Monday Messages

February 6-10 was National School Counselor week.  If you ever wonder what school counselors do here’s some information from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

Why Middle School Counselors?

Today’s young people are living in an exciting time, with an increasingly diverse society, new technologies, and expanding opportunities. To help ensure that they are prepared to become the next generation of parents, workers, leaders, and citizens, every student needs support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change. Early adolescents face unique and diverse challenges, both personally and developmentally, that have an impact on academic achievement.

Middle School Students' Developmental Needs
Middle school is an exciting, yet challenging time for students, their parents and teachers. During this passage from childhood to adolescence, middle school students are characterized by a need to explore a variety of interests, connecting their learning in the classroom to its practical application in life and work; high levels of activity coupled with frequent fatigue due to rapid growth; a search for their own unique identity as they begin turning more frequently to peers rather than parents for ideas and affirmation; extreme sensitivity to the comments from others; and heavy reliance on friends to provide comfort, understanding and approval.

Meeting the Challenge
Middle school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. Middle school counselors do not work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve success in school. Professional school counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program. The ASCA National Standards in the academic, National Model: A Framework For School Counseling Programs, with its data driven and results-based focus serves as a guide for today’s school counselor who is uniquely trained to implement this program.

Middle School Counselors Implement the Counseling Program by Providing:

School Guidance Curriculum

·         Academic skills support

·         Organizational, study, and test-taking skills

·         Education in understanding self and others

·         Coping strategies

·         Peer relationships and effective social skills

·         Communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict resolution

·         Career awareness, exploration, and planning

·         Substance abuse education

·         Multicultural/diversity awareness

Individual Student Planning

·         Goal-setting/decision- making

·         Academic planning

·         Career planning

·         Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses

·         Transition planning

Responsive Services

·         Individual and small group counseling

·         Individual/family/school crisis intervention

·         Peer facilitation

·         Consultation/collaboration

·         Referrals

System Support

·         Professional development

·         Consultation, collaboration, and teaming

·         Program management and operation

http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?contentid=231

As the school counselor at SAA’s Jr. High I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of this program.  As a team we can do great things for our students!

JANUARY DRAGON/STUDENT OF THE MONTH RECIPIENTS

SAA Jr. High students were honored on February 7^th for showing HONOR, which was our Principal’s Principle for the month of January.  Student of the Month is chosen by their classroom teacher and Dragon of the Month is voted on by all teachers.

Congratulations Student of the Month recipients

English 9                                English 8                        English 7

Drew Saddler                          Tannice Jensen                 Duncan Thompson         

Earth Systems                       Science 8                        Science 7

Jack Ence                               Nick Ludwick                   Anna Smith                        

Pre-Algebra                           Algebra 1                        Algebra B         

Brooke Bigger                         Kortney Gold                    Bailey Smith    

Geography                             US History                      Utah Studies                     

Tony Bittman                           Ellecyn Brimley                  Adam Amott     

Theater 1                               Photo 1                             PE 9

Jordan Willis                            Casie Wiggins                   Aleise Bailey      

Chamber Band                      Spanish 2                  Guitar                                         

Marissa McNamara                        Katie Short                               Ashley  Desmond                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Congratulations Dragon of the Month recipients!

9^th           Garrett Bitton, Marissa McNamara                                                                         

8^th           Logan Wright, Lidia Newman                    

7^th           Alex Allen, Victoria Womack      

The two winners of the Dragon tickets drawing were Casey Peterson and Kiyana Andersen.  Each received a $10 gift certificate.