Shores Counselors' Corner
Welcome to Potomac Shores!
Dear PSMS Community,
This newsletter will include information and announcements from the Counseling Department for parents and students at Potomac Shores Middle School!
In this edition of our newsletter you can find:
- School Psychologist Appreciation Week
- Classroom Lessons
- Information about CANVAS, StudentVUE and ParentVUE
- How to report an absence
- Code Orange
- Paper Tutoring
- STAR Tutoring
- Career Day Information
- Forest Park High School Curriculum Fair
- Potomac High School Specialty Program Night
- Specialty Program Information Sessions
- G.I.R.L.S Mentoring Information
- Parent Liaison Corner
- Developmental Milestones for Middle Schoolers
- Grief Group Information
- Self- Care Corner
- Mental Health Resources
Kindly,
The PSMS Counseling Department ❤️
Our Counseling Team!
Counseling Department And Student Services Staff:
Counseling Director: Mrs. Jessica Elliot elliotja@pwcs.edu
6th Grade School Counselor (Last names A-P) : Mrs. Andrea Villarroel villarad@pwcs.edu
7th Grade School Counselor (Last names: A-P) : Mrs. Mary Garecht garechtma@pwcs.edu
8th Grade School Counselor (Last names: A-P) : Ms. Michelle Wiredu wiredumw@pwcs.edu
6th-8th Grade School Counselor (Last names: Q-Z) : Mr. John Lang langjr@pwcs.edu
Military Family Life Counselor : Mrs. Jillian Marshall jmarshall@pwcs.edu
School Social Worker: Mrs. Mary Ellen Smith smithme@pwcs.edu
School Psychologist: Mrs. Bethany Stanton stantobs@pwcs.edu
Celebrating Ms. Stanton!
Second Quarter Counseling Classroom Lessons
Over the next few weeks, students will participate in the following lessons:
6th grade- Technology Choices and Consequences
7th grade- Academic Career Plan
- 7th grade counselors will be pushing into Career classes on Thursday December 14th. Below is the parent letter regarding the lesson in Naviance they will be doing with your student.
8th grade- Academic Vision Meeting
Canvas
Canvas provides a platform for teachers to create an online classroom that supports both real-time (synchronous) and self-paced (asynchronous) learning. Canvas is a powerful tool for blended and distance learning. Teachers use canvas as an extension of the classroom and use this tool to communicate with students about daily classwork, assignments, and homework.
StudentVue
StudentVUE gives students access to bus and class schedules, grades, attendance information, and more.
You may access StudentVUE online, but for the best mobile experience, we encourage you to download the StudentVUE App from the Google Play Store and Apple Store.
Students can access their StudentVUE account by using their Microsoft 365 username and password credentials. If you have forgotten your password or have issues with login, please contact your school's ITC.
ParentVue
ParentVUE is a tool that gives parents and guardians access to their child's bus information, class schedules, grades, immunization records, attendance information, and more.
Reporting an Absence
- Absences can be reported by parents online on ParentVUE (up to 30 days in advance).
- If you report an absence through ParentVUE, you do not need to call the office to report the absence nor do you need to write a note to send to school.
- If the absence has already passed, please email our NEW attendance mailbox at psms-attendance@pwcs.edu.
- The note needs to include your student's full name, the date(s) of the absence, the reason for the absence, parent name and a good contact number.
- Pre-Approved Request: A pre-arranged absence is a request for a planned absence, not an emergency. The Pre-Approved Absence Request Form must be used for non-emergency trips and events requiring a student to be out of school, and we ask that they be completed and handed in two weeks in advance of the planned excursion. These requests can be approved or unapproved depending on the reason for the absence. These absences are discouraged and are only granted approval in extraordinary circumstances and will not be approved during standardized testing dates.
Potomac Shores Middle School is required by the Virginia Compulsory Attendance Law 22.1-254 and PWCS Regulation 724-1 to uphold the attendance rules outlined in these documents.
Code Orange
All Prince William County Public Schools are operating on Code Orange."
- Virtual learning day for students. Student attendance will be taken.
- Live, virtual classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- School buildings and office buildings are closed.
- Buses will not operate.
- Students enrolled in PWCS K-8 Virtual Academy, Virtual Prince William, and Virtual Virginia should follow their normal schedule.
- The School Age Child Care (SACC) program will not open.
- All in-person school activities (day and evening) are canceled including field trips, team practices, club meetings, interscholastic contests, and athletic contests.
- Remote (virtual) student activities may occur.
- All non-school activities (day and evening) are canceled including Adult Education, evening school classes, and community use, including recreational programs scheduled in school buildings.
Counseling in Code Orange 🟠
PSMS School counselors will be available on zoom at lunch in this zoom room:
https://pwcs-zm-edu.zoom.us/j/5173760799?pwd=RGZrRTMxMHozVDJ5ei8zTFZzdmZCZz09
We will also available all day via email:
Paper Tutoring
PWCS students in grades 6-12 have access to free online tutoring 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Through our partnership with Paper, every student has unlimited access to trained tutors to ask questions or get feedback on their writing, as well as practice independently in math or reading to grow their confidence.
Paper is a secure, online tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether you're stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions for your essays, there will always be experts available online to assist students in all subjects and more than four languages.
How to Access Paper Tutoring
Students access Paper by logging in to Clever. To log in to Clever, students use their PWCS email address (for example, username@pwcs-edu.org) and password (this is same password students use to log in to their PWCS computer). Once you're logged in to Clever you can find the link for Paper in the PWCS Resources section.
S.T.A.R. Program
S.T.A.R. Program: Student Tutoring and Remediation Program Available for PWCS Middle and High School Students, starting November 13th! The S.T.A.R. program is a free, middle school and high school tutoring program that focuses on remediation of standards not mastered in English: Reading and Writing and Math: Math 6, Math 7, Math 8, Algebra I, Geometry, AFDA, and Algebra II. The tutoring and remediation sessions are sponsored by the Office of Student Management and Alternative Programs, are provided by a PWCS licensed teacher, and are free of charge to PWCS Middle and High Schools and PWCS students. The remediation sessions will be held using ZOOM and follow up materials will be available on the STAR Program Canvas page. This program is a great opportunity for middle/high school students to receive additional support and instruction through tutoring and remediation sessions.
Schedule:
Mondays: English
4:45-6:00 PM (11-12th grade)
6:00-7:15 PM (9-10th grade)
7:15-8:30 PM (6-8th grade)
Tuesdays: Math
4:45-6:00 PM (Math 6 & Algebra 1)
6:00-7:15 PM (Math 7 & Geometry)
7:15-8:30 PM (Math 8, AFDA & Algebra 2)
Wednesdays: English
4:45-6:00 PM (11-12th grade)
6:00-7:15 PM (9-10th grade)
7:15-8:30 PM (6-8th grade)
Thursdays: Math
Tuesdays: Math
4:45-6:00 PM (Math 6 & Algebra 1)
6:00-7:15 PM (Math 7 & Geometry)
7:15-8:30 PM (Math 8, AFDA & Algebra 2)
For more information, please contact Ms. Megan Hostutler and Ms. Abigail Mills, Administrators, at hostutml@pwcs.edu or millsal@pwcs.edu.
Career Day Information
On behalf of the 8th Grade Team, we cordially invite you to participate in our 8th Grade Career Day!
Specialty Programs and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Expo- "Focus on your Future" on January 24th, 2024! Please RSVP through the QR code in this promotional video or Click here.
We are looking forward to partnering with the community to help our Seahawks gain knowledge of various careers that will help them navigate their next steps of life beyond middle school.
Guests should be prepared to share any manipulatives, informative handouts, or anything that may support students in learning about your career or program. This is a chance to share your expertise and experiences with our students. Plan to arrive at 8:15am (please be patient as you must enter through our Evolv system). Specific logistics of location and placement will be shared upon arrival. The expo will start at 9am and end by 12pm.
Questions? Reach out to Michelle Wiredu or John Lang, our 8th grade counselors.
Forest Park High School Curriculum Night
Potomac Senior High School Specialty Program Information Night
Who? Prospective Students, Parents, & Guardians seeking information about Potomac Specialty Programs (Cambridge, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, NJROTC, Welding)
What? Specialty Program Information Night #2
When? Wednesday January 17 at 6:30 p.m.
Where? Potomac Senior High School Auditorium
Have Questions? Contact Jeff MacDonald, Specialty Program Coordinator, at macdonjl@pwcs.edu
Specialty Programs Information Sessions
Applications are available November 1st, 2023
www.pwcs.edu/specialtyprograms
Application deadline: February 1st, 2024.
Click Below for information session dates and times ⬇️
All About G.I.R.L.S Mentoring Group
All about G.I.R.L.S (Girls in Real Life Situations) is a mentoring program designed to improve the educational, social, and physical abilities of middle school girls. The program’s goals are to emphasize Leadership, Self-Advocacy, STEAM, Mental and Physical Health, Economic Empowerment and Culture Awareness. The G.I.R.L.S. mentoring group will meet every Wednesday starting December 13, 2023, from 3:15pm to 5pm. There will be after-school buses provided. If you have any girls that are interested or you would benefit from this program, please sign up with Mrs. Hinton. Spaces are limited to the first 30 girls. Thank you for your support!
All about G.I.R.L.S Sponsors,
Mrs. Hinton, Ms. Fuller, & Ms. Wiredu
Parent Liaison Corner
Greetings to the family and community of Potomac Shores Middle School. My name is Ms. Ingrid Calcagno. It's an honor of mine to be your school parent liaison. As the school parent liaison, I serve as a communication link between home and school. As a mother of a student who studied at PWCS, I believe in the importance of parental involvement. Remember that YOU are your student's best cheerleader. I'm here to help you with anything and everything!
Feel free to reach out to me via email at calcagim@pwcs.edu or by phone at (703)291-3612. It'll be my pleasure to help in all that I can.
Upcoming PWCS Family Engagements Series – 6-7pm (all session via zoom)
You can use this link to register https://www.pwcs.edu/parents/family_engagement_series/index
Tuesday, December 6 - Nontraditional Programs
Wednesday, December 7 - Gifted at a Glance
Monday, December 11 – PWCS Office of the Ombudsman
Wednesday, December 13 – Adult Education Program Information
Thursday, December 14 – Self and Social Awareness
Developmental Milestones
Developmental milestones are physical or behavioral signs of development of infants and children.
Milestones are different for each age range. These milestones are behaviors that emerge over time, forming the building blocks for growth and continued learning. See the attachments below that break down the developmental milestones for middle school aged children.
Children develop at their own pace, so don't be alarmed if your child takes a slightly different course. Some children may skip over milestones, while others take more time. Your medical care provider will help you distinguish whether your child is experiencing delays and how to address them.
Grief
Grief is the process and feelings we experience when we lose something or someone that is close to us. Some common feelings during grief are sadness, fear, guilt, or even anger. Changes in behavior such as change in sleep habits, eating habits, and lack of motivation to participate in activities with friends and family members are also common. Everyone experiences grief in different ways. Grief can also have an impact on student learning. Students who are experiencing grief may have a difficult time concentrating in school, may be more distracted and have a difficult time learning new concepts. This may lead to a decrease in grades which can cause frustration and anxiety about school.
Grief During the Holidays
The holidays can be a wonderful time to gather with family members near and far and to celebrate. However, it can also be a time that we feel the loss of family members and close friends even more. We might find it difficult to participate in family celebrations or wonder if it is even okay to continue with previous traditions. The attached toolkit from the National Alliance on Grieving Children may be helpful in navigating through this holiday season. It provides several activities that encourage you to honor your family members and encourages you to take time for yourself. In addition to the toolkit, there is information about the Children’s Bereavement Center which is offering free virtual grief support groups for children, teens and adults.
Grief Group at PSMS
Mrs. Mary Ellen Smith, the school social worker, will be offering a six-week grief support group for students at Potomac Shores MS. The goals of the group are to educate students on the typical reactions of grief and to identify healthy coping skills that can be used when we lose someone. The group also provides students an opportunity to discuss this with other students so they do not feel alone in this process.
If you are interested in having your child participate in this group, please contact Mrs. Smith at (703) 291-3619. You can also email her at smithme@pwcs.edu.
Wellness Corner
Welcome to the Potomac Shores Middle School Wellness Corner!
In this space you will find activities, tools, and different resources to help manage strong emotions like stress, anxiety, and anger. We hope the tools that we share in this space help you focus on your mental heath and help you explore what calms you. Enjoy! 🌼
Click Below for Mental Health Resources ⬇️
Emergency Resources
If a student is ever in an emergency situation he/she is encouraged to call 911 or utilize one of the resources listed below:
ACTS Helpline 703.368.4141
1.800.SUICIDE (24-hour hotline) 1.800.784.2433
Crisis Text Hotline (24-hour hotline) 741741
PWC Child Protective Services Hotline 703.792.4200
PWC Community Services Board 703.792.7800
ACTS fosters hope, provides relief, and promotes self-sufficiency for our Prince William area neighbors in crisis. They are committed to creating a community where no one goes without or suffers alone.
See Something Say Something
Students, staff, and parents share the responsibility for an orderly and safe school environment.
Information about drugs, weapons, or other factors which may be harmful to the school environment should be reported via the Tip Line or through the "Say Something" Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS). SS-ARS is designed specifically for students in grades 6-12 and staff to report any serious or potentially violent concerns of unsafe behavior or threats of harm to self or others. Say Something is a youth violence prevention program from the national nonprofit organization Sandy Hook Promise and is provided and sustained at no cost to PWCS.
"Tipsters" can send reports on anything from school threats they've seen or overheard to personal crises, including sexual harassment, self-harm, and depression. The system enables school administrators and law enforcement to create effective interventions and intervene upon at-risk individuals to help prevent violence, suicide, bullying, self-harm, and other forms of threatening behavior.
All tips submitted receive an immediate response by one of the highly-skilled crisis counselors at the Sandy Hook Promise National Crisis Center; this person then determines the necessary support steps. When credible tips are received that are life-threatening and/or involve an imminent threat, the crisis center will immediately contact local 911 dispatch and involve law enforcement, then notify central office staff and school-based representatives, even after hours. Users can submit a tip by calling 1-844-5-SAYNOW or by visiting www.SaySomething.net. The free app is available for download from the App Store and Google Play Store, where students can submit tips instantly. Once downloaded, it will ask for a 4-digit code you select and remember.
Following are some suggestions for reporting such information:
- Submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-844-5-SAYNOW or visiting www.SaySomething.net
- Call 911 in cases of immediate emergency
PSMS ❤️ Counseling
Email: villarad@pwcs.edu
Website: https://potomacshoresms.pwcs.edu/counseling/index
Location: Dumfries, VA, USA
Phone: (703)291-3590