Welcome to the 2008-2009 Sope Creek Elementary Professional School Counselors' blog. We are excited to provide updated information about the professional school counseling program and how students and parents can benefit from the services provided to our families. We welcome your suggestions about this site. Use the handy email links to give us your feedback or call 770-916-7088 and follow the prompts. Your counselor for this school year will be:
Sara Jane Lombardi, MA: First Grade, Fifth Grade, and in Third Grade: Ms. Jones, Ms. Blaeser, Ms. Paden & Ms. Smith, Ms. Gago
Sherise Hartman, Ed.S: Fourth Grade
Claire Murphy, Ed.S: Kindergarten, Second Grade, and in Third Grasde: Ms. Hodgson & Ms. Toomer, Ms. Wyckoff, Ms. Lawrence, Ms. Yim and Mr. Dunn
We also welcome Margaret Luckett to our professional school counseling department. Ms. Luckett will be spending the year with us as a counselor intern. She will receive her Masters in Education/School Counseling from Georgia State University next Spring.
School is back in full-swing, and you may be tempted to leave older children at home while you run a quick errand. You may even be tempted to leave an older child in charge of younger siblings. The Cobb County Department of Family and Children's Services quotes the Georgia State policy on child supervision as the following: "State policy states that children ages 13 and above can act as baby sitters for other children. Children the ages of 9-12 can occasionally be left unsupervised for brief periods of time. Children 8 years old and younger should never be left alone. Of course, a specific child's immaturity and behavior may necessitate adult supervision." Should you choose to leave an older child at home, please remember that the home is the number one site of accidents to children. Other dangers include break-ins, fires, and chemicals! Additionally, if you have not taught your older child what to do when a phone call or knock on the door occurs in your absence, now is the time! Home is a place where children need to feel protected and secure. 
Major changes in families can be confusing and upsetting for children. These may include a separation, divorce, serious illness, or death of people close to them. The counselors at Sope Creek will be offering support groups for children undergoing major family changes. Be looking for a registration letter to come home in early September. The groups will begin in October, and the meetings will be held for thirty minutes once per week. Please contact your grade level counselor for more information.
The Georgia Department of Education recently scripted a set of rigorous schools performance standards which serve as the framework for a comprehensive and data-driven system of school improvement and support. Not only are students expected to demonstrate proficiency in numerous academic areas, but schools are also expected to demonstrate high impact practices which improve student achievement. Professional school counselors are one of the "keys" to school improvement. Using data from a variety of sources, school counselors help identify patterns of achievement and participate in planning academic interventions to address underachievement. School counselors also involve parents and other community members as active participants in the school mission. Finally, professional school counselors assess the learning climate of the school and promote practices which enhance the learning of all students.
We are so excited about our Sope Creek Foundation outing which will be auctioned at the Octoberfest on Saturday, October 11, 2008. The counselors will each escort one student on a bowling outing. Don't miss the chance to bid on this outing which will take place on a date to be arranged. Proceeds will benefit numerous Foundation projects.
We are thrilled to welcome over 100 new students and their families to Sope Creek this year! Our wonderful PTA will host a New Parents' Orientation on Monday evening, August 18, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. This will be followed by our annual New Students' Breakfast which will take place on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. This "students only" event will include a personal welcome from our administrative team, fun with the counselors, and a surprise or two. 
Did you know that your school counselors are available for confidential consultations about student achievement, friendship, family changes, upcoming relocations, or any other topic for problem-solving? Just call the direct counselor phone number 770-916-7088 and make an appointment with your grade level counselor today.
