Portland Public Schools

The disruption to daily life during the coronavirus crisis has hit all corners of society. For students, it has meant not being able to attend school. Staff in the PPS Student Success and Health department have gathered tips to help you help your student cope:

Try to stay calm and reassuring
Remind your children of what we CAN do to keep ourselves healthy with things like hand washing, social distancing, sleep, exercise, and virtual connections with family and friends. If someone in your home does get sick, you will seek medical care to help them get better.

Stay positively connected
It is hard to be with the same people all the time. Engage in preferred activities as a home group- do things you enjoy together and then have time apart if possible. If you feel yourself losing your temper, give yourself a time out in a separate space even if it is the bathroom or another corner of the room.

Stick to a routine
Create a routine and structure for the day that works for your family. Routines can reduce stress because we know what to expect.

Let yourself and your child feel emotions
Accept the emotions that you and your family are experiencing. Children may be upset and disappointed about what they are missing out on. Listen and be empathetic. They are not looking for solutions, they just want to be heard.

Check in with children about what they are hearing
Many people are hearing misinformation online. Find out what your child already knows and start from there in terms of sharing accurate information. Limit their exposure to the news. Don’t start or end your day watching/listening to news about COVID-19

Create healthy distractions
Have meals together, game night, family storytelling. Determine reasonable screen time expectations as a family- this is the way youth are connecting socially with each other but they should also have agreed upon time off their screens each day.

Reach out for support
See the resources below if you are feeling excessively worried about yourself or anyone in your life. Reach out to your school teachers and counselors -- they may not be physically available but they can connect with you virtually to help.

Mental Health Resources

Child Safety Concerns?

• Oregon Department of Human Services: If you suspect a child is being abused or a person has abused a child, call 855-503-7233 (interpretation services available)

Family Safety Concerns?

• Call to Safety: Supports domestic violence survivors, friends and family, call 1-888-235-5333 (interpretation services available)
• Proyecto Unica: Supports domestic violence survivors, friends and family. Call 503-232-4448 (Spanish)

See Something, Say Something

• SafeOregon Tipline: Anonymous reporting mechanism if you see or hear about unsafe behaviors or threats to safety. Call or text 844-472-3367, email tip@safeoregon.com

Mental Health Concerns?

• Multnomah County Crisis Services: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call 503-988-4888 (interpretation services available)
• Kaiser Crisis Line: Call 503-331-6425 if you have Kaiser insurance
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Call 800-273-8255 (interpretation services available); Spanish: 1-800-628-9454

Online Support Specifically for Youth

• Oregon Youthline: For youth to connect with other youth. Text: Teen2Teen to 839863 to instantly connect with another person (interpretation services available)
• Trevor Project: Supporting LGBTQiA+ youth. Text START to 678678 or call TrevorLifeLine 866-488-7386

Support Specifically for Parents/Caregivers

• National Parent Hotline: Call 855-427-2736 (English and Spanish)

Support Specifically for Immigrants and Refugees

• USA Hello: Website in multiple languages