Wow—our fifth graders are officially the oldest and biggest students at Kensington Parkwood! With this exciting milestone comes new opportunities for leadership, independence, and responsibility. Fifth grade is a year of growth and transition, and our school counseling program is here to help students make the most of their final year of elementary school while preparing for what comes next.
Fifth grade students will participate in classroom counseling lessons once a month focused on the social, emotional, and life skills they need to thrive. We will continue building skills such as identifying and managing emotions, navigating friendships and changing relationships, communicating effectively, resolving conflict, showing empathy, including others, building confidence, and using healthy coping strategies.
We will also take a deeper look at skills that become especially important as students get older, including managing stress, handling academic and social pressure, advocating for themselves, making responsible decisions, navigating peer pressure, setting healthy boundaries, and asking for help when they need it. As the oldest students in the building, we will also encourage our fifth graders to recognize their strengths and use their voices as positive role models and leaders within our school community.
Beginning in September, we will also offer small counseling groups to provide additional support and a safe space for students to connect, practice skills, work through challenges, and build confidence.
A major focus of fifth grade will be getting students ready for middle school. We will help them think about the increased independence, organization, responsibility, friendships, and academic expectations they will experience in their next chapter. Our goal is for every fifth grader to leave Kensington Parkwood feeling confident, capable, resilient, and ready to take on the exciting adventure of middle school!
Classroom Counseling News
September 2026
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope this letter finds you and your family well! My name is Beth Wert and I am thrilled to introduce myself as the School Counselor at Kensington Parkwood. I’m excited to support your children as they grow academically, socially, and emotionally throughout the school year. I was able to go into your child’s classroom today to talk all about my role and how I am here to support them at KP.
As the school counselor, my role is to help create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all students. I work with students through classroom lessons, small groups, and one-on-one check-ins to help them develop important life skills such as emotional regulation, friendship building, problem-solving, goal setting, and more.
Each month, I will visit your child’s classroom 1–2 times to deliver counseling lessons that are engaging, age-appropriate, and focused on building social-emotional skills. Additionally, I will be forming small groups to provide more focused support in areas where students may need extra help, such as managing emotions, improving peer relationships, or boosting confidence.
Students who would like to speak with me individually can do so by filling out a Google Form, which will be available to them through their classroom Clever portal. Please note that this form should only be filled out during the school day with permission from a teacher or staff member.
I look forward to partnering with you and your child this year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if I can be of support in any way. I’m here to help every child feel safe, supported, and ready to learn!
Smiles,
Mrs. Wert
Elizabeth_A_Wert@mcpsmd.org
240-740-3697