| Hello there Line Creek Families,Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! I hope your family is safe, healthy, and have everything you need as we started this new year. I an thrilled to serve as your school counselor again. Because you are here, I get the privilege to work with your ROCKSTAR child(ren) and support their social emotional growth.
I cannot promise to fix all problems, but I can absolutely try my best to ensure your child(ren) will not have to face them alone.
If you are new to Line Creek, and need a better understanding of what a school counselor does, check out this link: The Role of The School Counselor.
I'm here to help you and your student(s) every step of the way. We are better together. Mrs. Collins | | | Lion BehaviorAs a school community, we will continue to utilize principles of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Support). You have probably have heard your child talk a lot about the Big 3-Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible, which are our school wide expectations. We use these expectations across all school environments (classroom, lunchroom, restroom, playground, library, hallway, and bus). We are committed to teach, reinforce, and acknowledge appropriate behaviors to create a safe and effective learning environment at Line Creek.
Student's will also receive lessons from their classroom teacher throughout the year that will teach them how to follow the Big 3.
To learn more about PBIS, visit the PBIS Website.
| | | All new students to Line Creek received a counselor introduction the first week of school.
This school year, we have a new counselor curriculum resource. Many counselors at the elementary level, are implementing lessons from Character Strong. Character Strong is a research-based social emotional learning and character education curricula. It's focus will be on fostering the Whole Child. To learn more about Character Strong, visit their website.
August and September lessons focused on empathy. Those topics include: Being Assertive, Feeling Safe in School, and Respecting Differences.
Students can receive up to 2-3 counselor lessons each month. Lessons and dates are subject to change anytime during the year.
Topics you can expect your students to learn about from me this year are: - Empathy
- Emotion Management
- Personal Safety
- Social awareness (friendship skills, conflict resolution, cooperation)
- Safety Education
| | Being AssertiveOne skill students will re-visit throughout the year is assertiveness. Being assertive is a form of communication that helps us get what we want or need, respectfully. Grade levels will practice the following skills to understand what assertive looks and sounds like: - Face the person you are talking to.
- Keep your head up and shoulders back.
- Use a calm, firm voice.
- Use respectful words.
- Ex: "Excuse me, could you please help me __________?"
You can build on these skills at home by having your student practice the skills mentioned above with the example question. | | Empathy Accepting differences allows for students to practice empathy. Having empathy helps us to understand things from someone else's perspective. It develops a sense of acceptance and appreciation of others'.
To help your child apply empathy practice: - Have them focus their attention on facial, body, and situational cues to recognize how an individual is feeling.
- Listening to or asking another person for their point of view.
- Asking to help someone in need.
- Saying a kind word to someone.
- Encourage your student(s) to report behaviors that make them feel uncomfortable at school to a trusted adult.
| | | - Empathy : 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade will continue to focus on empathy the weeks of October 2nd and October 16th.
- Emotion Regulation: Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade will begin the emotional regulation unit the weeks of October 9th and October 30th.
| | Small Group & Individual Counseling Small group and Individual counseling are available for students to support their social emotional skill growth, and/or academics.
Small group and individual counseling are arranged upon teacher, administration, student and/or parent referral. School counseling is not intended to take the place of therapy, or outside counseling. It is short term, 4-8 weeks, and uses a solution-focused strategy.
Goals are developed in collaboration with parents, students, and teachers to support student's resilience.
Individual and small group counseling is led by Mrs. Maloney (School Social Worker)and or me (Mrs. Collins, School Counselor).
Also, if a student, needs to check in with me to discuss a problem or feeling they are experiencing, I am available for that as well. Students can request to see me by asking their teacher or emailing me. Please remind your student that if what they want to speak to me about is an emergency and someone is in danger, to tell an adult immediately.
If you are concerned that you're student needs individual and small group support, please let me know. Feel free to reach out to me via phone or email; information is below. | | Virtual Relaxation Room AKA Virtual Calming Corner As you go through this year and your child(ren) experiences big emotions, Park Hill has created a virtual relaxation room on our website for students to access anytime. You can access this link by simply clicking on the blue wording, "virtual relaxation room."
In addition, Line Creek is continuing to implement physical calming corners in every classroom this year to help promote a safe, comfortable environment. Calming corners are a place in a classroom/room that provides students with soothing “tools” to help them regulate their emotions when upset. Students received a brief review on expectations of the calming corner on Wednesday, August 25 from me.
When we are upset, something significant happens in our brains. We cannot think clearly, and are quick to react. The myth that calming corners are a place for students to play with toys, and get out of a bad choice they have made, is simply not the purpose of calming corners. The purpose of calming corners are for students to get out of the fight, flight ( run away), or freeze part of their brain and engage the thinking part. Once the thinking part of their brain is in control, we can process with students and teach them why their behavior was not the expectation. Calming corners are not meant to be punitive, but a place to soothe. It is a proactive support to prevent a negative/unexpected behavior from happening.
If your student struggles with managing their emotions at home, creating a calming corner with them in your home could be beneficial. To learn more about creating a calming corner at home, read this article: "Setting up a Calming Corner at Home." | | September is National Suicide Prevention Month If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts or ideation, don't be afraid to ask for help. The resources below are free. In case of life threatening emergency, please call 911.
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 988
- National Crisis Text Line: 741741
- Community Care Crisis Line (LOCAL KC): 1-888-279-8188
- Compassionate Ear Warmline (4pm-10pm): 913-281-2251 or toll free: 866-927-6327
| | Taneka Collins, School Counselor |  | Taneka Collins Taneka is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters |
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