NFTH: September 30, 2019

The Lower School Handbook has been updated and approved by the SMH Board of Trustees. It is available on the SMH Community Portal. Click “Links and Downloads” and the handbook is located under the “Lower School” tab.

SMH Fiesta is coming on Friday, October 11 and your help is needed. Fine Arts parents, as well as others who love and support the arts, provide the baked goods and staffing for the Fiesta El Mercado. SMH needs your help and participation for this important fundraiser, as the proceeds come back to the Fine Arts to help support programs.

SMH invites you and yours to celebrate the SMH Fiesta event by baking and making savory treats, or working with the El Mercado set up, sales, or breakdown. There is plenty to do and your participation is most welcome.

To Sign Up:

• Bakery Donations
• Bake Sale Shifts

Thanks for your support of the Fine Arts through Fiesta and all year round!

Check out the Fine Arts Instagram page. This account is a great way to get an up-close and personal look at the day-to-day excitement in these amazing, ever-buzzing programs. In addition, check out Saint Mary’s Hall main social media channels for more Fine Arts news
on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

An Introduction to Mind, Body, and Sport

The NCAA's chief medical officer weighs in on the Sport Science Institute's new guide to student-athlete mental health.

By Dr. Brian Hainline

“When I began my tenure as NCAA chief medical officer in January 2013, my first task was to connect with NCAA stakeholders and constituents to understand their concerns. I have since met with hundreds of student-athletes and dozens of student-athlete groups to ask them their primary challenges from a health and safety standpoint. Almost to a person, the No. 1 response is student-athlete mental health and wellness.

That may surprise people whose only contact with student-athletes is from watching them compete on television. It's just a game, after all – what could be so hard about that?

But those of you in the trenches working with student-athletes on a daily basis know the challenges they face – and you know that while student-athletes may play games, being a student-athlete isn't a game at all.

Student-athletes are college students, with all the challenges and opportunities presented to emerging adults, and with an additional role – as sports performer and in many cases campus celebrities, wearing the colors of their school and representing hopes and expectations of their campus and community.

College students in general represent a healthy cohort among same-aged peers, and student-athletes an even healthier subpopulation, buttressed by a discipline, commitment and attention to exercise and nutrition required to meet the demands of their sport. As such, and rightly so, athletics departments have developed sports medicine services that increasingly engage a multitude of resources and expertise to address student-athletes' injuries and illnesses to ensure they are in the best condition to compete.

But there's more to being a student-athlete than just physical preparation and performance. As more media coverage, commentary, and public scrutiny are devoted to what student-athletes do off the field, along with the accompanying pressures to perform (and win games) on the field, student-athletes are inundated with factors that may affect their mental health and wellness. And the “culture” of athletics may inhibit student-athletes from seeking help to address issues such as anxiety, depression, the stress associated with the expectations of their sport, and the everyday stress of dealing with relationships, academic demands, and adjusting to life away from home.

Student-athletes themselves have begun to speak out about issues and resource needs. Consider the insightful words from former Notre Dame football player Aaron Taylor. Aaron completed his undergraduate degree in three and a half years, was a two-time All-American, won the esteemed Lombardi Trophy as college football's top lineman, and was a first-round NFL draft pick.

As Aaron says, his was the classic story of the quintessential overachiever whose success was the result of equal amounts of talent and hard work. But in his words, his experience wasn't as rosy as it appeared. Hidden just behind the accolades, trophies, and championships was a young man suffering from anxiety and depression.

Here's what he told us:

‘I later discovered that many of my issues stemmed from the internal pressure I placed on myself to reach some unattainable level of greatness as a way to mitigate the effects of an early childhood divorce and a variety of other challenges. I brought these issues with me to campus, but no one was the wiser, as my ‘game face' helped hide my condition with relative ease … even from myself.

Beginning in college and throughout my professional career, I battled depression with the same regularity as blitzing defenses, but the external opponents were much easier to deal with than the internal ones. Due to fear of looking weak or being judged, I hid my condition from those closest to me, including my coaches and teammates. Even though I lived my life in the spotlight, I was suffering in silence.’

Aaron is not alone, which is why we have developed this resource to present a comprehensive look at the student-athlete experience from a mental health perspective – from the relationships with faculty, peers, administrators, coaches, and fans to the struggles student-athletes may face in their sport. Some struggles are immense, including pain and injury that preclude competition; criticism and blame for poor sport outcomes; and prevailing attitudes that asking for help demonstrates weakness of spirit and drive.

We've selected Aaron's story to lead off the publication as a first-person account of the inner life underneath the toughness that student-athletes are conditioned to show on the surface. We've also sought advice from dozens of experts in the field. In all, this publication is designed to help athletics departments, campus mental health providers, and all sport stakeholders promote and develop effective strategies to understand and support student-athlete mental wellness. The chapters address:

• Stressors specific to student-athlete identify, such as transition, performance, injury, academic stress, and coach relations
• Overview of clinical diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, and gambling
• Key components in developing best practices for constructing mental health services for student-athletes
• The role and perspective of sports medicine staff in identification and referral
• Cultural pressures and impacts on minority groups
• How sexual assault, hazing and bullying affect mental health

This publication is the most comprehensive overview to date of college student-athlete mental health, and we hope this becomes a springboard for addressing mental health in the continuum from youth sport to intercollegiate sport and beyond. NCAA member institutions have committed to supporting student-athlete health and safety and ensuring that athletics departments are an integral part of the institutional mission for more than 100 years. But only recently have we begun to fully understand the mental health component of being a student-athlete.

I hope that you join us in our journey of understanding and supporting student-athlete mental wellness, and that you'll benefit from the best practices our experts provide in the following chapters. The contributing authors suggest dozens of recommendations for institutions to consider based on the individual circumstances and needs of the campus.

Our intent is for this publication to become a living and breathing document  through social networks and online discussions that help break down the topics – and the barriers – to providing student-athletes the help they need. Remember that the student-athletes have spoken: Mental health is their No. 1 concern – and it is our responsibility to provide the services and care to help each student-athlete reach his or her full potential.”

The full publication can be found here.

Rabbi Ben Richards of the Agudas Achim synagogue spoke to Upper and Middle School students about the Jewish High Holy days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Using stories, he emphasized the central themes of atonement and gratitude connected to these important observances. Students reflected on what it takes to make up for wrongs done to others, even unintentionally. In addition, they considered whether the one wronged will offer forgiveness if their friend can’t make the original mistake right or fix the situation. He also helped students see that being satisfied with what one has in life is a matter of perspective, noting that gratitude for God’s goodness is an essential part of these observances. Rabbi Richards brought a magnificent shofar (the curled and twisted horn of a ram), which he blew to allow students to hear the clear, piercing sound that symbolizes the lives Jews are called to lead.

The Bishops Chapel Society is taking applications for new members. All Upper School students are eligible to join. Please contact Interim Chaplain Susan Douglas at sdouglas@smhall.org for more details or to apply.

Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) begins on Sunday, September 29 at sundown and continues through Tuesday, October 1 at sundown. Students observing Rosh Hashanah with their families are able to receive additional time to complete work due Monday, September 30, Tuesday, October 1, and Wednesday, October 2 by request to their teachers.

Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) begins on Tuesday, October 8 at sundown and continues through Wednesday, October 9 at sundown. Students observing Yom Kippur with their families are able to receive additional time to complete work due Wednesday, October 9 and Thursday, October 10 by request to their teachers. Please note that Tuesday, October 8 is an All-School No Homework Night.

The additional time to complete work allows students time to observe the holiday by attending services and spending important time with family. Parents, please communicate with your student’s teachers if you have any questions. To all SMH families and students observing the High Holy Days, Shanah Tovah! Have a good and sweet year!

Saint Mary’s Hall encourages families of all faiths to be active in their religion and faith communities, as stated in our Statement of Religious Expression, and the school strives to provide all the support and flexibility needed for students and families to put faith first. If you have any questions, please contact Interim All-School Chaplain Susan Douglas at (210) 823-7020 or sdouglas@smhall.org.

Each year, millions of children get sick, thousands are hospitalized, and some die from flu. Last flu season a record high number of seasonal flu-related deaths in children were reported to CDC. About 80% of flu-associated deaths in children occur in kids who have not been fully vaccinated against flu.

Flu vaccination has been shown to significantly reduce a child’s risk of dying from flu. CDC recommends everyone six months and older get an annual flu vaccine.

This season, any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine is recommended. The nasal spray flu vaccine is an option for children ages 2 years and older this season. Ask your health care professional what vaccine is right for your child this year.

Keep your family protected this flu season! Learn about the on-campus flu clinics at Saint Mary’s Hall available to you and your family this flu season.

You have the power to protect your family against flu this season. Get yourself and your family a flu vaccine – fight flu!

Learn more about additional flu vaccine options available for children this season.