It’s about handling our feelings, like I wrote a paper about how I felt inside and when you see someone getting angry, you say don’t let your feelings control you. You can talk and you are not the only person who can’t help when you are angry. Well, when I get mad, I like to sit in the calm down room, but Ms. Williams doesn’t let me because she believes I can do better. I am a very honest person. I have been told that so many times and I tell you what I did, but I like to hear about how others feel. I am kind, and if you are ever feeling down, just go to staff, or, if you know me, come to me. Well, it was nice telling you this. Pace is a Sanctuary. Have a nice day!
Goodbye.
~written by a Pace School student
Most of the time I act out when I don’t get attention, but staff at Pace listen when I tell them how I’m feeling. When someone listens to how I feel, they show that they care about me even during the bad times. Today I wanted to talk to someone and I was able to. I still feel a little angry, but the talk was helpful. Sometimes staff can get angry too and they model how to talk about it. Everyone has problems and they don’t want to speak about it, but that only makes it worse. So, open up your ears when someone tells you how they feel, even if you’ve had problems with that person
— Pace Student
SAFETY PLANS are the first step in individualizing the Sanctuary® Model. The Safety Plan is an important de-escalation tool to be practiced in the Sanctuary Community and every staff and student has one. Without Safety, the students are not able learn and develop. Staff Safety Plans are based on the role of being Safety plan mentors. It is difficult to help others do what you haven’t done for your self. Violence by youth against other youth is rampant. A Safety Plan is worthwhile if it puts our children out of harms way. Teaching Safety is what all parents have to do. Safety Plans must be simple so that they can be easily remembered. Many families use Safety Plans for themselves to help maintain safety in the house and community.
