Counselor's Corner
Beulah Elementary School Counseling Program
Words From The Counselor
School is back! We are so excited about the upcoming school year!
For those of you who do not know, I am the Beulah Elementary School Counselor, Ms. Dewberry. I have many awesome things in store for BES this year and I want make sure you stay connected. There will be a Counselor Corner Newsletter the first Monday of each month to keep you updated.
My contact information is below; feel free to reach out anytime!
Ms. Elizabeth Dewberry, School Counselor/504 Coordinator
Office: 334-528-7775
Email: dewberry.elizabeth@lee.k12.al.us
Back to School Anxiety
What Is Back-to-School Anxiety?
Going back to school after a long break can be nerve-wracking for children and teens. Whether it’s after a long holiday or summer break, a child’s back-to-school anxiety may intensify as the first day of class nears. This is a common type of childhood or teenage anxiety, as many worry about how they’ll like their classes, if they’ll make friends, or how they will adapt without having parents nearby.1 While not an official type of anxiety disorder, it is important to note that back-to-school anxiety is an all too real and difficult challenge for children.
Signs of Back-to-School Anxiety
A child dealing with back-to-school anxiety will be incredibly concerned about every aspect of school–this includes engaging with peers, taking tests, meeting teachers, and other triggers. They may experience typical emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety. Caregivers and other important authority figures should remain mindful if a child begins to exhibit odd or uncharacteristic behaviors as they start the school year.
Common symptoms of back-to-school anxiety include:
- Sleep disturbances
- Loss of appetite
- Refusal to attend school
- Isolation from friends and family
- Decrease in engagement of activities
- Causes of Back-to-School Anxiety
- When a child is exhibiting back-to-school anxiety, loved ones should reflect on what may be causing their concerns. There are many reasons why back-to-school anxiety may develop, but children with mental health or learning disorders may be at higher risk for this type of anxiety. Other triggers include bullying, failing grades, being rejected by peer groups, and embarrassment.2
Possible causes of school anxiety include:
- Bullying
- Academic Pressures
- Life Transitions
- Fear of Safety
- Athletic Pressures
- Peer Pressure
8 Tips for Helping a Child With Back-to-School Anxiety
1. Listen to Them
2. Ask Their School to Get Involved
3. Encourage Self-Care
4. Create a Safe Place
5. Be Empathetic
6. Develop Routines
*Additionally, make it a point to set a time each day, week, or month to talk about what is and isn’t going well in your child’s life and at school. It doesn’t have to be formal–maybe just a chat around the dinner table or while watching a movie. Incorporating this into your child’s routine will remind them that you care about their mental health and that their feelings matter.
7. Model Healthy Behaviors
8. Teach Them Relaxation Techniques
For more details, please visit: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/back-to-school-anxiety/
Classroom Guidance
Developmental classroom guidance lessons are an opportunity to provide information and support to the entire student body. The goal of classroom guidance is to provide developmentally appropriate lessons in grades K-2 and 3-5. Lessons are designed based on state curriculum standards focusing on students’ academic, personal/social and career development.
August 14-18 (K-2): Meet the Counselor
August 21-25 (3-6): Meet the Counselor
Other topics we will cover:
Trustworthy
Courage
Self-Respect
Perseverance
Integrity
Compassion
Responsibility
Bullying
GROUP COUNSELING
- help students overcome issues impeding achievement or success
- help students identify problems, causes, alternatives and possible consequences so they can make decisions and take appropriate action
- are planned, goal-focused, evidenced-based and short-termed in nature
The next sessions will cover Anger Management, Anxiety, and Friendship. Different sessions are offered throughout the semester.
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
In a confidential setting, the professional school counselor employs specific counseling techniques to assist students in areas such as:
- developing positives attitudes and behavior,
- developing skills related to decision making and problem solving,
- dealing with interpersonal relationships,
- crisis intervention,
- liason providing information and resources with school based support teams and outside agencies
Parent Resources
Parents, without your active role in your student's academic career, the student loses so much. Your role is more valuable than you know. For both the student and the staff at Beulah Elementary School, we need your involvement in your student's life. We know that you want your student to be successful and trying to figure out your role can be difficult. These three simple tips below can help your student.
• Help your child show up at school with a good attitude and ready to learn.
-Keep tabs on school attendance.
-Make sure your student gets plenty of rest each night.
-Don't accept the "I'm never going to use this after school" excuse for not working hard in a class.
-Speak positively of the benefits of an elementary school education.
• Help them organize their time and materials.
-Help your student keep an assignment calendar/agenda with dates for homework, tests, and projects.
-Divide long-term assignments into smaller tasks and develop a timeline for what tasks
should be done.
-Make sure there is a quiet study area and a location for their school materials.
• Take an interest.
-Listen to your student talk about what is happening in class.
-Encourage your student to become involved in a club or sport at school.
-Show teachers that you are interested in your student's education.
-Help your student understand how to take ownership of his academic career.
Attendance
The impact attendance has on students can be documented all the way back to elementary school: - Attendance in the Early Grades
This is an excellent resource that show the VALUABLE role the parent has in school attendance: - Bringing Attendance Home
Beulah Elementary School
Email: dewberry.elizabeth@lee.k12.al.us
Website: https://www.smore.com/2nx1b
Location: 4747 Lee Road 270, Valley, AL, USA
Phone: 334-705-6021
Facebook: facebook.com/beulahelementaryschool