Counseling Blog

It’s hard to believe but Croix will be turning 4 years old! We’d like to celebrate his birthday a little different this year. Our idea of helping local pets in the area came from a comment a student made while we were delivering food to the River Falls Community Food Pantry. He said it was sad that there was just one bag of cat treats on the large shelves set aside for pets. We found out many of our families in need have dogs and/or cats but finding treats for them can be challenging.

We would like your help to celebrate Croix’s 4th birthday with a week long donation drive we’re calling Treats “4” A Cause to collect dog and cat treats starting on April 22nd and ending on April 26th! Our goal is to fill the pet shelves at the RF Community Pantry with lots of treats while spreading happiness one tail wag at a time! Thank you in advance for your continued support of our therapy dog program at MMS!

Mental Health Awareness Week

MMS held our first annual Mental Health Awareness Week in October! Throughout the week, we had daily announcements and schoology posts to raise awareness and promote healthy discussions around mental health.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood through adulthood. One way we can work to stop the stigma is to start talking about mental health.

We recently had our first Activity Afternoon of the school year and offered Coloring with Croix as one of the options for students to select. Croix was excited to see some new and familiar faces come visit him during this time!

Chill Week

Meyer Middle School had a great week during our second annual Chill Week. During this week, we had daily themes, activities, and prize giveaways to promote teen mental health and wellness. Daily themes included: Move It Monday, Tuneful Tuesday, Well-Being Wednesday, Thankful Thursday and Friendship Friday. A couple of highlights of the week included Mr. Chapin playing his harmonica, Jazz Band students playing songs in the morning, an impactful presentation by Cory Greenwood, “Find your Match” activity with prizes and freezies at lunch.

Updated Take a Break (TAB) Room

A special Thank You to the River Falls FORWARD Foundation for awarding a grant to our department. Their funding allowed us to update and improve the aesthetics in our Take a Break (TAB) calming room and create a space that is calming and inviting for students. We were able to include a variety of sensory materials to help students regulate their emotions and reset during the school day. We frequently have students use this space daily. The improvements we were able to make will, and have already, helped students regulate themselves better, helping them to become centered and able to get back into the academic setting faster. Students have already expressed positive feelings about the updated space. One of our goals is to ensure students feel safe and comfortable in the space and updating this space has enhanced this feeling among students!

What are you Thankful For?

Did you know that gratitude can impact our health? The definition of gratitude includes being thankful and showing appreciation for things around us. Research shows that practicing gratitude has benefits to our physical and mental health and can also impact the people around us in a positive way. Gratitude can influence our mood and decrease stress and depression if practiced regularly. Additionally, showing gratitude can improve our outlook on life, and improve our social connections. Below are a few fun resources to help you and your family practice gratitude.

Dinner Conversation Starters

Gratitude Skittles Game

Gratitude Jar

Gratitude Coloring Cards/Pages

Activity Afternoon with Croix

Croix had so much fun at our first Activity Afternoon of this school year! One of the activities offered was to “Puzzle with Croix”. The students demonstrated great character through their perseverance and cooperation on such a challenging 252 piece puzzle of Croix’s school picture. We were so proud of them for completing it in just two hours!

Back to School Routine

Summer has ended, the new school year is here, and we are all trying to find our new routines. There is always an adjustment period for students as they transition into the next grade level and start the school year. Our department felt it was important to recognize the importance of routine. Research shows that consistent routine can positively impact mental health.

Based on results of our 2022 School Perceptions Survey, 36% of our students are not getting enough sleep, 42% identified they don’t know how to cope when they are feeling stressed and 21% of our students don’t exercise regularly. Implementing a school routine can create predictability which often times helps kids feel prepared and safe. Based on the article “Promote Positive Mental Health Through Back-to-School Routines,” important considerations for routine should include sleep, exercise, and family time.

On average, Middle School students should be getting around nine to twelve hours of sleep (ages 6-12) and eight to 10 hours of sleep (ages 13-18) according to the American Academy of of Pediatrics. Additionally, students are now in school for a portion of the day which results in a decline of physical activity. It is important to encourage students to limit screen time and get some movement in each day. The article states that movement can contribute to physical health, academic performance, sleep quality and behavior. Last, creating time for family allows for conversation and connection that most middle schoolers need. It is beneficial for students’ mental health to have a positive adult in their life that they can talk to and trust.

We understand that busy schedules are common during the school year. We hope you are able to help your child and family establish a routine that can help with the stress and anxiety that a school year may bring. As always, please reach out to our department if you need any resources.

Source: https://www.uab.edu/news/youcanuse/item/13024-promote-positive-mental-health-through-back-to-school-routines

Dress Up Days at MMS

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. According to NAMI, 1 in 6 youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health condition each year. Stigma associated with mental health conditions and seeking mental health care means that many youth do not ask for help or get the help they need. One way we can work to stop the stigma is to start talking about mental health. Being open with each other, practicing self-care, and getting professional help when needed reduces stigma. When talking about mental health, it is important to focus on the language we are using. Understanding the difference between mental health, mental distress, and mental illness will increase our ability to reach out for support or offer support to others. Use this link to understand the differences:https://www.changetochill.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Language-Matters.pdf

Keeping Teens Healthy During Summer

A break from school can be relaxing, but keeping some routine is important for kids to stick with year round. Too much of a break can lead to unhealthy changes. Below are tips on how to help create a healthy summer for teens.

**Find a New Routine: Schedule activities that will keep kids busy and active. You can sign your child up for a day camp, swim lessons, sports, or other activities. Another idea is to make your own plan for regular activities to cut down on boredom. A daily schedule could mean less screen time and less snacking.

**Be Serious about Sleep: Getting kids to bed on time in the summer can seem less important, but a sleep routine still matters. Kids who sleep less have less energy to do the things that keep them healthy. A tired brain is also more likely to make unhealthy choices.

**Stick to Screen Time Limits: To your kids, marathon sessions of TV or video games may seem to be a great way to pass a summer day, but time in front a screen replaces other activities that are healthier, like playing outside or getting a good night’s sleep.

**Get Outside and Get Active: There’s no better time to show kids that being active and outdoors is fun. Help them try something new or find activities they like. Sign them up for a camp or a league or help them organize a game of baseball or kickball with other kids.

**Focus on Food: Take advantage of your kids’ extra downtime to get them involved with their food. Plant a garden together or visit a farmers market to pick from all the in-season produce. At home, swap out the junk food in your pantry and fridge for healthier things. When your kids want to raid the kitchen during the day, they’ll have better foods to choose from.

Most of us look forward to summer break, but many teens grow bored by the second week of summer vacation. This website has lots of ideas for fun activities to keep teens happy and healthy during summer break. https://www.verywellfamily.com/fun-things-for-teens-to-do-this-summer-2611143

Links:

About Mental Health - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.changetochill.org/about/reducing-stigma-about-stress/

https://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/move/healthy-summer-kids

Mrs. Dusek and 8th Grade Student who organized the Period Project at Meyer Middle School.

The Period Project

River Falls High School and Meyer Middle School completed a fundraiser the second week of February. The goal of the fundraiser was to bring awareness to the need for menstrual products as well as to collect donations to help provide free products for students in the bathrooms at the middle and high school. The Period Project at Meyer Middle School was a huge success! We raised 1,000 dollars and got many donations of menstrual products. We will use the donations to offer free menstrual products in all of our bathrooms at Meyer Middle School. Thank you to everyone who donated! If you would still like to donate money or products, contact one of the school counselors.

Mental Health and the Holiday Season

The Holidays can be a time for celebration, but it also can produce feelings of stress and anxiety. According to a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Health) study, 64% of people with mental illness report that holidays can make their conditions worse. Our department hopes you and your family can enjoy the most this holiday season. Below is a list of suggestions for reducing stress and taking care of yourself:

Be kind to yourself. Recognize what may cause you stress and prepare for those situations.
Schedule movement. Moving our bodies naturally produces stress relieving hormones.
Set aside time for yourself. Read a book, go to a movie, listen to music, walk your dog, etc.
Eat healthy foods.
Get enough sleep.
Spend time outside.
Volunteer. Helping others can help you feel connected to your community.
Enjoy time with friends and family who offer you support.

Link: Maintaining Mental Health During the Holiday Season (and a Pandemic)

WSCA: Wisconsin School Counselor Association Conference

The three counselors and Mr. Chapin had the opportunity to present at the Annual Wisconsin School Counselor Association Conference in WI Dells. We were excited to share about our counseling program at MMS with a specific focus on our Connect class. Our Connect class is a social and emotional learning course that all students at the middle school level take as an exploratory. Our course focuses on social and self awareness, relationship skills, decision making and self management.

Chill Week: October 18-22, 2021

We are continuing our partnership with the Change to Chill program by Allina Health this school year! Last year, we were able to create a Chill Zone to provide a safe, comfortable, and calming space for students. This year we’ll be creating our first ever Chill Week to bring a greater awareness to student mental health. Students from the Girls Who Give Back group will be helping us too! There will be corresponding activities for the different themes each day and students will have the opportunity to win prizes through our daily drawings!

Chill Week Themes

Mindful Monday

Tuneful Tuesday

Wellness Wednesday

Thoughtful Thursday

Fun Friday

National School Counseling Week

There are more than 110K School Counselors in the Nation that provide students with academic, career, and social/emotional support. The recommended counselor to student ratio is 1:250 with Wisconsin’s average counselor to student ratio being 1:459. We are grateful to work at Meyer Middle School where our average counselor to student ratio is 1:270. River Falls School District recognizes the importance of mental health and addressing academic and social emotional needs. With three school counselors at Meyer Middle School, we are able to connect with students at our assigned grade level and move with them as they go through Middle School. Thank you to all of our staff, families and community for your support of the Meyer Middle School School Counseling Program!

Check out the Lockdown Tool Kit to get small ideas that can help your mental health! These are all things we can do at anytime (doesn't have to be during a lockdown/quarantine time). Small activities can lead us to feeling happier and better when times are tough.

Introducing Croix- Therapy Dog in Training

We are so excited to possibly be adding a therapy dog to our MMS School Counseling Team in the near future. Croix is a 5 month old golden retriever owned by Sommer Bowers, the school psychologist in our building. He just completed his first basic training class in September and he’ll be starting a level 2 obedience class this month. We thought it would be fun to keep you updated on his long journey to hopefully become our department’s first therapy dog!

Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year

Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! We hope you navigated through the first weeks of school and are ready for the new year (and new changes). It is so nice to be back in the building and see familiar faces. Our hope for all of you is that regardless of all the new changes and unknowns, you can still have a great year. Your teachers and counselors understand that we all have our highs and lows so we want to remind you that we are here to support you. Although you may only be in the building two days a week (for 7th and 8th grade) we will be available to support you throughout the entire five day school week. We are available to connect with you face to face in the building or virtually through Google Hangouts and Google Meets.

There are a few ways you can reach out: