Counselors

It Can't Be May Already?!?!

              It is hard to believe that the end of this school year is just around the corner! To help prepare students for their transition to the next grade level, the Sope Creek Counselors will be talking about that topic during the month of May. The children will have an opportunity to ask specially selected "older" students questions about the forthcoming year during classroom guidance lessons. The questions and discussions cover a variety of topics: homework, field trips, class meetings, incentives, and friends...just to name a few. As this school year comes to a close, it is our hope that students will feel more confident about "moving on".

Decisions...Decisions!

Decision-making as a life-long skill is the focus of classroom guidance during the months of March and April. The STAR acronym reminds students to: Stop and list their choices; Think about the merits of each choice; Act on the choice; and Review the choice and its consequences. Learning to make wise decisions after careful consideration can help children avoid costly mistakes. Resisting peer pressure, eschewing drug and alcohol use, and making successful school and career choices are all decisions facing today's students. It is never too early to practice the important life skill known as decision-making!

Teaching Tolerance and Appreciation for Diversity

The months of January and February will find Sope Creek students learning about diversity and tolerance for differences between people and cultures. Our school community thrives on the rich tapestry of diversity and we believe that children live what they learn! To our friends from India, Pakistan, England, Nigeria, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Argentina, Japan, Egypt, Israel, San Salvador (to name a few of the countries represented in our student body), we welcome you to the Sope Creek family!

Character Building in the Building During December!

During the month of December, Sope Creek counselors will be focusing classroom guidance instruction on character development, especially kindness, generosity, and honesty. Students will have an opportunity to connect this instruction to two school-wide character education endeavors: "Making a Difference" and the "Holiday Helper Bear" program. This time of the year lends itself so well to helping children understand character concepts. It is wonderful to see our entire school community benefit from "thoughtful" practice.

Study Skills and Goal Setting Take Off in November!

During the month of November, every grade level  classroom guidance lesson emphasized academic skills and goal setting. Some of the skills targeted were planning, goal-setting, listening, following directions, mnenomic devices (memory strategies), and summarizing information.

Creating a Climate for Learning

During September and October, the counselors will help students explore and strengthen their classrooms' climate for learning . Our youngest students will focus on helping, listening, and empathy. Our older students will tackle the concepts of belonging and making a difference in our school community. Conflict resolution and refusal skills will also be emphasized.

I Care Cat Meets the Class of 2020!

I Care Cat was sooooo excited to meet the class of 2020 during the month of August...also known as our brand new Kindergarten students! With Ms. Murphy serving as his handy, dandy assistant, I Care Cat talked to students about the school counseling curriculum and gave each student a book to read and color. I Care Cat was overheard telling Ms. Murphy, "These are the best students I ever mewed!"

Meanwhile, first and second graders reacquainted themselves with Ms. Murphy and I Care Cat during their first classroom guidance lesson. Students were reminded that adjusting to a new grade level, new friends, and new teachers is a process that takes time. It won't be long before first or second grade feels like home!