I would like to announce the arrival of GRIEFWEAVERS’ Lessons of Life and Loss to our school program.

This is a bereavement support program which will be offered free of charge to any student in our school who has experienced the death of a loved one, parental divorce or any other significant loss. Griefweavers developed from the Rainbows program, a support curriculum for children in schools across the country.

If you have experienced the dealth of a significant person in your life, you understand the feelings and thoughts associated with that loss. You realize the value of being able to discuss your thoughts and feelings with others who truly understand. Children too have many thoughts and feelings after a death but often times need help to express them. Divorce of their parents is also a major loss in the lives of children. Children whose parents are divorced can benefit greatly from being in a group with others who understand. Lessons of Life and Loss offers children a safe place in which to meet with other children going through similar situations and to share feelings and develop coping skills.

Lessons of Life and Loss is not therapy or counseling, rather it is peer support. Small groups of children, 3-6 in a group, come together for eight sessions with trained teachers and discuss such topics as feelings, coping skills, and behavior. It is children helping children under the guidance of a trained facilitator. Our teachers spent six weeks of training with Ms. Maureen Walsh, RN, CT, who has developed the Griefweavers program.

If you would like your child to participate in this program please discuss this with your child and then together complete the form on the next page and return it to the office. We ask that both parent and child sign the form. If you would like more information, please complete the form and send it to the office. After receiving your form, we will contact you with more details.

At this time, we are also developing a library of children’s books which can assist parents in initiating conversations with their children during times of loss or separation. Please contact our school nurses if you wish to borrow any materials from our library.

As always, thank you for your cooperation and support. We hope this program will offer you support whenever you and your family need support in times of “life and loss.”

Sincerely,
Maureen C. Simmons
Mrs. Maureen C. Simmons, Principal