Dear Lower School Families, 

Welcome back to school and thank you for our parent-to-school partnership. My name is Bonnie Gamze and I am honored and proud to serve as your Lower School social worker. This is my seventh year at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School. In my capacity, the students know me as the “Helping Feelings Teacher.” I work with grades one through four and consult to Early Childhood as needed. Here is a video about me!

In these days of COVID-19, parenting can feel overwhelming. We are all living in unprecedented times that can generate a variety of emotions. Leaving home and resuming school following a sustained interruption can be a relief, and also a huge task for ourselves and our children. Our students may feel somatic symptoms, like stomach aches and headaches, that can feel overwhelming as their body reacts to myriad emotions they may be experiencing. This “fight or flight” response can feel real and is the body's automatic response of protection. They may be preoccupied with illness, worried about family members, or express concern about academic or friendship struggles at school. Open dialogue with our children around their worries, fears and feelings provides an opportunity for teaching resilience and coping skills.

I am here to help your children bridge the comforts of home with the school environment. I strategically push into classrooms via Zoom lessons to provide social-emotional learning with your students. These lessons provide an opportunity for me to cultivate relationships across the grade-levels with your child as they learn coping tools for managing feelings, turning big deals into little deals, problem-solving and conflict resolution. My initial lessons with the Lower School students center around self-regulation, awareness of bodily sensations and calming techniques. I will then introduce students to the Zones of Regulation and use this concept in future lessons. In addition to this group work, I am also able to work one-to-one with students at school, as needed. My office is viewed as a safe space and is a revolving door of students looking to grow their “detective skills” to be problem solvers.  

Lastly, I am available to consult with you on parenting issues and partnering together to create a repertoire of strategies to support your children. Please feel free to reach out with any need for support. As a parent of four children, I can honestly share that I walk daily in your shoes. There is no more important or rewarding job than parenting. I thank you for your trust and partnership in advance, and for allowing me to support and accompany your student on their journey as they cultivate life skills to be proactive and resilient individuals.   

Thank you and wishes for continued safety and health,

Bonnie Gamze
bgamze@bernardzell.org