School Counseling
Quarter 1 Newsletter
Welcome to the School Counseling Department Newsletter!
We are excited to share that we now have 5 School Counselors to serve our students. Due to the additional support, we have modified our case loads. Below you can find out the name, grade level and contact information for your child's School Counselor.
We are here to serve your child's academic, social/emotional, and career needs!
Classroom Guidance Lessons
6th Grade: Orientation to Counseling & Learning Styles
Week of September 16th
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to identify who their school counselor is and how to get help if needed.
- Students will understand the role of their middle school counselor and what support and resources are provided.
- Students will be introduced to Confidentiality in School Counseling. (What you say in here stays in here UNLESS someone is hurting you, you want to hurt yourself, you know someone is being hurt)
- Students will be introduced to 3 different Learning Styles: Visual, Auditory, and Kinestetic.
- Students will understand that while they may favor one learning style, trying all types is important.
7th Grade: “Flirting or Hurting? When Is It Okay, When Is It Harassment?”
Week of September 23- Week of October 4th
Lesson Objectives:
- Describe several different types of sexual harassment
- Appreciate that flirting is normal and natural as long as it does not offend others or make them uncomfortable
- Define their own personal boundaries for what they consider acceptable and unacceptable
- Recognize that other people are entitled to their own boundaries
- Respectfully express interest in a peer
- Explain the negative effects of sexual harassment
- Get help from school officials if the student feels he/she is being sexually harassed
- Help a classmate who is being sexually harassed
* All 7th grade parents should have received an "Opt Out" form if you do not wish to have your child participate in this lesson.
8th Grade: Healthy Relationships
Week of September 23rd
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to identify key characteristics of both healthy and unhealthy relationships.
- Students will be able to identify stressors that impact maintaining healthy relationships.
- Students will learn at least one mindfulness skill to help keep a healthy interpersonal relationship when dealing with stress.
Individual Counseling Services
Counselors are at Gainesville Middle School everyday during school hours!
Team Time and Encore are best time to visit the counselor for services.
We work with students individually for an array of different issues/concerns.
Students must have a PASS to see us between classes so we can ensure they are accounted for at all times.
If there is an emergency and the student cannot get a pass, they should let their counselor know that it is an emergency!
When arriving at the School Counseling Department, students are asked to sign in on the iPad pictured above.
Students are reminded that individual counseling is confidential in nature unless they report someone hurting them, they hurt someone else, they want to hurt themselves, or they give permission for us to speak with parent/guardian or another trusted staff member.
Small Group Counseling Services
Stress Busters This group helps students develop appropriate coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety. (All Grade Levels)
S.W.A.G. (Students Working to Achieve Greatness)- This group will help students navigate peer relationships and will focus on developing helpful social skills (8th Grade)
Why Try?- This group includes resilience curriculum that teaches social and emotional principles to promote academic success. (8th Grade)
If you are interested in your student participating in one of these groups this school year, please email your grade level counselor for more information.
Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program
Attention 7th graders & 7th grade parent/guardians:
The Counseling Department will be running the SOS Program for the 7th grade students during their encore classes the week of October 21-25. Parents have the option to opt their child out of participating in this program. Opt out forms will be distributed in the coming weeks or you can download the below attachment.
Our goals in participating in this program are straightforward:
· To help our students understand that depression is a treatable illness
· To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that often occurs as a result of untreated depression
· To provide students training in how to identify serious depression and potential suicidality in themselves or a friend
· To impress upon youth that they can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of talking to a responsible adult about their concerns
· To help students know whom in the school they can turn to for help, if they need it
Following the video, the students will participate in a follow-up discussion and complete the response cards, indicating whether or not they need to talk to someone about themselves or a friend. Homeroom teachers, school social worker, school psychologist and counselors will be facilitating the process and providing support to students who may need it. The Student Services Department will be reviewing the response cards to identify any students who might need intervention. The students will be putting their names on the response cards in order to accurately identify any students who need assistance.
High School Specialty Programs
Prince William County High School Specialty Program Information Nights
2019 – 2020
General Information Night for All High School Programs
October 22, 2019 from 7 pm – 9 pm at Stonewall Jackson High School
Battlefield High School
Wednesday, November 20, 2019 @ 7 pm
Thursday, January 9, 2020 @ 7 pm
• Center for Applied Sciences, Interactive and Information Technology
• Air Force JROTC
• Criminal Justice
Brentsville District High School
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 @ 7 pm
Thursday, January 16, 2020 @ 7 pm
• Cambridge Programme
• Agriculture-Horticulture Program
Colgan High School
Monday, October 28, 2019 @ 6:30pm
• Center for the Fine and Performing Arts
• Computer Gaming
• Criminal Justice
Freedom High School
Monday, November 4, 2019 @ 6 pm
Thursday, January 16, 2020 @ 6 pm
• Center for Environmental and Natural Sciences
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
• Air Force JROTC
• Criminal Justice
C. D. Hylton High School
Wednesday, November 13, 2018 @ 7 pm
Monday, January 13, 2020 @ 7 pm
• Center for International Studies and Languages
• Cabinetmaking
• Television Production
• Air Force JROTC
Gar-Field High School
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 @ 7 pm
Thursday, November 14, 2019 @ 7 pm
• Plumbing
Osbourn Park High School
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 @ 6:30 pm
Wednesday, January 8, 2020 @ 6:30 pm
• The Center for Biotechnology and Engineering Center
• Pre-Governor’s Program
• Auto Technology
• Biomedical Science: Project Lead the Way
• Practical Nursing
• Navy JROTC
• Computer Integrated Manufacturing
Patriot High School
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 @ 7 pm
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 @ 6 pm
• Advanced Placement Scholars
• Building Trades
• Culinary Arts
Potomac High School
Thursday, November 14, 2019 @ 7pm
• Cyber Security
• Welding
Stonewall Jackson High School
Thursday, November 14, 2019 @ 7 pm
Thursday, January 9, 2020 @ 7 pm
• International Baccalaureate Programme
• Cosmetology
• Air Force JROTC
• Electricity
Hawk Ambassadors / Kindness Club
Our Hawk Ambassador Club had an amazing kick-off last week! The Hawk Ambassador’s main job is to be a positive representative of our school and to be a helpful, friendly face to our new students. Members will also be working on spirit days, service projects, working with students with special needs, and creating a positive school environment for all students.
The following are the duties of a Hawk Ambassador (but are not limited to):
· Introduce new students to faculty and staff
· Give a tour of the building and explain the bell schedule
· Assist student in opening their locker
· Provide information about extracurricular activities and clubs at GVMS
· Eat lunch with the student on their first day
If you are interested in finding out more information about this club, please contact Mrs. Amy Shelton in the Counseling Department.
Tips from the School Counselor
Ha Ha So!
It's also important that students have appropriate self- help skills to respond to this behavior. Here is a strategy called "Ha Ha So"
Military Connected Families
School-Based Military Student Contact:
Ms. Karen Mosley
Director of School Counselor
Links with information for Military Connected Families
PWCS Military Families Resources & SupportVDOE Military Families Rescources & Support
Wellness & Community Events
Greater Prince William Health Center is hosting a wellness event on Oct. 26th. Dental and behavioral health services will available at no cost. Please see attached documents.
Contact Melanie Brown for questions or concerns:
Melanie Brown, LCSW
School Social Worker
Gainesville Pediatric Dentistry is hosting it's annual GIve Kids A Smile
They provide free, easily accessible dental services to qualifying individuals.
*Only patients with no insurance
*Only ages 1-18 years old
Flyer below attached below.
** Any reference obtained from this newsletter to a specific product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by Gainesville Middle School**
Contact Information
Director of School Counseling
Ms. Karen Mosley mosleykl@pwcs.edu
School Registrar/ School Counseling Secretary
Mrs. Patty Lopez lopezpa@pwcs.edu
School Counselors by Grade Level/ Alpha:
6TH GRADE:
- Ms. Amy Kaczkowski (last names A-O) kaczkoal@pwcs.edu
- Mrs. Erin Tracy (last names P-Z) tracyem@pwcs.edu
7TH GRADE:
- Mrs. Ellen Pashiardis (last names A-M) pashiaer@pwcs.edu
- Mrs. Erin Tracy (last names N-Z) tracyem@pwcs.edu
8TH GRADE:
- Mrs. Amy Shelton (last names A-M) sheltonab@pwcs.edu
- Ms. Karen Mosley (last names N-Z) moselykl@pwcs.edu
Website: https://gainesvillems.pwcs.edu/about_us/counseling_department
Location: 8001 Limestone Drive, Gainesville, VA, USA
Phone: 703-753-2997