School Counselor News
February 2016 Edition
Calling all Creative Counselors!
Beating the Winter Blues
February is here and with it comes the winter blues. For many of us, this month of shortened days and cold temperatures may cause changes in behaviors in our students and ourselves.
Some suggestions to help beat the winter blues include:
1. Keep active. Although the couch is often calling our name when it’s cold and dark, activity helps improve our mood and helps with sleep. Try to schedule some activities that require active participation. Help students brainstorm what activities they can do inside.
2. Eat heathy. Cold weather often changes our appetite. We start craving comfort food that is often high in carbohydrates and fat. Encourage students to help plan menus that include fruits and vegetables.
3. Get outside. The sun is very helpful. Try to get some sunlight every day. Even a brief walk will help. Park farther from your school and enjoy the walk.
4. Limit television and video games and visit with friend and family. Friends and family help lift our mood. Have student talk about what activities they can do indoors that still have them moving.
5. If symptoms persist, consult a doctor. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a medical condition. For more information, see this article from the Mayo Clinic.
Thank goodness February is the shortest month of the year! Spring will be here soon.
-Phyllis
March District Counselor Meeting
Wednesday, Mar 9, 2016, 08:30 AM
Fullerwood Center,10 Hildreth Drive St. Augustine, FL 32084
Lindsey Page-Creekside High School
Counselor of the Month
I am ecstatic to be the newest member of the Creekside High School Guidance Department! This is my 3rd year as a school counselor, and my 1st year working in St. Johns County. Some of the activities I have sponsored during my career are 4-H, Scholarship Club, College Visits, and National Honor Society. Here in St. Johns, I have the privilege of participating in the amazing Character Counts! Program and Creekside’s Advanced Scholars Program. Outside of work, I am the Florida School Counselor Association’s Chapter Development Chairperson. I am looking to start a St. Johns FSCA chapter, so if anyone is interested in joining, please let me know!
Counselor Tip of the Month
After attending the American School Counselor Association conference in Orlando and hearing about Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative, I was inspired to revamp our school’s typical College Week into Reach Higher Week, so that we could celebrate all Post-Secondary Options for students. The week includes visits from College Representatives, Military Recruiters, and Career Specialists so that students are celebrated and inspired by multiple routes of postsecondary options. I love being a school counselor!
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Editor: Lindsey Page
Email: lindsey.page@stjohns.k12.fl.us
Phone: 904-547-7336