Pottsgrove School District

Pottsgrove School District is a school district headquartered in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania. The district serves Lower Pottsgrove Township, Upper Pottsgrove Township, and West Pottsgrove Township.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Pottsgrove School District is to educate and inspire all students to excel as productive, responsible citizens and lifelong learners.

Key Contacts at Pottsgrove School District

Dr. David Finnerty
Superintendent, Pottsgrove School District
dfinnerty@pgsd.org

Kathryn Pacitto, Ed.D.
Director of Pupil Services, Pottsgrove School District
kpacitto@pgsd.org

Dave Ramage, PhD
Director of Technology, Pottsgrove School District
dramage@pgsd.org

Visit Pottsgrove School District’s website

Learn about Pupil Services & Special Education

“Less Worry, More Joy! Positive Parenting Strategies to Help Manage Anxiety and Worry” with Katherine Dahlsgaard, PhD took place in person and virtually on March 24, 2022

Dr. Dahlsgaard discussed and modeled specific, evidence-based strategies to help our children (and us!) manage chronic anxiety and stress, including as it relates to COVID-19, as well as outlining common pitfalls to avoid.

Take the Online Survey! Let us know your thoughts about this program, and which topics you would like us to address in future programs.

Meet Our Presenter

Katherine Dahlsgaard, PhD, ABPP, Founder and Director of Brave is Better

Learn more about Dr. Dahlsgaard

If you would like to request a copy of Dr. Dahlsgaard’s slides, please click here to send an email to Bob Lamb.

Resources from Dr. Dahlsgaard
Resources for traumatic events.

Resources from Dr. Dahlsgaard

Follow Dr. Dahlsgaard on Instagram: @braveisbetter

Book recommendation: Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-to-1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life
by Barbara Fredrickson

>> Click here to find the publication

Dr. Dahlsgaard mentioned Barbara Fredrickson, PhD

Here is her landmark paper, “What good are positive emotions?” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156001/

She also mentioned Roy F. Baumeister’s landmark “Bad is Stronger than Good” when she encouraged us to increase our Joy Quotient (JQ)

Here is the open access version of Baumeister’s paper: http://assets.csom.umn.edu/assets/71516.pdf

Dr. Dahlsgaard said that we have reason to hope that a mental health crisis is not coming, for us or for our children, and that our distress will resolve when the stressors abate. To support that assertion:

Here is link to an adult longitudinal study of adaptation during COVID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7588823/

Here’s link to an adolescent longitudinal study of adaptation during COVID: https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(20)32212-7/fulltext?rss=yes

Here is Dr. Dahlsgaard’s list of Positive Affect Labeling

Resources for traumatic events.

Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Stress
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/helping-children-cope-with-traumatic-stress.htm

We Are Teachers
https://www.weareteachers.com/resources-for-teaching-about-attack-capitol/

CDC: Coping with a Traumatic Event
https://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/factsheets/public/coping.pdf

Hosted by the Pottsgrove School District

Following up on the Thursday, February 17, 2022 Program

Now more than ever, technology plays a vital role in all our lives. It keeps us connected and can educate, illuminate and entertain. With increased use, kids can develop an unhealthy dependence on tech as an escape or way to avoid life’s challenges.

Gaming, social media, and streaming entertainment can be fun and relaxing, but moderation can easily slide toward dependence. We’ll provide strategies to help our kids develop a healthy relationship with technology, and skills to practice self-care.

Special guest, Michael Blanche, MSS, LCSW, a counselor specializing in adolescents and young adults, discussed the real-world challenges facing adolescents and young adults.