Counselors' Thoughts

March 8, 2021

Manic Monday!!!

How do you start your week off?  Start with positive self-talk. You literally talk to yourself in a motivating, encouraging, and confidence boosting way. If you are in for a simple day, keep the self-talk simple: Just tell yourself you can do it, If your task is complex or new, talk yourself through what to do . Break it down into simpler pieces. don't wait for your inner voice to start talking get it started. Talk to yourself in the third person to help you express your emotions better.

For more information on self-motivation read the entire article afrom Dr. Jade Wu in Psychology Today.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-savvy-psychologist/202103/5-ways-use-positive-self-talk-psych-yourself?fbclid=IwAR0GJva6ZrCMcWju9PLbTW0fNCR-Ni5Arw6uh4TD_ML266JqRdC18ZSUTIs

March 1, 2021

Hello!

We should be getting our scores in soon from College Board for the PSAT our 8th graders took back in January. If you haven't set up your Kahn Academy Account or your College Board account please be sure to see Mrs. Rhodes or Miss Castro. We would be glad to help you set them up. Course verification sheets will be coming out for grades 5-7 very shortly.  You can verify your classes through Home Access under request and see your students selections for next year.  If any changes need to be made, please contact your counselor. Changes will not be allowed after April 15th. 

We are so glad to see so many students return to campus. Please remember to keep your mask on and sanitize often.  See you at lunch time!!

February 22, 2021

Good Morning Rattlers,

We are finishing up our schedule selections for 6-8th grade this week.  On Friday, our 8th graders need to be sure you come to school with your chromebooks charged for our registration for 9th grade.  The High School Counselors will be here to help us enroll in our classes for next year.  Be ready to select your Endorsement Category. You will be selecting between STEM, Business and Industry, Public Service, Fine Arts and Multidisciplinary choices.  In addition , you will be selecting your Pathway.  Your pathway program will help guide your course selections for your High School career.

Remember from our meeting last week, you should have already taken the Personality/Aptitude quiz in Schoolinks to guide your selections.  You do not have to take the Pathway it selects. You will be meeting with your counselor in the upcoming months to tweek your classes and get on course for High School .  As always, if you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Rhodes or Miss Castro.

February 15, 2021

Hello Everyone, 

Due to demand remote learning for all students, we had to delay our 7th to 8th grade course selections for two weeks.  We are going to try to reschedule for March 1st and 2nd in Science classes. Miss Castro and myself are hoping that we can allow for 7th graders to select their classes in Home Access.  We will walk the students through the course selection in person and online during the Zoom classes. 

All incoming 6th and 7th graders should have submitted their course selections.  Counselors have upload all course selections that have been selected both in person and online. If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to reach out to Miss Castro or Mrs. Rhodes.

We hop everyone is staying safe and warm during this winter weather.  Stay tuned for more information if we will be returning this week or next. Remember, we are always here for you.

February 8, 2021

We are in the second week of the new semester ladies and gentlemen.  Last week the counselors visited our four feeder Elementary Schools, Crockett, Hernandez, Rodriguez and Travis. Students started selecting their classes for next year and their first year in Middle School. Students filled out course selection sheets that were in person and a google form for the remote students.

This week counselors will be working with the sixth graders helping them select classes for next year both in person and remotely. 

We will be having a parent information night for Sixth to Seventh graders on Tuesday February 9th, Seventh to Eighth graders on Wednesday February the 10th. Our ninth graders are doing something different this year. We are using a new program called School Links where students will take several surveys to help them with their career interest inventories. We will be hold an information session for students and parents both to help students begin their survey's. All students will need to complete the surveys before they will be able to register for classes.

February 1, 2021

Let's begin the month by celebrating some of the lesser known people who strove to make a difference in our World today in honor of Black History month.

• Shirley Chisholm-1st Black Woman elected to congress in 1969.

• Bayard Rustin-As a gay, sometimes communistic views and a black man, he has been known as one of the most powerful people who organized and strategized the march Martin Luther King was in .

• Claudette Colvin-a year before Parks became well know, Claudette was arrested for refusing to move to the back of the bus at a tender age of 15

• Annie Lee Cooper-In 1965 she took a stand for Selma Voting Rights Movement

• Dorothy Height-She was a leader in the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) and the president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) for more than 40 years.  She was also one of the few women who participated in the March with King where he gave hos most famous speech.

• Jesse Owens-He won four gold medals at the Olympics. In 1976, Owens received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1990.

• Bessie Coleman-The first licensed black pilot in the World. She paved the way for a new generation of diverse fliers like the Tuskegee airmen, Blackbirds, and Flying Hobos. 

• Robert Sengstacke Abbott -In 1905, Abbott founded the Chicago Defender weekly newspaper.  

• Ethel Waters-In addition to becoming the first African American to star in her own TV show in 1939, The Ethel Waters Show, she was nominated for her first Emmy in 1962 

• Gwendolyn Brooks - She was the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for Annie Allen, and she served as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress, becoming the first Black woman to hold that position.  

For information on these and other people who should be celebrated during Black History month,

follow the link:     https://www.oprahmag.com/life/g25954127/african-american-historical-figures/

January 25, 2021

Good Morning Miller, 

This week is an exciting week for our eighth graders. They will be participating in taking the PSAT for free. The cost is being deferred by the district for all eight grade students.  All remote students will be separated and are invited to participate in the testing. Students that receive oral administration, text to speech or online testing will be testing online and using an MP3 audio through College Board.

The test results should be in sometime in March. We will go over the scores with parents and students as soon as they are available. Counselor's will help students set up a College Board account to link their test results with Kahn Academy as well. This will help the students working on their individual weaknesses to help them in their Reading, Writing and Math skills for both the SAT and ACT college exams.  Students will be able to access the same types of questions they missed on the test and strengthen their skills.

January 5, 2021

Happy New Year!

We are excited to be back and meet some new faces as students return from remote instruction! Please note that it is important for students that are required to return to come back so we can support them in acclimating to our campus and working on improving their academic performance. Please keep this in mind for this week:

Who will attend January 5 – January 11, 2021:

·  Students whose parents need them in school due to extenuating circumstances

·  Students who were contacted by campus to return in January 2021.

·  Students new to district who move over the break and need to be in school.

·  Regular bus routes will run for the week for existing bus riders.

·  New riders must contact your respective campus to sign up for bus service.

Who will stay home on January 5, 2021 - January 11, 2021

·  Students who were already successful in remote learning and choose to remain in remote learning instruction.

·  Students who have a medical exemption to remain on remote learning instruction.

·  Students who have the ability to remain in remote learning and can assist the district with slowly bringing students back to SMCISD campuses will participate in remote learning until 1/11/2021.

Other important dates:

·         January 7th is our next upcoming Chit Chat with Counselors at 6:00 PM where we discuss important school information and questions. This week we will be covering PSAT information.

    ·        January 18th is a holiday as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

·         Save the date: PSAT testing will take place on January 26th for all 8th graders. More information to come.

·         January 29th is the last day of this first semester! Let’s end these 2nd 9 weeks strong!

·         In the next coming weeks, we will start the course selection process for the 2021-2022 school year. We will also work with 8th graders to build their four year plans in the next coming months.

Thank you and happy new year again! We hope our students are ready to end this first semester as we get closer and closer. We know it has been a difficult year but are proud to see how far our students have come and will continue to grow as we start the second semester. 

12/18/2020

Hello everyone!

Today is our last day before break! We had a fun week seeing our students and staff participate in the “12 days of Christmas,” as well as seeing the Dancing Winter Show this week, among other activities. We are also excited to reflect on the growth and resilience of our students since we started this school year. We wish all of our students and families a very Happy Holidays! 

Here are some important dates to remember as we think about our return back to school in January:

• January 4 - Student holiday and SMCISD staff returns. This day will be a work day for staff.

• January 5 – 11: All students will participate in remote learning with the exception of students that received the cancellation of remote learning letter and students with extenuating circumstances. SMCISD campuses will be open January 5-11 for families needing to have student(s) in school with campuses being staffed for in-person instruction.

• January 12: In-person students, who assisted the district with remaining at home from January 5 through January 11, can return for in-person instruction.

Who will attend January 5 – January 11, 2021:

• Students whose parents need them in school due to extenuating circumstances

• Students who were contacted by campus to return in January 2021.

• Students new to district who move over the break and need to be in school.

Who will stay home on January 5, 2021 - January 11, 2021

• Students who were already successful in remote learning and choose to remain in remote learning instruction.

• Students who have a medical exemption to remain on remote learning instruction.

• Students who have the ability to remain in remote learning and can assist the district with slowly bringing students back to SMCISD campuses will participate in remote learning until 1/11/2021.

Early Release Dates for the Spring

• SMCISD will continue to implement Early Release days for the Spring semester. The Early Release dates will be: January 29 and February 19.

• Bonham and Elementary Campuses will release at 12:00PM

• Secondary Campuses will release at 1:00PM

SMCISD COVID-19 Dashboard

• To stay up-to-date with the active cases in SMCISD, visit our district website or use the following link to view the SMCISD COVID-19 Dashboard: https://www.smcisd.net/Page/4374.

SMCISD wishes our families a happy and safe holiday season. Please continue to follow CDC’s safety guidelines to ensure a safe return for our SMCISD students and staff.

12/8/2020

Time is going quickly this year!

Our construction is in full force and everyone is getting use to the changing of our campus.  More students are returning in person and the staff is on point for protecting students and staff during this COVID time.  

Counselors are doing Guidance Lessons in classrooms this week.  The Theme is Social Justice for this quarter.

  In  6th grade , Mrs. Rhodes, is discussing Ableism , Gender Identity and Racism.  The students discussions are exciting.  We are using Pear Deck and chatting together.

In 7th grade Miss Castro is discussing Disabilities, Immigration and Race. The students have been fully engaged and we are hoping that they keep these discussions going.

In 8th grade Miss Lemmon is discussing Perspective Taking on issues of today. 

We are hoping to engage students about issues that our affecting society today. Students need to talk, debate.  In order for society to better itself, we need our students to have the desire to educated themselves on topics that affect their everyday lives.

9/16/2020

Good Morning Everyone!

I just want to remind you that this is National Suicide Awareness month. Emotional well- being is something that we all deal with as individuals. It is important to be attentive to both positive and negative feelings and be able to  understand how to handle these emotions.  

There is not one characteristic or condition that increases a persons perception to make them want to commit suicide.  Possibilities could be Health conditions (mental health, physical health, brain injury), Environmental (access to lethal means, stress, bullying, divorce, rejection, exposure to another person's suicide), and Historical (previous attempt, family history, childhood trauma.

American foundation for Suicide Prevention offers a list of warning signs or suicidal thought include:

• Talking about suicide — for example, making statements such as "I'm going to kill myself," "I wish I were dead" or "I wish I hadn't been born"

• Getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills

• Withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone

• Having mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next

• Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence

• Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation

• Increasing use of alcohol or drugs

• Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns

• Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly

• Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there's no other logical explanation for doing this

• Saying goodbye to people as if they won't be seen again

• Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

9/8/2020

Good Evening Miller Families and Welcome Back!

We are so glad your back even from a distance.  I know that school is now beginning with a new zest. I hope everyone is as excited as we are with all of the changes going on at Miller. The construction is in full force. We are now able to walk down the main hallway for the first time in months. The new computer labs and classrooms are amazing.  Construction has just begun on the front of the building and where our second story is going in .  I can't wait. 

Remember that meals are still being provided at all campuses, except, Miller due to construction.  Parents can go to any of the other campuses and pick up breakfast and lunch. There are several ways to collect the meals:

Official letter or email from school listing enrolled children

·         Individual student report card

·         Attendance record from parent portal of school website

·         Birth certificate of child

·         Student ID card 

Technology is still available for pick up.  Students schedules can be viewed in Home Access if you were unable to pick up schedules last week. If you need a schedule change, they may be submitted until September 11th at 4:00, just click the link below.

https://bit.ly/3lAI2m

Virtual lunch bunch is also available with counselors Monday-Friday. Please feel free to check in with us.  WE MISS YOU!!!!!

4/21/2020

Good afternoon Miller Families, 

As you may or may not be aware, our community has recently experienced a shooting that resulted in the loss of lives.  

Students and staff will react in different ways to incidents of this nature, so it will be important to have support available to assist students in need. While we find ourselves unable to occupy the school buildings, counselors are still available from a distance.  Counselors are available to assist students as they express their feelings related to the recent events.  You may use this link to request counseling for your student(s): https://forms.gle/KCqLQdPuTG38J2YU8

While it is important to deal with grief, loss, anger and fear reactions, we believe it is essential to resume as normal of a daily routine as possible.  Please encourage your student(s) to engage in distance learning as they have been.  You may also remind them about lunch bunch with the counselors if they are seeking social interaction with their peers.  

Please observe your child closely over the next several days and weeks to watch for signs of distress that may indicate a need for additional support and guidance. Please feel free to email your counselors if you have any concerns or questions regarding your child.

Miller Middle School Counseling Team:

Tanya Rhodes -  A-Ma   

   tanya.rhodes@smcisd.net

4/18/2020 

It is with sad heart that we will not return to school this year for face to face interactions. However, it is important for students to remember that they are still responsible for their classwork.  Students have been provided chromebooks and wifi hotspots when needed.  The district is also supplying paper packets for students that are unable to connect online. These packets can be picked up on Mondays and Wednesday at any of the lunch pick up locations. Starting Monday,  April 20th, these packets will contain two weeks worth of work.  In order to help prevent the potential spread of the Coronavirus, students are asked to take pictures of the finished work and send the pictures to their teachers. Teachers also have tutorial times that they are offering the students. If you have any problems or questions please do not hesitate to reach out to your teachers or counselors.

One thing we want you to all remember is that we are here for you.  Just reach out to any counselor you would like and we will respond to you as quickly as possible.  We are here for our teachers, students and staff.  Remember, we are only an email away.  Be safe and know that you are in our thoughts and hearts!!

4/8/2020

This is not original from us.  This came from Character Strong from a partial blog written by  Coiley Veitenhans.  I thought it was something important that we should all try to remember to do on a daily basis.::

Can you be Kind?

I’ve ordered food from 4 local restaurants, picked up curbside delivery at target twice, and been on the phone with 3 different customer service agencies.  None of these people signed up to be “front line” workers but have continued to work and provide a service for the rest of us. They have loved ones who are nervous and scared about them, yet still, show up to keep us functioning.   I’ve ended each interaction with the words, “Be safe, I appreciate you” and have been amazed at the complete tone shifts these people experience. The simple acknowledgment of the sacrifices they’re making with a kind word or piece of appreciation goes a long way to help them get through tough days.  Can we be kind to those who are risking their personal health and safety to provide for the rest of humanity?

https://characterstrong.com/blog/210/the-real-test-8-essential-questions-we-should-be-asking 

4/7/2020

Dear Miller Students and Parents,

We want you to know that the Miller Counselors are here to support you.  This is a new learning environment for the whole community.

If there is anything we can do to help you at this time please do not hesitate to contact us. This is new territory for all of us.

The counseling team is here to support your student in social emotional learning, academics, and preparing for next school year.

Soon students will be receiving their verification sheets to approve or change their course selections. Please make changes as soon as possible so that we can accommodate your students needs for next year.

We will be contacting 8th graders to help them plan their next four years of High School. This has been a challenge but we are learning new technology along with  the students and teachers. We are learning to do this electronically.

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us.  We are all here to support you and your child.

With all of our love and support,

Miller Counseling Team, Tanya Rhodes, Edna Tolento and Morgane Rodiek