Rachel Carson Student Services
Quarterly Newsletter: Quarter 1
Welcome Back Panthers
Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! We hope you all had a relaxing and safe summer break. We are very excited to have our students back in the school building and to experience a traditional learning environment. The counseling team is very committed to providing every student with the care, support, and encouragement that they need to be successful in middle school. We also want to support your parents as you embark on this journey with your child. Middle school is an exciting period because students get to have more independence, pick their own electives, develop stronger advocacy skills, learn lots of new things, and meet new friends.
We are glad to be part of this exciting voyage and help you students navigate through your middle school years. We believe all students have something special about them, and it is our goal to help you identify those positive strengths in yourselves. We look forward to meeting all our new students this school year, along with seeing our returning 8th graders. We also look forward to meeting your parents through parent coffees and other meetings and forming collaborative relationships with all of you.
Social Emotional Learning
We are glad to be part of this exciting voyage and help you students navigate through your middle school years. We believe all students have something special about them, and it is our goal to help you identify those positive strengths in yourselves. We look forward to meeting all our new students this school year, along with seeing our returning 8th graders. We also look forward to meeting your parents through parent coffees and other meetings and forming collaborative relationships with all of you.
Tips to Stay on Track this year
Below are some tips to help students get started on the right track this school year:
* Attend every class session (Attendance is very important for your academic success).
* Participate in class by volunteering an answer or asking a question if you don't understand something.
* Write your assignments down in your personal agenda or add it on your computer calendar.
* Do all your assigned homework, and edit it before turning it in.
*Check Schoology regularly (our new online school tool) for teacher assignments and any counselor notice.
* Check your Student SIS account so you are aware of your progress in each class.
* Be Nice and Respectful towards your classmates and teachers.
* Seek the help of your counselor or other trusted adult if you need to talk to someone about a concerning issue.
Student Gradebooks and Student Schedules
We have finalized our master schedule for the upcoming school year. Our staffing decisions and the number of courses offered are based on the classes students selected during the registration period last school year.
While we have allowed some schedule changes as students may have realized an elective wasn’t quite what they thought or a core class level was too easy or challenging, at this time we will not be making any additional schedule changes. The classes have begun to build culture and community with teachers and students, and teachers have begun entering grades. Students (and parents) can connect with their teachers and counselor if they need support in a class.
Student Services Highlights
Counselor Introduction
Looking Ahead
In the fall, the school counselors will be conducting Social Emotional Learning lessons as well as a depression and wellness screening with all 7th graders.
On Thursday, September 23rd, we will host our first Parent Coffee. More information to come soon.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rachel Carson Middle School has a full-time School Social Worker
and a part-time School Psychologist.
Mrs. Courtney Krsmanovic, School Social Worker
Mrs. Melissa Peeples, School Psychologist
Parent Resources
Free Parent Webinars
- 5 Ways to Stop Anxiety, Power Struggles, & Behavior Issues: A Webinar for Families
- Military-Connected Students and School Transition: A Family Webinar
- How to Improve Your Child’s Executive Functioning Skills Without All the Arguments This School Year
If you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Email is the best way to reach contact us, but if you would like to schedule a meeting with us, please let us know and we will try our best to accommodate your needs during school office hours (7am-2:30pm). Please allow 24 hours for a response to your email or phone message.