Hello everyone!

As part of a comprehensive school counseling program, Loudoun County Public Schools School Counselors deliver developmentally appropriate curriculum and instruction to support student success. The three main areas of focus are academic, social-emotional, and college and career readiness. Beginning in February we will focus on college and career readiness for roughly three lessons. This is an exciting time for students as they get to explore the world of work. In each grade level, students will have unique opportunities to explore developmentally appropriate activities and lessons designed to engage students in career exposure and exploration. 

According to the VDOE Standards of Learning for School Counseling Programs in Virginia Public Schools, Students in grade K-5 will: 

● understand the concepts of job and career, 

● understand that behaviors such as punctuality, courtesy, proper dress and proper language are essential to current and future success, 

● understand the relationship of individual effort, hard work and persistence to achievement, 

● understand the importance of teamwork in working towards a common goal, ● demonstrate the decision making process, 

● demonstrate goal setting, 

● recognize the benefits of both individual initiative and teamwork, 

● recognize that the changing workplace requires lifelong learning, 

● identify hobbies and interests, and 

● identify career choices through exploration. 

Beginning in the elementary school years, students will also begin the development of an Academic and Career Plan Portfolio (ACPP). Students will explore the different occupations associated with career clusters and explore information about interests, values such as dependability and responsibility, and skills supporting decisions about their future interests and goals. Each year, students will create a developmentally appropriate artifact for this portfolio. To help document their exploration, students may draw a photo, match tools to a profession, complete a survey exploring career clusters/pathways, and much more. We know that students' interests and skills will likely change over time, however, the goal is to help elementary school students begin to think about the future. 

While schools continue to be open for hybrid instruction and/or distance learning, it is important that students engage in the career lessons. We appreciate your assistance in supporting this learning, and look forward to this exciting journey. To learn more about the VDOE Academic and Career Plans, please visit Virginia Department of Education 

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/graduation/academic_career_plan/index.shtml If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your student’s school counselor.

Hi everyone and happy 2021! We hope that you have had a good start to the new year. In the new year we're focusing on evaluating our past and setting goals for the future. Take some time with your kids to reflect on what's been working well for their learning and what's been a challenge. Work together to set a goal that you can track throughout the next weeks. We are here to support our students' goals, whatever they may be. 

Hello families! We hope you are all doing well. This month students have been learning about naming their feelings and using empathy skills to understand how someone else feels. We've also been working on our self-awareness skills and noticing when we need to calm down. We're learning skills such as taking big deep belly breaths, talking to an adult, or journaling as a way to process  and cope with our feelings. We teach our students that all feeling are okay, but some are uncomfortable and we may need to use a strategy to calm ourselves down. We hope you all have a wonderful rest of the month and happy holidays! 

Hello everyone! As we continue the month of November we encourage you to focus on gratitude with your children. At school the children are learning about being thankful for the things we have, instead of focusing on what we may lack. With gratitude we encourage people to pause and appreciate the things around them that we often take for granted. One thing Mrs. Malley and Mrs. Fox are grateful for this year is your continued support. Thank you for all that you do, we appreciate you! 

Hello families! We wanted to share with you all that October is Anti-Bullying Month. This month and next Mrs. Malley and Mrs. Fox will be teaching students about what bullying is, how to address it, and how to intervene and help when you see others being bullied. In Loudoun we teach all of our students the strategy to "Stop, Walk, and Talk". Throughout this month encourage your Husky to show kindness to others! 

Back to School can be an exciting time, but with this excitement can also come stress. Here are a few tips to help start your year on a positive note!

1. Get sleep! School Age Children need 9-12 hours each night!

2. Establish routine! School Age students thrive with routine as it can provide safety. 

3. Plan Ahead! Children helping to lay out clothes, packing a lunch for the next day, and getting supplies ready helps reduce morning stress. 

4. Support Independence! Provide support and encouragement while promoting autonomy (Click here for tips).

5. Get Involved! Volunteering or getting participating in school activities help children view school as a second home and promote comfort (Click here for Hutchison PTA information). 

6. Prepare School Work Area! Create a "go-to" spot for your child to focus on assignments and stock it with the necessary materials ahead of time (Click here for tips).

7. Create Digital Sunset! Turn off technology at a designated time each night to help the family wind down from the day and encourage a good night's sleep! (Click here to learn how).

8. Check in Daily! See link below for creative ideas on how to ask about your child's day. (See our Family Resource tab for tips on talking to your kids!)

9. Get Connected! Familiarize yourself with your child's teacher school-home communication. 

10. Play! School can be emotionally draining, encourage your child to play everyday - especially without screen time!

Hello everyone! As we continue the month of November we encourage you to focus on gratitude with your children. At school the children are learning about being thankful for the things we have, instead of focusing on what we may lack. With gratitude we encourage people to pause and appreciate the things around them that we often take for granted. One thing Mrs. Malley and Mrs. Fox are grateful for this year is your continued support. Thank you for all that you do, we appreciate you!