|
|
|
Hurricane
Katrina Relief /
District Emergency Plan
Enrolling Students in Plano Schools
As Louisiana and the surrounding states cope with the realities
of Hurricane Katrina, Plano ISD is preparing to welcome school
children who are being relocated as a result of emergency evacuation.
Families who wish to enroll their children should get an enrollment
packet from the school in the neighborhood where temporary residence
has been established.
To confirm attendance zones for your neighborhood
campus, please contact the PISD Student Services Department
at (469) 752-8021. Completed paperwork will be accepted and processed
on Tuesday, September 6, or after. Students may begin attending
classes on September 6.
If you are hosting an evacuated family in your residence, please
submit a statement with your signature and address confirming the
temporary resident status/guardianship along with the completed
enrollment paperwork. This will be important in keeping emergency
contact information on file for all students.
Plano ISD is eager to extend services to families in need as a
result of this tragedy and offer our understanding and sympathies
to families
and children experiencing difficulty due to Hurricane
Katrina.
Hurricane Trauma Assistance
United Behavioral
Health (UBH), Plano ISD's Employee Assistance Program provider,
has organized a hurricane resource center that offers links
and
information
on
disaster relief assistance.
The resource center is accessible
through the Special
Alert  section
of the "Live and Work Well" website and can be
accessed from the home page without an access code.
In addition, UBH is extending free, unrestricted access to a toll-free
24-hour crisis hotline (1-866-615-8700) to anyone affected by the
hurricane. EAP specialists can assist callers with the range
of personal concerns that may affect victims of natural disasters.
Callers can speak with someone to help them handle the difficult
emotions
they may experience such as:
- stress, anxiety and the grieving
process
- referrals and information regarding
specific
concerns, such as financial and legal issues.
- nurse assistance for callers who
may have suffered physical trauma or symptoms for health education
and decision support
regarding the need for medical treatment.
Tips for Parents
Helping Children Cope with Disaster
Compiled by Patricia Rankin,
Plano ISD Counselor
In light of recent tragic events involving the destruction in
our country by Hurricane Katrina, please note below some suggestions
that might be helpful to you and your family as you address these
events with your children.
- Consider the impact that television reports
will have on your children and how they might react to this tragedy.
Monitor viewing and
view with them.
- Be honest at all times. Use age appropriate words as you answer
your child’s questions candidly and rationally, keeping
details to a minimum.
- Reassure your children that they are safe, for no matter what
happens there will always be someone to care for them. Also,
reinforce that events like these are rare.
- Share your feelings with your children and encourage them to
share their feelings with you.
- Note that feelings of sadness or fear are normal. Also understand
that some children will have no reaction to this national crisis.
It may not be a tangible stress for them. Feelings and reactions
are also often delayed in children.
- Take cues from your children. They will let you know how much
information they can handle and when more information is needed.
Maintain a normal routine.
- Listen and accept your child’s feelings. Understand and
accept that you cannot “make it right” or change
events.
- Understand that once you, as parents, have successfully coped
with events, your children’s behavior will most likely
return to normal. You are the role model. Take care of yourself.
- Involve children in meaningful activities to help the disaster
victims such as garage sale, lemonade stands, collections,
or join in active helping local agencies as a family.
- More information can be found on the website of the National
Association of School Psychology
- Most importantly...listen, reassure and love.
- Please let us know if your child is having significant difficulty
so that we may help at school as needed.
Related Links
|
|
|
|
