COUNSELOR'S MONTHLY
COUNSELOR'S MONTHLY
Welcome back to a new school year from school counselors, Alejandra Jimenez (student last names A-L) and myself, Michelle Close, (student last names M-Z). We support students in a variety of ways with academics, social-emotional needs, peer relations, organization, and more. We are also available to answer questions for parents related to general school planning and resources. For help specific to a class, curriculum, and grades, families should contact their child’s teacher.
Our tip this month for families is focusing on establishing consistent routines as students transition back to school. These routines should include establishing designated time for homework (not too late!), organization practices for filing homework and backpacks, and discussing the amount of device time on school nights. A tool that can help with this is the “Homework Planning” worksheet, which can be found on the counselor website under the Homework and Study Tips tab. We encourage you to visit our website as it has many helpful resources for students and families.
September
One of the major aspects of middle school is the social opportunities students have. Some of our students prefer to stick with a small, close group of friends. Some students seek to expand their social group to include as many people as possible. Other students prefer to use their brunch and lunch as a personal break to read a book by themselves and take some space from peers. Any of these options is perfectly fine so long as the student feels comfortable. However, if your child is expressing to you that they want to socialize more or make more friends, there are multiple opportunities to do so. Clubs are a great way to participate in a social setting. If you visit our school website, the list of clubs can be found under the “Our Approach - Student Clubs" dropdown menu. Most clubs are open on a drop in basis, so students can decide to show up at any meeting. We also have sports at brunch and lunch for students to join in as a “pick up” team. Throughout the year there are spirit activities with lunchtime activities for students to join or watch and enjoy.
We also encourage parents to have conversations with your child about being inclusive and inviting with their peers. Ask your child if they notice any students who sits alone at lunch. If they see a classmate alone, can they invite that student to join their group of friends? (the answer should be, “Yes!”) Part of being in our community is offering friendly support. You can also encourage your child to see their school counselor if they are needing support for themselves or other students.
October
We frequently get questions from students and parents about how to help students improve their grades. If your student needs help with their work, there are a few steps we suggest.
A. Check grades on ParentVue and/or StudentVue on a weekly basis to monitor progress.
B. Look for patterns, such as missing homework or low quiz/test scores. If homework is late or missing, have a conversation with your child about homework routines and organization. Then, ask your child if they are using their planner to record homework. Ask them if they know how to access teacher websites for information about upcoming assignments. Make sure that your child has a designated time set aside to complete their homework. Lastly, be sure to monitor how much time your child is spending on homework (too little or too much) and to see if they are taking breaks or getting distracted.
C. Gather information so you can help your child focus on where the disconnect is happening and make a plan to address each specific need. For example If your child has a pattern of low quiz and test scores, We would recommend two approaches.
Talk with your child about how he/she studies. Does your child have a study guide? Does your child have class notes and/or homework to use as review? How many days ahead of a test is your child studying (we recommend 3 days at minimum for studying prior to an assessment)? Again, with this information, there should be a specific area to make a change for improvement.
Coach your child on how to have a conversation with their teacher about studying. Your child should be communicating with his/her teachers to get feedback on how to improve that class. Then, have a follow up conversation about what the teacher recommended to your child. Self-advocacy is an essential skill for students to develop at school.
On the Counselors’ Corner website, check out several suggestions we have and a number of supporting documents on homework and study tips.
November
Slowing things down
This is a busy time of year (for many of us all year is busy). All the hustle can lead to distraction, constant “on the go” mentality, stress and more. Many adults can relate to this. Do you think our children can relate to this too? One area where we work with students is time management. For some of our students, when we map out their week with them, it is apparent that they are putting in 10+ hour work days. Yes, they feel busy too! Ask yourself this: Would you benefit from slowing down your busy schedule? Does your child need to slow down his/her busy schedule? Do you and your children have time for fun with no strings attached? If you feel like it’s been a while since you’ve had time for no stress fun, maybe you can build that back in. Will you have time this weekend (or the next) for a family game night or movie night? A family hike or evening neighborhood walk? What do your kids like to do for fun? If you do make regular time for this with your family, that’s great! Our hope for our Kennedy families is that you will find time, or make time, to enjoy your family and slow down the “busy” together.
December
Give your time, not just gifts
While it may be easier to check off those items on a holiday wishlist, creating time to spend with your child may do more for your relationships. We hear “My child is starting to not share as much with me” and “I feel like my child is distancing themselves from me”, and this is natural during the teenage years. But that does not mean that your child does not need you. Giving them your full and undivided attention can do wonders for your relationship. This “special time” together could be an experiential activity, like making a meal together, or taking a hike. It can be as simple as sitting next to each other on the couch and reading. The important thing is to carve out time to give to your child. Those memories and connections will be longer lasting than something on their wishlist.
January
Tis the Season -Write Your Own Smart Goals
Do you remember when you learned how to set goals? If you have trouble answering that question, you’re not alone! Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about how we set goals. In fact, many of us don’t even think of goal setting as a skill - it’s just something we do without reflecting on it much.
Goal setting is a bit trickier in elementary and middle school than in high school. Younger children generally need a bit more guidance and supervision when setting and striving towards goals, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a shot!
Start with helping your child set SMART goals. When you set goals, make sure they are specific (S). Setting something vague or too large makes it harder to focus and plan. Goals should also be measurable (M) so that you can track progress and assess how you are really doing. They should be attainable (A). You want to set yourself up for success and be honest about what you can achieve in a certain timeframe. Goals should also be realistic (R). As much as it is fun to dream BIG, you want to be realistic about what you can achieve. Lastly, goals need to be timely (T). You want to set a timeline for yourself so you know when you’ll actually cross the finish line.
February
Choosing and elective based on what interests your child
During the month of March, students will be choosing an elective for the next school year. While some may already know a preferred elective, some are still not sure what to choose. That is completely normal for any middle schooler. Counselors will be visiting classes to present information about the electives that are available. This will help your child make a decision but there are additional fun ways to consider which elective suits your child best. This step involves taking stock and learning about what interests your child has by completing a career and interest profiler online. Please check out the interest profilers and career surveys available in our Counselors’ Corner website. Enjoy the journey.