Student Support Services
School Based Counseling
Sandpiper is grateful for the grant funding from School Force and Sequoia Hospital that provides a full time counselor. Our full time counselor supports SEL through district sponsored programs, assemblies, lunch bunch, and (when needed) individual or small group counseling.
School based counseling is used for short term goals around skills students need to be successful in the classroom. School based counseling is not appropriate for long term therapy.
What if I think my student would benefit from School Based Counseling?
Your child's teacher is your best first contact. Please talk with them about your concerns. Teachers may make referrals to the counselor.
Multi Tiered Systems of Support
At Sandpiper, we attend to the whole child. By working together to support our students' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional growth, we advance their love of learning, their ability to self-regulate, and their sense of well-being.
We use the framework of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to organize our collaboration and to leverage diverse resources for our school.
MTSS is a framework that challenges schools to:
Engage families and community partners.
Align initiatives, resources, and supports across district, school, grades, and classrooms.
Use student assessment and teacher collaboration to continually enrich and deepen standards-driven classroom instruction.
Cultivate rigor and meaning for all students using Universal Design for Learning principles for instructional planning and thoughtfully selected instructional materials.
Foster positive and inclusive environments for learning through Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS).
Counselor's Corner
Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
I am thrilled to be serving as the School Counselor at Sandpiper. My name is Ms. Ramani, and it is my honor to be a part of this vibrant learning community.
As the school counselor, I am committed to fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and supported in their academic, social, and emotional growth. I believe in the potential of each student to achieve their personal best, and I am here to provide guidance, encouragement, and resources to help them thrive.
Please feel free to reach out to me at aramani@brssd.org with any questions, concerns, or to schedule an appointment. I am here to support you and your child every step of the way.
Warm regards,
Anisha Ramani
Reading and Language Team
The Sandpiper Reading Team and Language Team Programs are a regular education program designed to give additional instruction and support to students acquiring English or striving to read at grade level. The curriculum used is Leveled Literacy Intervention by Fountas and Pinnell which is supplemented by Ready Common Core Reading Instruction and Ready Common Core English Language Arts.
Specific English Language Development Curriculum will be added in August of 2021
Reading Team Themes
Sea and Ocean Creatures and Books
Books are Treasures Waiting to be Discovered
Get Hooked on Books!
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Main tenets of PBIS
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports require trust and communication across families, staff, and students. To set expectations, staff teach and model how to treat others with respect. We focus on proactive strategies for positive reinforcement and encouragement, including STAR Cards. Through this instruction, and through the inclusion of student voice and choice, students learn the school expectations and are empowered community members.
All BRSSD schools are committed to supporting students through proactive instruction, interventions, alternatives to dismissal, suspension or other sanctions that require removal from the educational setting. This Safe and Supportive Schools Policy provides specific, tiered behavioral interventions and alternatives to suspension that shall be exhausted before referring a child out of the classroom except in cases of immediate safety threat or significant disruption that can only be remedied by removal. Click here to view the BRSSD's Safe and Supportive School Policy.
Restorative Justice
Sandpiper School embraces the practices of Restorative Justice to cultivate a safe, healthy and inclusive school climate. Through ongoing professional development, teachers and administrators continuously practice and develop effective implementation of Restorative Practices. Practices that focus on repairing the harm caused by actions and words are implemented as a means to teach students desired behaviors while maintaining their status in the community. Community circles, restorative conversations and mindfulness are all implemented throughout the campus as we support students to positively contribute to school climate and culture. Restorative Justice maintains that those who have a stake in a specific offense must be involved in the resolution process to the extent possible. When guided by evidence-based practices, they can collectively identify and address harms, needs, and obligations in order to heal and make things as right as possible by resolving the conflict. Misconduct affects victims, but it also impacts communities as well as the offenders themselves. https://peacealliance.org/the-political-rise-of-restorative-justice/
Mental Health Digital Resources
Sandpiper School (Grades 6-8) Behavior Matrix
Mental Health Checklist for Parents, Caregivers, & Young People
Children’s Mental Health Disorder Fact Sheet for the Classroom
Restructuring Our Thoughts Worksheet
Supporting Our Senior Family Members Mental Health at Home
Encouraging Creativity at Home
Understanding Feelings at Home
Coping with Loss of a Loved One
Self Care Assessment & Tracker at Home
'Would You Rather' Conversation Starters at Home
How to Create a Mediation Space at Home
Anger Management & Addiction: How Are They Related?
Mental Health in the News
May 2022:
(The) Truth About Deinstitutionalization
Why Children Ages 11-17 Struggle With Mental Health the Most
An Open Letter From Mental Health America CEO, Schroder Stribling
Lets End the Stigma on Black Men Suffering From Depression
How Leaders Can Prioritize Their Mental Health
Mental Health Support Made Accessible Using AI Powered Chat
How the Children's' Mental Health Crisis Began Before the Pandemic
6 Tips to Get Back to Basics for Mental Health Month
How Digital Technology Affects Our Mental Health
How to Be a Mental Health Ally
How We Can Get Healthier If We Make the Right Choices
Body Doubling is Flourishing Online as an ADHD Productivity Tool
To Enjoy Life More, Embrace Anticipation
How Do Lockdown Drills Affect Kids?
Science Shows Us How to Protect Kids' Mental Health
APA Again Calls for Gun Reform
Helping Your Child 'Feel' and Understand Their Feelings
Why Re-watching Your Favorite TV Show is Good For You
Why It Can Be Challenging to Find Affordable Mental Health Care
Do Mental Health Apps Really Work?
Helping Kids Be True To Himself
How These Organizations are Leading in Making Mental Health a Priority
Major Retailers are Balancing Mental Health and Work
4 Significant Benefits of Hugging
3 Benefits of Being Conscientious
9 Quick Ways to Pick Yourself Up
How Traumatic Childhood Experiences Affect Us in Adulthood
The Full Extent of the Teen Mental Health Crisis
3 Ways to Cope With High Functioning Anxiety
5 Strengths of the Emotionally Neglected People
Why Mattering Is So Important to Our Mental Health
5 Mental Strengths People Long For
Why Men Should Not Ignore Their Feelings
Signs That Someone Struggles With Boundaries
6 Things That Make Us Feel Rejected
3 Reasons Our Pets Love Us So Much
April 2022:
Why Buying 'Stuff' Can Make People Less Lonely
2 Critical Risk Factors for Depression
What Everyone Should Understand About Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Why We Can't Remember Our Earliest Years
Does Having a Pet Really Benefit Your Mental Health
5 Things Therapy Can Do For You
Mentally Healthy vs. Mentally Ill
How Staring at Yourself (on Zoom) Can Effect Your Mental Health
Trust Your Gut: How Your Stomach Controls Your Mental and Physical Health
More Young Children Are Being Tested for Anxiety
31 Tips to Boost Your Mental Health
Why America's Teens Are So Sad
Shedding New Light on AAPI LGBTQ Youth
Exercise is a Power Medicine for Depression
Study: Even a Little Exercise Can Help Prevent Depression
How Professional Basketball Got Serious About Mental Health
Study: Spending One Less Hour on Your Phone per Day Makes You Happier and Less Anxious
Modesty Leaves the Best Impression
How to Get Comfortable Talking With the Media
Are Later School Start Times Better For Youth Mental Health
Why Are Americans Teens so Sad
A Guide to Surviving the Online Information Avalanche
How Resilience Helps Us Navigate Stress
Why Teens (Might) Benefit from Summer Jobs
Math Anxiety Weakens How Students Study
Teens More Likely to Disengage in School After Police Stops
4 Everyday Activities to Increase Resilience and Happiness
CDC Data Highlights Toll on Students' Mental Health
Supporting Parents via Social Media
Report Shows Impact of Playtime on American Students
How to Cope with Social Anxiety of Returning to the Workplace
Why We Need Trauma Informed Workplaces
How to Talk to Men About Their Mental Health
When Does Grief Require Therapy
Why Anorexia in Teens Is Often Misunderstood
March 2022:
The Effects on the Mind and Body from Sleep Deprivation
Why Forced Socialization Can be so Miserable
4 Questions That Could Help Change Yourself
How Wisdom Differs Between Genders
10 Ways You're Stronger Than You Think
4 Signs You're Ready to End Therapy
Why a Little Socializing Can Go a Long Way
Why Do Men Not Talk About Mental Health
Why Evening Anxiety is Cause for Concern
A Check-In On Social Media's Mental Health 25 Years Later
Struggling with Mental Health at Work?
Is the News Cycle Stressing You Out: Tips to Help
Finding LGBTQ+ Friendly Therapy
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources
The Importance of Rest, Relaxation, and Exercise
Neurons and How the Brain Communicates
War, Social Media, and Your Mental Health
Perfectionist Youth Parent Trips
How to Manage Your Stress as Traumatic Events Pile Up
Taking Lessons From Our Past to Build a Better Future
The Benefits of Being an Optimist
Spring Cleaning for Your Brain
Air Pollution Linked to Health Concerns in Adolescents
Research on the Differences Between Forgiveness and Revenge
6 Things Parents Should Know About Mental Health in College
Americans Are Overwhelmed by Stress
Why is it so Hard to Find Mental Health Counseling Right Now
Reimagining Mental Health for Communities of Color
Communities with Higher Levels of Racial Prejudice Tend to Have Worse Health Outcomes
10 Tips for Dealing with Uncertainty
13 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During Stressful News Cycles
Improving Sibling Relationships
Promoting High School Psychology as a Science
Psychologists Urge Peers to Take Climate Action
Revisions are Coming to High School Psychology Curriculum
Gender Differences and Creativity
How to Talk to Your Kids About Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
Psychology Stands Ready to Help Society Respond to Climate Change
HHS Announces Planning for Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Programs
Making Prevention a Priority for Substance Abuse
HHS Announces Plan to Strengthen Mental Health Services for Children and Young People
Tips for Living With a Serious Mental Illness
People at Greater Risk of Suicide
New Hotline Offers Pep Talk from Kindergarteners
Controlling the Spread of Misinformation
February 2022:
What to Do When You Can't Get Started
8 Signs of an Emotionally Unstable Relationships
Different Types of Eating Disorders
Why is it so Hard to Recover From an Eating Disorder
7 Important Facts About Eating Disorders
How to Explain Eating Disorders to Other People
What Can I Do if I Hate My Body
How Yoga Can Improve Body Image
At Risk for an Eating Disorder
Full Recovery from an Eating Disorder is Possible
Your Body Knows You're Burnt Out
Tennis Star Details Battle with Mental Health
Inclusive Language Writing Guide
What's the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety
The Impact of Parental Burnout
Why Young Brains Are Vulnerable to Social Media
How to Talk to Your Children About War
How to Handle Trauma Related to War from Afar
How to Stop Scrolling When Strategy Strikes
Train Your Brain for Better Sleep
3 Ways to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
A Teen's Guide for Managing Perfectionism
Warning Signs of Youth Violence
State by State: How Well Schools are Doing with Mental Health
Why You are Butting Heads with Your Teen
Long Distance Friendships Take Work
The Effects of a Clean and Tidy Home
January 2022:
The Power of a 'Let it Go' List
Why is it So Hard to Live in the Moment
5 Mental Health Tips to Tackle 2022
Anxiety and Sadness May Increase on Anniversary of Traumatic Event
What the Pandemic has Done to Our Memories
Is Ambivalence Standing in the Way of Your Healthy Changes?
What to Know When Your Teen Spends too Much Time on Social Media
MLK's Challenge to Social Scientists in America
10 Resources for Better Living
Can Children Better Their Parents?
US Youth Are in Mental Health Crisis
The Connection Between TikTok and Mental Health
What is Intergenerational Trauma and How to Heal From It
Empowering Communities to Prevent Violence
The School Shooting Generation Grows Up
Children's Mental Health is in Crisis
Keeping Youth Engaged in School
School Wide Interventions That Increases Inclusion in Exclusionary School Discipline
10 Mental Health Myths Debunked
December 2021:
Collective Trauma & Public Outburst Due to COVID-19
How to Help Children Learn Forgiveness
Guidelines to Using Inclusive Language
What's Sleep Got to Do with It?
Youth Mental Health Reports and Publications (Surgeon General)
A Simple Way to Feel More Connected to Others
7 Types of Friends, and Which is Most Essential for Our Happiness
10 Ways People are too Hard on Themselves
The Neuroscience of Insatiable Eating
3 Proven Models for the Pursuit of Happiness
A New Way of Treating Anxiety, Depression, & Trauma
5 Questions Emotionally Intelligent People Don't Ask
The High Cost of Male Loneliness
6 Signs You Might be an Anxious Person
How Adverse Childhood Experiences Affect Emotional Intelligence
10 Ways That Boundaries Can Improve Your Life
18 Things to Do When You're Feeling Lonely
Holiday Stress Resource Center
'Tis the Season to Feel Stress and Sadness
Awe Might be Our Most Undervalued Emotion
How Can We Minimize Social Media's Harmful Effects
Digital Detox: Do You Need a Break from Social Media
Expanding Mental Health Care is a Medical Necessity
State Legislators Championing Mental Health
Surgeon General Warns of Emerging Youth Mental Health Crisis
Training Teaches Teens to Turn Social Media Negatives in to Positives
Surgeon General Advisory Raises Alarm on Youth Mental Health
Thriving in Adolescence with Meaningful Relationships
Becoming Another Person Through Cosplay
Using Neurofeedback as a Means of Treating Feelings in Self-Blame & Depression
November 2021:
When Healthy Eating Turns Unhealthy
Discrimination Could Lead to Higher Risk of Mental & Behavior Issues for Young People
5 Lessons From the Science of Kindness
4 Rules to Getting Better Sleep
How Introverts Can Manage Loneliness
Is There a "Healthy" Personality?
5 Questions to Calm an Anxious Mind
The Benefits of Letting Yourself be Vulnerable
Surprising Benefits of Being Yourself
To Overcome Depression Think About Flexibility
3 Misconceptions About Empathetic People
10 Stressful Thinking Patterns, and How to Reverse Them
How Beautiful Things Make Our Lives Better
20 Signs Therapy Could be Right for You
Why Some Moments Are Really Beyond Words
What's Great About Good Enough
Eating Disorder Hospitalizations Doubled During Pandemic
How Historical Trauma Impactive Indigenous People Today
Study Shows Higher Heart Risk Disease During Pandemic Due to Depression, Anxiety
Hope for New Treatment of Depression
Exposure to Air Pollutants Maybe Risk to Depression in Healthy Individuals
10 Steps to Help Your Child Prevent and Address Cyberbullying
Suicide Rates Fell During COVID, But Increased Among Young People and People of Color
How To Calm Nervous Children About Shots
Why You Think Your Friends Are Mad At You, Even Though They are Not
How To Talk About Shots With Kids
Tips to Help Your Child Manage Scary News
2,000-year-old Neuroscience Backed Hack
Everyone is Thinking About You
College Students Stress Levels Are Bubbling
Urgent Need to Address Mental Health Effects Climate Change
10 Tips for Dealing with Stress
Pandemic Stress Makes Basic Decision Making Difficult
Coping Kit for Another Winter Pandemic
How to Confront COVID-19's Toll on Kids' Mental Health
White Flight May Still Enforce Segregation
The Impact of Parental Burnout
Why Stressed-out Kids Need Mental Health Days
When You're Loved One Won't Talk About Their Mental Health
When Taking Care of Someone is Too Stressful
Taking of Care Someone When You Have a Mental Illness
Mental Health and Being a New Father
Mental Health and Being a Single Parent
Introversion vs. Social Anxiety
Mental Health Problems Have Become America's Shadow Epidemic
Stress: Coping with Everyday Problems
Challenges to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, & Their Families
Resources for Families Coping with Mental & Substance Use Disorders
Coping Tips for Traumatic Events and Disasters
Transitioning to Early Adulthood
7 Generations (Suicide Prevention)
Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October 2021:
How Teachers & Parents Can Support Students' Mental Health
Social Media Affects Influencers' Mental Health
How to be an Ally for the Transgender Community
The Importance of Finding a Good Therapist & Why It Can Be Hard
Brain Activity Patterns After Trauma May Predict Long-Term Mental Health
A Milestone Reached in Mapping the Brain
It's Time to Shatter the Myths About Suicide and Children of Color
NFL Pro Football Player Talks Mental Health
Preparing for Another COVID-19 Winter
Can Mindfulness Improve Your Memory?
The Social Costs of Seeking Solitude
5 Ways to Trick Your Mind and Get Better Sleep
Why Certain People Constantly Put Others on the Spot
In Seasons of Change, Treat Mental Health with Purpose
Can Stress Predict Decreases in Social Interaction
For Students of Color, Unfairly Harsh Discipline Can Lower Grades
How to be Less Fearful of the Dark & Get a Good Nights Sleep
September 2021:
Intervening Before 18 Months May Reduce Odds of Autism Diagnosis
Mental Health Takes a Toll on Incarcerated and Their Families
Mental Health & the Connection to Global Warming
Can Mental Illness Be Prevented
American Psychiatric Association's Suicide Prevention Guide
Report: Facebook Knew Instagram Could Have Negative Health Impacts on Teens
Youth Vaping, Mental Health, and the Importance of Quitting
Insurance Should Fully Cover Mental Health Treatment
For Transgender Youth, Stigma is Just One Barrier to Healthcare
Whether in Person or Virtual, Schools Can Focus on Mental Health
7 Ways to Support You and Your Family's Mental Health When Returning to Work
Why We May Have More Intrusive Memories
Why Leisure Isn't a Waste of Time
Why the Tone of Your Voice Makes a Difference
8 Ways to Entertain Your Brain
5 Questions to Ask When Difficult Emotions Arise
How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?
How Eye Contact Can Drive or Derail Conversations
Why It Helps to Put Your Feelings in to Words
5 Signs You're in Need of Self-Compassion
The Key to Overcoming Loneliness
Are Pets as Good for Us as We Think?
When Dark Personalities Demand Attention
How Friends Influence Teens' Drug & Alcohol Use
8 Ways People Avoid Their Emotions
3 Crucial Discoveries About Purpose in Life
What to Do When Positive Affirmations Don't Work
Helping Kids Manage Climate Change-related Anxiety
Effective Strategies for Teens to Manage Social Anxiety
Best & Worst Ways to Handle Anger
What if Your iPhone Tracked Your Mood?
Congress Should Increase Child & Adolescent Mental Health Care
Camps for Kids Traumatized by Natural Disasters Offers Space for Healing
Helping Your Children Build Resilience to Substance Use
Resources for Families Coping with Mental & Substance Use Disorders
Trauma and Disaster Mental Health Resources
How Schools are Addressing Students' Mental Health Needs Due to COVID-19 Trauma
Shareable Resources on Suicide Prevention
What Self-Compassion Really Means
Most Teens Who Use E-Cigarettes Have Tried to Quit
Gen Z Confronts Mental Health & Racism
What I Learned About My Child After a Year of Virtual Learning/Working From Home
Protecting Kids From Hopelessness
How to Change Your Social Media Habits to Improve Mental Health
Capturing the Benefits of Remote Learning
Open the Door to More Positive Relations
August 2021:
Why Teens Are Advocating for Mental Health Days Off School
Pandemic Intensifies Growing Mental Health Crisis Amongst Teens
Protecting Our Kids Against Hopelessness
5 Ways Ways to Develop Self Love
Understanding Your Emotional 'Style'
Back to School: Here's How You Can Help
Back to School: SEL School Environment
Physical Activity Restores Neuroplasticity and Reduce Depressive Symptoms
4 Ways Sleep Rapidly Improves Brain Function
7 Coping Skills When Life Gets 'Tough'
Participating in Social Groups to Manage Depression
Simone Biles on Mental Health Advocacy After the Olympics
Quick Ways to Manage Stress: Body Scan
Identifying Signs of Stress in Your Children & Teens
The Mental Health Impact on Anti-Asian Racism
What You Should Know About Grief After COVID-19 Deaths
Survivors of Trauma Struggle to Move on From the Loss of Loved Ones
10 Tips for Dealing with Uncertainty
How Online Therapists Can Help
Why I Need to Hide From My Kids: Parents Alone Time
Quick Ways to Manage Stress: Relax Yourself
Help for Kids with ADHD for Back-to-school and Throughout the Year
Mindfulness Meditation: A Research Proven Way to Reduce Stress
Quick Ways to Manage Your Stress
July 2021:
Can School Wide Social and Emotional Learning Reduce Cyberbullying
CDC Turns to APA for Psychological Science Addressing COVID-19 Priorities
Getting Back to Basics: Help for Those Experiencing New Anxiety Over the Rise of the Delta Variant
How to Support Someone Going Through a Mentally Tough Time
How to Build a Child's-Self Esteem
How to Help Children & Teens Manage Their Stress
Better Ways to Combat Anxiety in Youth
4 Tips to Ease the Transition to Preschool
Creativity may be Key to Healthy Aging
No Shame in Mental Health Breaks
Challenges of Young People with Bipolar Disorder