Counseling Corner
A Very Special Goodbye & Hello Smore!
Dear Mathews Friends and Families
It is with a very full heart that I say goodbye to each of you as your school counselor at the end of this school year. I will be retiring from AISD at the end of May. I would have much preferred to speak with you in person as I visited each of your classrooms, but unfortunately this must be a virtual ending. Even though I will not physically be your school counselor anymore, I will always be a 'zilla and will be rooting for you and wishing you well!
I will greatly miss seeing you come down the steps breathlessly as you enter the building every morning. I love to hear you chatting with friends and filling the halls with laughter and excitement. I will miss meeting you at the door or the bus and walking you to the cafeteria. I will miss finding lost lunchboxes, putting band-aids on skinned knees, and giving loads of hugs and tissues for hard days and sad moments. I will miss our lunch bunches, class meetings, groups, tea parties and zoom meetings. It has been a tumultuous year, but I am so grateful to have spent this time with all of you!
Believe that other people matter--it is not just a catch phrase from P2. During this time of quarantine, I learned more clearly about our profound inter-connectedness and how upset it feels when we are ordered to stay apart. We are all part of a global community and we have a shared responsibility to take care of one another. Having positive and caring relationships with each other is one of the most important ways to be happy in life. Treasure your relationships and nurture them daily.
Be good to each other. The media pushes us toward violence, fear, and division, and makes it seem like tearing each other down is harmless and entertaining. We can combat this by developing the habit of building each other up. We can work hard to counteract negatives by being kind and supportive of one another, by encouraging and pushing each other toward positive goals. We can work together to make our school, our community, and our world a better place that truly is No Place for Hate.
Remember to take a deep breath or two or ten when you need to center yourself. Sit with your feet on the floor, notice your breath, and allow yourself to feel grounded throughout the day. You are indeed made of love and light!
I have been privileged to hear your thoughts, secrets, wonderings, promises, worries, and passions. Thank you for your honesty and trust. Thank you for being yourselves. Thank you for growing with me and allowing me to grow with you.
Sending all my love and hugs,
Robin English
Changes and Transitions
Changes and transitions happen in all of our lives. Examples of these might be moves, changing schools, family events and changing to on-line learning instead of coming to school at Mathews right now. What are some changes you have experienced in your life? What transitions do you think you will be faced with in the future? How can change bring excitement? How can it bring a sense of loss?
Let's Breathe Together!
Now please join me as we say, “Hello and welcome” to our new Mathews Elementary School Counselor, Stephanie Reyna!
Hello Everyone!
Meeting the Mathews Family
My name is Stephanie Reyna. I am your new school counselor! Just a little about my experience...I have been a school counselor in AISD for two years. I have also been a classroom teacher, an ABA therapist working with children diagnosed with Autism, an academic tutor, and volunteer in helping expand educational opportunities! I am excited and nervous to meet hundreds of new people, in a new community! I am committed to learning the most that I can about Mathews and all of its wonderful families. New experiences have always led me to new connections and personal growth. I look forward to meeting all of you, families, students, and staff.
Why I do this work
I chose the field of school counseling because the role merges two beautiful things, education and mental health. I have learned that self-care and self-acceptance is key to be able to help others. I am a good listener and I will work together with you to brainstorm solutions. I am also a firm believer in justice, especially for those who have been wronged by a system that is unjust. As educators, we must continue to develop our cultural awareness and connection to humans that are different from ourselves. Only then, can we lean in to understand, and have empathy.
For fun
So I have my own little family of four; my spouse and two children. We are a caring little bunch. We are all different in our own way. I am a social creature; my spouse John is not. He is very handy with tools and electronics and is happy to fix something for you. My kids are very energetic and love and fight just like any siblings. We have lived in the Austin area for almost 7 years! We moved from El Paso, TX. If you are from El Paso let me know! El Pasoans living in Austin just instantly become friends. We enjoy activities around the city like going to playgrounds and trails. We also just enjoy staying home cooking, playing games, and watching a good movie.
Feel free to reach out if you would like to talk during the summer. I know we don’t know what the school year will look like for the Fall of 2020, but I still feel hopeful that things will get better and we will find a way to connect with one another!
Sincerely,
Stephanie Reyna
¡Hola a todos!
Conociendo a la familia Mathews
Me llamo Stephanie Reyna. ¡Soy tu nueva consejera escolar! Un poco sobre mi experiencia ... He sido consejera escolar en AISD por dos años. ¡También he sido maestra, terapista de ABA q trabajando con niños diagnosticados con autismo, una maestra particular y voluntario para ayudar a ampliar las oportunidades educativas! ¡Estoy contenta y nerviosa de conocer a cientos de personas nuevas en una nueva comunidad! Estoy comprometido a aprender lo más que yo pueda sobre Mathews y todas sus maravillosas familias. Las nuevas experiencias siempre me han llevado a nuevas conexiones y crecimiento personal. Espero conocerlos a todos ustedes, familias, estudiantes y personal de la escuela.
¿Por qué hago este trabajo?
Escogí consejería porque este rol combina dos cosas hermosas, la educación y la salud mental. He aprendido que un plan de cuidarme a mí mismo y la aceptación a mi mismo son los primeros pasos para poder ayudar a otros. Soy un buen oyente y trabajaré junto con usted para generar soluciones. También creo firmemente en la justicia, especialmente para aquellos que han sido perjudicados por un sistema injusto. Como educadores, debemos continuar desarrollando nuestra conciencia cultural y conexión con los humanos que son diferentes de nosotros. Solo entonces, podemos entendernos unos a otros y tener empatía.
Cosas divertidas
Tengo mi propia pequeña familia de cuatro; mi esposo y mis dos hijos. Somos un pequeño grupo cariñoso. Todos somos diferentes a nuestra manera. Soy una criatura social, mi esposo John no lo es. Él es muy útil con herramientas y electrónicos y está feliz de arreglar algo para usted. Mis hijos son muy enérgicos y aman y pelean como cualquier hermano. ¡Hemos vivido en el área de Austin por casi 7 años! Nos movemos de El Paso, TX. Si eres de El Paso, ¡házmelo saber! Los habitantes de El Paso que viven en Austin se hacen amigos instantáneamente. Disfrutamos de actividades en la ciudad como ir a parques y senderos para caminar. También nos gusta quedarnos en casa cocinando, jugando y viendo una buena película.
No dude en comunicarse si desea hablar durante el verano. Sé que no sabemos cómo será el año escolar para el otoño de 2020, ¡pero todavía tengo la esperanza de que las cosas mejorarán y encontraremos la manera de conectarnos entre nosotros!
Sinceramente,
Stephanie Reyna
Stephanie Reyna
2020-2021
Once you choose hope, anything's possible.
-Christopher Reeve