Since inception, Serendipity has pursued the cultivation of resiliency. This was through necessity as, for over 40 years, students have entered our therapeutic school feeling defeated, marginalized, and hopeless. For them, resiliency means recovery following difficulty. In a larger sense, resiliency is the ability to adjust well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, and significant sources of stress. For a year beginning in March 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic and the resulting isolation and uncertainty, we were all called on to bring forth our resilience. We know there are skills that promote resiliency, and these were modeled, taught, and practiced with intention at Serendipity long before we’d heard of COVID-19. Self-awareness and mindfulness, the maintaining of optimism, self-compassion, a sense of purpose, setting and attaining realistic goals, strong social connections, and empathy are all linked to being a resilient person and a resilient community.
These videos, a series of conversations exploring how resiliency surfaced during a year of distance learning, represent several things to us. They report to our stakeholders about all that resiliency could accomplish. They are a tribute to the young people who continue to fight for their futures and to the adults who support them as move forward. We are proud to introduce you to a cross section of our team members who share their insights into how we express resiliency and share our hope.
Resiliency Conversation #1 with Serendipity’s Vice-Principal Kevin Thompson
Resiliency Conversation #2 with Serendipity’s Growing Minds Garden Team
Resiliency Conversation #3 with Executive Director, Belinda Marier
Resiliency Conversation #4 with Clinical Case Manager Ella Olson
Resiliency Conversation #5 with Tier III Behavior Specialist Kim Forbes
Resiliency Conversation #6 with Art Therapist Jolie Guillebeau
Resiliency Conversation #7 with Upper School Teacher Kelly Robinson
Resiliency Conversation #8 with Interventionist Jason Lockhart
Resiliency Conversation #9 with Data Analyst Deb Schultz