Time to Meet the Counselor...again!

 1^st and 2nd grade students learned about “Who is the School Counselor” and what does the school counselor do.  We talked about how a school counselor can help with things like:

• making new friends
• being included and including others
• worries at school or home
• problem solving in a peaceful way
• bullies
• manage strong feelings

2nd grade students talked about community and what makes our school and classroom like a community.   Then, we discussed what makes each of us unique and what do we have in common that joins us together.  I read, The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf and Michael Letzig.  Students created handprints and wrote a special quality about themselves on the thumb and each paper finger.  Qualities included, favorite food, something they are good at, favorite animals, or words that describe them.  

Lesson adapted from Crayola.com "Give our class a hand.  Diversity Banner"

1st grade students also read the The Crayon Box that Talked then made their own unique crayon. I made each classroom their very own crayon box and displayed it in the 1st grade hallway.

Austin ISD Every Day Counts!

It's a fact that students who attend school regularly, learn more and are more successful than students who do not. Parents who make regular school attendance a priority also are helping their children learn to accept responsibility.

Attendance patterns are formed early in life.  Children who develop good attendance habits in the early grades will be more likely to continue them throughout their school careers.  Here are some ways to support your child's good attendance.

10 Tips for Good Attendance

1. Get your child to school on time, every day, and make sure homework assignments are completed on time.
2. Absences due to car trouble, a late bus, and bad weather are considered Unexcused and will go on your child's permanent record.
3. Extended vacations, long weekends, and frequent doctor appointments scheduled during school hours will cause your child to fall behind in class.
4. Being in school every day raises your child's chances for scoring well on important tests throughout the year.
5. Follow the proper school guidelines for reporting Excused absences in a timely manner.
6. Allow your child to stay home only when he/she has a contagious illness or is too sick to be comfortable.
7. Make sure your child exercises, eats a balanced diet, and gets plenty of sleep. This will help him/her to be mentally and physically ready to learn, and strengthen the immune system.
8. Read all information sent home by the school. Post important dates on a family bulletin board or on the refrigerator.
9. Give your child enough time to get ready for school in the morning. Prepare lunches, pack school bags, and lay out clothing the night before.         
10. Monitor your child's attendance through AISD Parent Cloud.

What Else Can I Do?

Value education and give it high priority in your family! Convey a positive attitude about school and treat going to school as part of the normal course of events, something that is expected of your child. Let him know that school is the most important thing in his life at this time, and that his future job opportunities will depend on how well he handles his present "job" (school). Help him develop good study and work habits and praise him when he is successful. Get to know your child's friends as they have more influence with him at this time in his life than you do. Get personally involved in school activities, go to sporting events, attend plays and concerts, join the PTA, volunteer, read the school paper. Know what's going on at school.

Please remember: EVERY DAY COUNTS! Please visit Austin ISD Every Day Counts website for more helpful hints and information.

Time to meet the counselor!

My first lessons with the students are always about "Meeting the Counselor" and "What does my counselor do?"  In Kindergarten, I talk about how counselor help students talk about feelings and what to do when you have strong feelings.  I read the story, "Glad Monster, Sad Monster" written by Ed Emberly and Anne Miranda.  

We look at the pictures and students  share when they may have felt like a  monster in the book.  We also talk about the different colors the illustrator uses for each feeling.  At the end of the lesson, I ask the students to think about how they are feeling today and what color would that feeling be.  Then comes the fun part, we do a magic trick together.  Using my Magic Coloring Book of Feelings, written by Robert Bowman and Kim Frank, the students take their feeling, throw them about my book, and poof, all my pictures are colored in.  At the end of the lesson, I give the students a blank face to draw their own monster.  At the bottom of the paper is my contact information for parents.

Austin Child and Guidance Fall Groups

Austin Child Guidance Center provides mental health evaluation and counseling services to youth age 17 and younger who are experiencing emotional, behavioral or social problems and their families. For more information regarding individual or group services, please contact ACGC at 512.451.2242 or click here.

 Groups for Children and Parents

Eight Sessions, 6-7:30PM, One night a week

Low Cost Sliding Fee Scale. Free Childcare Provided. 

 

 

ADHD Parents Group in ENGLISH

Tuesday 9/30/14 - Tuesday 11/18/14

Parents of children ages 5-12 years old with ADHD

Improve use of positive attention, rules, and appropriate discipline.

 

ADHD Parents Group in SPANISH

Monday 9/29/14 - Monday 11/17/14

Spanish speaking parents of children ages 5-12 years old with ADHD

Improve use of positive attention, rules, and appropriate discipline.

 

Social Skills/Friendship Group

Wednesday 10/1/14 - Wednesday 11/19/14

Group for children ages 6-9 years old

Kids learn about body language, communication, and socially appropriate interactions.

 

Conflict Resolution/Anger Management

Thursday 10/2/14 - Thursday 10/20/14

Group for children ages 9- 12 years old

Kids will focus on establishing trust within the group, developing solutions to common problems, exploring consequences, and practicing how to diffuse a heated situation

I am proud to be an Eagle!

Congratulations to the BHE community!  I am proud to say that our campus continues to be a No Place for Hate designated school.  Our 6th grade leadership team and campus worked together throughout the school year to earn this designation.  Way to go Eagles!

"The No Place for Hate® initiative provides educators and students with the resources to ensure that anti-bias and diversity education are an integral part of the school curriculum.  No Place for Hate® also helps to create and sustain inclusive school environments where all students feel valued and have the opportunity to succeed by promoting respect for individual difference while challenging bigotry and prejudice.  Launched in Austin schools in the fall of 2004, the popular initiative has been embraced by hundreds of campuses throughout the Central Texas region."