The Counselor Connection
December/January News from Mrs. Thornton
#CentralPride
I am so incredibly proud of our Central Students and Staff. There have been so many celebrations of positive behavior and awesome attendance along with students taking part in a Kindness Game and showing empathy in tons of different ways! To see various service projects in action and led by the students. To see students begging to work with a mentor and have mentors so excited to get started. To see teachers embracing our new STAR block time and students transitioning like rock stars. To see classrooms boosting their classroom unity through Kagan and cooperative learning. To see students and staff celebrating improvements in their STAR testing scores. To see the creative theme each classroom team created for the Winter Walk. With all of this, one thing remains the same... Heart. Our students and staff do not come to Central every day because they HAVE to. They come because they WANT to. I look forward to what February has to bring! I am so thankful to be a part of the Central team and as always....It is a Great Day to be a Titan!
Check out THIS Unity! A wall squat WHILE eating a doughnut. This takes teamwork!
Central Intermediate News
Reflecting Leadership: Hard work and Dedication
Every week, Ms. Ince creates a Monday Memo that helps get us focused as we take on the new week. She has a section titled "EduAwesome" where staff are highlighted by each other/her for awesome things they have done. If you know Ms. Ince, I'm sure it's no surprise to you that my shout outs to HER are always "forgotten" to be shared...
Ms. Ince is one of my most self-less people I have ever met. She spends countless hours reading, researching and evaluating what our students need and how we can best make it happen. It is not because she has to...it's because she wants to. It's her passion! She puts her students and staff first and does not live in fear of change. In fact, she has taught us that change is ok...and even fun! She has inspired SO MUCH change at Central that has made us better and stronger. If she has a vision, she seeks out to make it happen. She keeps us moving and learning to make the education our students are receiving the best and most engaging. The biggest and most impacting change I have seen is the relationship building. Through mentoring programs, going outside of her comfort zone and being duct taped to a wall or made a human sundae...to having meetings with parents and including the student and their voice, along with creating an incentive that involves shooting hoops with her...she has made such a difference! So...a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Ms. Ince for your hard work and dedication. You have moved mountains and the sun is shining brighter because of it! We are not just a team. We are a family!
SLT: Giving Back
The SLT group also gave back to our staff and made unique snowflake ornaments for every single adult. There are times that it is so easy to overlook some staff more than others. This was our 2nd annual project where every single staff member was recognized for being as unique as a snowflake and thanked for being an intricate part of our lives. To see the smiles through their act of giving and to see the smiles of our staff members was heartwarming.
Empathy in Action!
The Heart of our Staff...
The Life Lesson was learned...
Central's Book Drive
#strengthcircle
My Developmental Counseling time during the month of December was about empathy and boy are my students putting it into action! From making cards to creating banners. Many came to support and help with the benefit along with coming up with fun future ideas. I have even had individuals coming to me with various donation ideas such as: 1. donating money she received for her birthday and Christmas 2. Another student creating duct tape items and selling them for money collection for Riley. To watch our students unite and make empathy SO POWERFUL has been so rewarding to watch. I know that Riley and her family have been extremely appreciative of all the support that has been shown. Be on the look out as there will be some other #Rally4Riley events coming to life very soon. #CentralPride #RileyStrong
Rally for Riley Benefit
6th Grade Boys
#RileyStrong
#RileyStrong
This was the "crew" upstairs!
Got Dishes?
4th Grade Girls
Jr. Titans
Central Intermediate School
Email: mthornton@mr238.org
Website: www.mr238.org
Location: 401 East 2nd Avenue Monmouth, IL 61462
Phone: 309-734-2213
Twitter: @mthornton1011