Counselor's corner

Month of December & January

This month's updates from your school counseling department!

"Calm Down" Snow Globes

Sometimes when our student feels overwhelmed, it can help to focus on one thing. Mindfulness frequently utilizes this concept by focusing on the breath, but this month we wanted to provide you with a fun, holiday-themed activity you can do at home. So with some coarse glitter, empty snow globes (Michaels Craft) and clear Karo syrup, you and your kids can create a bunch of different colored sensory glitter globes!

You can buy empty snow globes for a pretty good deal on Oriental Trading OR you can grab some Aqua Balls (see below) at the gas station and they also make awesome Glitter Globes. You can get the little glitter vials at Walmart in the kids craft section. Dump a whole vial of glitter into the globe. Fill 3/4 of the globe with clear karo syrup. Fill the rest of the globe with water. Add buttons, beads, Legos, etc…basically, whatever your child likes. Use glue to seal the lid and let it sit for 24 hours while the glue dries. Ta-da! You have your very own 'calm down' snow globe!

SEL LEssons

What is SEL?

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

Elementary School

Inclusiveness

Inclusion is being a part of what everyone else is, being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. It is being a part of what everyone else is, and being welcomed and embraced as a member who belongs. The benefits of inclusion can be tremendous for all parties involved. Through simple activities and tips, children can learn the real lessons of inclusiveness: that inclusiveness means looking in someone’s eyes, seeing their humanity, and understanding their heart. To support the lessons for this month, here are 11 ways you can help teach your child to be inclusive!

Middle School

We will continue our social-emotional learning through our Second Step program. All students whether Plan B or C will have access to lessons! I look forward to continuing this great program for our students!

High School

SEL for High School: Reset

Congratulations, you have just about completed half of this school year! Here are a few resources you may find helpful related to test taking such as: test taking skills and tips for test anxiety. Also, remember to rest, relax and reset your mind and body for the second half of the school year! Happy Holiday’s!!

5 Tips for Coping with Test Anxiety (for kids!)

Test taking strategies: Checklist: Test-taking strategies for middle and high school students By: Margie Markarian

Top 10 test-taking tips for students: Prepare your students for taking tests by helping them learn these strategies By: teachervision staff

Rest, Relax & Reset: How to relax: 8 tips for your mental health

Don't forget to complete the "SEL Check-in/out Form" here!

Bullying Prevention

Elementary School

Into the Cloud™ is NCMEC’s flagship online safety product for children ages 10 and under. Using data from actual CyberTipline reports, each episode focuses on a different element of online safety, from strategies for handling cyberbullying to recognizing and reporting unsafe/inappropriate interactions and content. Into the Cloud™ presents important safety information in an age-appropriate and entertaining manner! Connect your child to their content here, or visit Ms. McGarry's Google Classroom!

College & Career planning

Elementary School

Click here to check out Paws in Jobland on CFNC.org!

Middle School

6th Grade- How Did They Get There?

7th Grade- Time Management

8th Grade- Your Learning Style

High School

Students and parents are encouraged to explore the redesigned CFNC.org website. This is a one stop shop for students and parents to plan for college, apply to colleges, explore careers and sort through resources to pay for college in the state of NC. Planning starts even before high school. Students with CFNC accounts are encouraged to login and click around! Students without CFNC accounts are encouraged to create an account! Go ahead! Explore!

Click here for up-to-date information that colleges, universities, College Board (SAT) and ACT are releasing about COVID-19 and college admissions.

Career Assessments

This is a great time to start exploring career options. Use this link to explore resources that will help you find out things that interest you as well as possible careers that match your profile.

Virtual College Visits

Click here for updated information about virtual college representative visits to FLA. Use this link to join zoom meetings when applicable!

Resume Writing for high school students: 101

Students often use resumes to apply to summer programs, college, internships, jobs and sometimes recommenders will request it when writing a recommendation for these programs. It is good practice to have a draft ready to go for these activities. It is also recommended to update your resume at least once a year.

Watch this video to gain a brief understanding of what a highs school student resume may consist of: How to write resume

Use this link for example resume templates and a more detailed explanation of a high school students’ resume.

***Reach out to Ms. Jackson for more assistance.

2021 Summer Programs & Other opportunities

Use this link throughout the year to explore programs that may be of interest to your student. These are great resume builders and wonderful opportunities to gain experience in areas you may be interested in the future.

This can also be found on Mrs. Jackson’s website under “Career Planning Resources”.

#Howtodeal

In this section, we will be including tips or tricks for you on how to incorporate self-care or social-emotional learning into your daily routine! We understand that during our time away from school, it may be a challenge to take care of YOU. So, here you will find some ideas to stay active, healthy, and mentally strong as we cope with this pandemic. Enjoy!

Music & Mindfulness

Did you know that humming or singing can actually reduce your stress level? Humming and singing activate the vagus nerve, a critical nerve that flows from the brain stem throughout most of our body. It is associated with functions of the body that are automatic, like swallowing, digesting, and the heart’s beating, and it relays signals to the brain that all is well or not. Activating this nerve basically tells your brain that you are calm and relaxed, while stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system to slow your heart rate and respiration and lower your blood pressure. Our voice box is connected to the vagus nerve, so when we hum or sing, we activate this nerve and initiate a calm nervous system response in the brain and body.

Here are a few music choices I associate with a calm, pleasant emotional experience as I hum or sing along: