Inner Balance
September 2019
Welcome Back
Happy 2019-2020 School Year! The DMS Counselors are very excited to get to know our students and parents this year. Each month, we will send an Inner Balance Newsletter with information about the happenings at Dawson along with tips about a social/emotional topic. Curious about the role of a school counselor?
DMS Counselors
… assist students with
- Understanding self and feelings.
- Making difficult choices.
- Setting goals.
- Developing their individuality vs. peer pressure.
- Learning self discipline and responsibility to self, family, and society.
- Developing coping skills.
- Resolving conflicts effectively.
- Learning how school performance relates to future opportunities.
- Learning to recognize and make the best of their abilities.
…Offer students
- Classroom guidance lessons.
- Individual counseling and crisis intervention support.
- A safe place to talk.
- Conflict intervention.
- Anger Management skills.
- Study skills assistance.
- Group support for specific issues.
- Character education.
- A safe and caring environment.
How Does a Student See a Counselor?
- Self—Referral
- Request of a counselor
- Parent referral
- Teacher/staff referral
- Referral by friend(s)
- Administrative referral
Why Do Parents Contact the School Counselor?
- Concerns over student achievement
- Family health problems
- Test interpretation
- Discussing special needs of their child
- Early discussion of potential crisis
- Family difficulties or concerns
- New school registration/orientation
Important Back to School Information
All DMS students need to join the Counselors Canvas page, which will be used to both communicate important information throughout the year AND to house supplemental information, such as organization tips and a study skills course. If you have not joined our Canvas page yet, please follow this link and log in to your CISD Canvas account. (This is only for students. Parents can see the contents of the Canvas page by becoming a parent observer. See information below).
Parents: Observe your Student on Canvas
Canvas is a Learning Management System used by all Dawson teachers. Teachers post assignments, announcements, reminders and weekly schedules to Canvas. Parents can use this information to both help their student stay organized and hold their student accountable. To learn more about Canvas, including how to become a parent observer, click here.
Morning Tutorials
While first period begins at 8:40, our teachers and staff are ready to help at 8:00. Morning tutorials are available every morning beginning at 8:00. Students use this time to talk to teachers after an absence, complete makeup work or assessments, receive extra help on homework, or even to have a quiet place to study. Students are encouraged to take advantage of morning tutorial time, especially if they are struggling in a class or are making up for an absence. If your student's teacher is unavailable, another teacher of the same subject should be available to help.
Extended Day
The school day may end at 3:40, but the DMS Library is open every day until 4:45. This time period is called "Extended Day," and it is a great time for students to make up tests or quietly work on homework.
DMS Parent University
The DMS Counselors will hold Parent University each month. Each month, Parent University will focus on a topic relevant to our students at that time. If you have a suggested topic for our counselors, please email your suggestion to one or all of us. We want for the presentations to be relevant and helpful! Our first Parent University of the new school year will take place on September 17 at 12:00 in the DMS Library.
CISD Student University
Born of the CISD Resiliency Committee, CISD Student University is an event intended to educate our students on how to be resilient. Be on the lookout for more information about Student University, which will take place on Saturday, September 14. All CISD students are invited to attend.
Upcoming Important Dates:
- September 2: No School
- September 9-13: Suicide Prevention Week
- September 14: CISD Student University
- September 17: DMS Parent University, 12:00 in the DMS Library
- September 18: School Picture Day
- September 26: Rachel's Challenge "Friends of Rachel" Training (for "Friends of Rachel" club members and invitees. More information to come!)
September is Suicide Awareness Month
September 9: Wear GREEN to to bring awareness to the importance of de-stigmatizing mental health issues
September 10: Wear RED to show the importance of knowing suicide warning signs
September 11: HOPE Squad Information and Nominations during Advisory
September 12: Wear your favorite sports apparel to TEAM UP against suicide
September 13: Wear NEON to show that the future is bright!
Each day, students will receive a reminder about what to wear via the Counselors Canvas page. As a part of that reminder, students will receive more information about the purpose for the day's selected color/theme. On Wednesday, there is no theme. Instead, we will use advisory time to educate students about our HOPE Squad.
What is HOPE Squad?
HOPE Squad is a school based peer to peer suicide prevention program. Students nominate their peers to be HOPE Squad members. If a student is nominated by multiple students and parents are on board, that student will be asked to join HOPE Squad. Members of the HOPE Squad will meet once a week to complete a Suicide Prevention curriculum, where they will learn how to discuss suicide and what to do when they suspect that a fellow peer may be suicidal. To learn more about HOPE Squad, visit this website.
Best Ways to Make the Switch from Summer to School
1. Restart Routines. Adjust bedtime, morning routines, and dinner plans to accommodate new school schedule.
2. Go Over Ground Rules. Decide when and where to do homework and when to squeeze in leisure time and cell phone usage. Create a quiet, well-lit space for study. Prevent first day freak-outs by hauling out the necessities: backpack, calculator, art supplies, paper, and pencils. Make it personal and fun, but free from distractions.
3. De-Stress Dressing. Choose clothes that are comfortable and school appropriate the night before.
4. Develop a Game Plan — Together. Discuss goals for the upcoming year, triumphs from the year before, and some skills he/she would like to improve. Prepare school supplies, backpacks and gym bags in advance along with school lunches, snacks, and water.
5. Keep Passions in Play. It's important to continue engaging in activities and hobbies that make you happy. Join a club, participate in community service, and make time for family and friends.
6. Get to know principals, office staff, and counselors. These people will be interacting with your children each day, so help them put a parental face to your kid’s name. Remember—it takes a village to raise a child!
7. Read the school information. Review the materials sent by the school soon after it arrives. They may have pertinent information about your child's teacher, room number, school supply requirements, sign-ups for after-school sports and activities, school calendar dates, bus transportation, and health and emergency forms.
8. Create a family calendar for all to see with everyone's events marked: music lessons, scout meetings, sports practices, volunteer duties.
9. Incorporate check-ins with your child. Have frequent conversations, or check-ins, with children. Recognize that butterflies and anxiety are common when children first head back to school. Starting or switching schools can increase stress for children. Talk to kids about how they’re feeling. Focus on the positives of heading back to school and leave questions open ended. Listen well and acknowledge their feelings. Expect children to need a little extra time, reassurance and love during the first few weeks of the transition.
10. If concerned, talk to teachers. There is nothing wrong with bringing up concerns to a teacher before the first day of school. If your child is very anxious or has concerns with bullying, make sure the teacher knows ahead of time and work with them to support your child.
What does it mean to have a certified HeartMath Coach at Dawson Middle School?
Your Counselors can help your child boost resilience, composure and clarity!
The HeartMath Building Personal Resilience™ program is a focused and practical program, combining personalized coaching with scientifically validated tools to help your child self-regulate their body’s response to stress and build resilience. They will learn life-long skills you can use any time to increase well-being, personal and academic performance and quality of life experience.
Be sure to contact your child's grade level counselor for more details!
DMS Counselors
Amy Hurlburt
7th grade counselor
amy.hurlburt@southlakecarroll.edu
Katrina Tatum
8th grade counselor
katrina.tatum@southlakecarroll.edu
Lauren Canafax
Intervention Counselor
lauren.canafax@southlakecarroll.edu
Website: https://www.southlakecarroll.edu/domain/812
Location: 400 South Kimball Avenue, Southlake, TX, USA
Phone: 817-949-5500
Twitter: @DMScounselors