After a very successful In-Service Day held for the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls’ faculty and administration in August, Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a noted physician and youth development expert, returned to speak to the entire parent community of HALB – Lev Chana, HALB Elementary, SKA, and DRS – on Wednesday, December 11. Dr. Gilboa’s talk focused on “Rigor and Resilience: Strategies for Strengthening our Children Toward Success,” and the enthusiastic audience found her stories relatable and her suggestions thought-provoking.
SKA and DRS faculty members and SKA students were privileged to hear from Dr. Gilboa the following day. Dr. Gilboa spoke once again about resilience, outlining ways to build this in our students. She touched on the subject of happiness, noting that our society sends the message that it is our job to make sure our children are happy, but we cannot make someone happy if he or she is determined not to be. She emphasized character over achievement, and recommended strategies for encouraging students toward resilience and problem solving.
In addition to presenting to the faculty, Dr. Gilboa spoke to each grade about the intersection between their attitude, behavior, and purpose.
We are grateful to Dr. Gilboa for empowering our faculty members, parents, and students to continue to create a common language about resilience, anxiety, and purpose.