August 18-21 : Welcome Back & Friendship
📚 Book: Welcome Back, Counselor Role, Friendship Introduction
🧠Activity: Students were welcomed back to guidance and reviewed the role of the school counselor. We talked about what guidance will look like this year and ways the counselor can support students at school. Students also participated in age-appropriate friendship discussions and activities focused on getting to know one another, connecting with classmates, and thinking about what makes a good friend.
💡Key concept: "Positive relationships help us feel connected."
🎯This week's objectives:
Reintroduce the role of the school counselor
Build comfort and connection within the classroom
Identify qualities of a positive friendship
Understand why having at least one positive connection at school matters
Recognize that learning and relationships are both important parts of the school experience
August 24-28 : Friendship & Belonging
📚 Book: A Little Sot of Belonging
🧠Activity: Students explored what it means to belong at school and discussed the people, places, and experiences that help them feel included and connected. Through the story and class discussion, we talked about ways to make friends, include others, and help everyone feel like they are an important part of our school community. We also practiced an important friendship skill: introducing ourselves! Students practiced using a handshake, sharing their name, and confidently introducing themselves!
💡Key concept: "Not everyone we know is a close friend, and that’s okay."
🎯This week's objectives:
Understand what it means to feel a sense of belonging
Identify ways to make and build friendships
Recognize ways to help others feel included
Understand that everyone deserves to feel like they belong at school
Practice simple ways to connect with new or different people
August 31 - September 4 : No Guidance!
Due to Homecoming activities, there was no guidance class this week. Students will catch up next week with “Social Smarts” and “Reading the Room.”
September 7-11 : Social Smarts - Reading the Room / Red & Green Flag Behaviors
🧠Activity: Students continued building their social smarts by transitioning into red flag and green flag behaviors. We discussed how recognizing positive and concerning behaviors can help us better understand our relationships and make thoughtful choices about the people we choose to spend time with. Students began creating their own red flag/green flag key, which they will use for an awareness game in the coming weeks.
💡Key concept: "We can use red and green flags to guide our friendship choices."
🎯This week's objectives:
Continue developing social smarts
Identify red flag and green flag behaviors
Understand how behaviors can affect friendships
Recognize qualities to look for in positive friendships
Create a red flag/green flag key for an upcoming awareness activity