company's defined software standards to facilitate training and support - Monitor network for installation of unauthorized software and remove when found Serve as backup admin - Perform essential computer operator tasks when admins are absent - Perform RedHat (7) – (8) enough to be proficient to backup admins - Learn to update the website - Learn to extract the data necessary to update the website - Spend a minimum of one day per month performing admin tasks to remain proficient on tasks Support software projects and executive reporting tools - Perform projects defined with the IT manager to accomplish corporate objectives - Recommend new software or software improvements to IT manager - Create models and reports for analysis and presentation of information to management using Excel - Manage High Point Market showroom automation systems Skills Working with Shopify/Square - Experienced in setting up and customizing stores, including theme selection and customization. - Ability to identify and integrate third-party apps and modules to enhance store functionality. - Experience using customer support and chat tools to enhance customer service - Ability to use analytics and reporting tools to track performance and make data-driven decisions - Skilled in ensuring stores are mobile-friendly and responsive. Train PC USERS - Evaluate PC user competency in using the software required to perform their job responsibilities - Develop and conduct training sessions to improve employee computer competency as necessary Job Type: Full-time Pay: $42,000.00 - $49,000.00 per year Benefits: - 401(k) - Dental insurance - Flexible spending account - Health insurance - Paid time off - Retirement plan - Vision insurance Schedule: - 8 hour shift - Monday to Friday Ability to Relocate: - Wilson, NC 27896: Relocate before starting work (Required) Work Location: In person Under the general supervision of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Staff Accountant is responsible for providing support to the administration in maintenance of agency’s cash, accounts payable, and payroll operations, preparation of financial and operating reports, accounting for grants/contracts, processing of purchase requisitions, generating monthly reports, monitoring grants/contracts expenses and revenues, reconciling grants/contracts to the general ledger, assisting with audit preparations, preparing funds sheets and existing and new program budgets, working with programs to review program expenses, revenues, pro forma budgets etc, ensuring 100% compliance with reporting and payment requirements, and performing other tasks as requested by the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $50,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year Benefits: - 401(k) - 401(k) matching - Dental insurance - Disability insurance - Employee assistance program - Health insurance - Life insurance - Paid time off - Vision insurance Schedule: - Monday to Friday Experience: - Grants and contracts: 1 year (Required) Ability to Relocate: - Albuquerque, NM 87108: Relocate before starting work (Required) Work Location: In person