Mrs. Gittemeier's Counseling Corner
April Edition :)
IT'S COLLEGE AND CAREER TIME!
March was a productive month filled with learning about growth mindset, grit, and perseverance. We know that our brain is a muscle, and in order for our brain to grow stronger (so that we can become smarter), we must exercise it by learning from our mistakes, challenging ourselves, practicing, asking for help, and never giving up. Hopefully your students can put these skills into action as we work to make it to the end of the school year! :)
I am so excited to be talking with your students this month about all things college and career awareness. It may sound silly, but it is never too early to start bringing awareness to your child’s future. By spending time on college and career exploration, we are cultivating a culture that sets high expectations for all students and provides them with academic preparation and social and emotional tools to be successful past their time here at Graden. An important skill for students to learn is how to identify their strengths and interests, which will someday lead to a career they love. We will do lots of college, career, strength, and interest exploration this month. Don’t forget to mark the Spirit Week dates on your calendars as well!
Wishing everyone a month filled with warmth & kindness,
Cari Gittemeier
And the 2024 Coping Skills Madness Champion is..........
LISTENING TO MUSIC!!!
In the spirit of March Madness, while also working towards our schoolwide goal of enhancing emotion regulation skills, we participated in our own take on the tournament with Coping Skills Madness! Each day, your students voted on a coping skills match-up, deciding which strategy they think works better for calming their mind and body. The coping skill with the most votes moved on to the next round! It was SO MUCH FUN to see what coping skills your students enjoyed the most. Shoutout to the below student(s) who finished the tournament with PERFECT BRACKETS!
ELIJAH NWABUONWU FROM MS. WHITT'S 5TH GRADE CLASS! :)
April Lesson Topics
Kindergarten
Kindergarten can
identify likes and dislikes within themselves.
1st Grade
1st grade can match careers to their descriptions.
2nd Grade
2nd grade can identify and compare roles and responsibilities of workers within the community through college and career themed stations!
3rd Grade
3rd grade can explain what workers do and need to know in various careers through college and career themed stations!
4th Grade
4th grade can complete a career interest inventory to guide them in developing a career profile sheet.
5th Grade
5th grade can explore Missouri Connections to complete a career interest inventory reflection comparing interests and strengths needed for a profession.
K-2 College and Career Exploration
3-5 College and Career Exploration
Missouri Connections Select “Guest Login”
Type in your City & Zip Code
College Career Inventory (Quick Pic - Great for growing readers!), Entrepreneutial Assessment, Interest Profiler, Learning Styles Survey, Occupation Sort, Career Cluster Survey, and Reality Check are all fun career exploration activities your child can do at home!
Panorama Social/Emotional Learning Survey
The Panorama Social/Emotional Learning survey window is from 4/12 - 5/10. This survey will be administered to all 3rd-5th Grade hornets.
For more information about what this survey is all about…
Middle School Transition Support
We received a lot of positive feedback after adding some additional supports related to the transition to middle school. I am ecstatic to share that I will be partnering with Deputy Hannah Blacklock(School Resource Officer – Graden & Lakeview) again to ensure that our fifth grade Hornets are confident and ready to take on middle school! :)
What are we currently doing/what is on the horizon!?
Middle School Preparation Small Group – 1x a week for 30-minute sessions (Wrapping this group up!)
Lunch Bunches w/Deputy Heckman – Weekly lunches to answer questions and address worries that your child may have about middle school. (We are starting these following Spring Break! Keep your eyes peeled for an email from me if your student expressed interest!)
Middle School Preparation Class Lesson - Each 5th grade class will participate in a lesson with Deputy Blacklock about the transition to middle school, discussing topics like social media safety, peer pressure, and how to be successful at Lakeview! (End of April!)
Assembly w/Principal Clemmons - Students will have a Q&A with the principal herself! (May!)
Rainy
Examples - You and your friend aren't getting along, you're nervous for your first dance competition, you need help getting better grades, someone is bugging you, etc.
Stormy
Examples - You're feeling very worried about something, you've been feeling sad for a long time, you think you're in big trouble for something, you're parents are fighting, someone is being mean to you often, etc.
Tornado
Examples - Someone is hurting your body, someone is in danger or you feel unsafe, someone you loved very much died, you are having thoughts about wanting to hurt yourself, etc.
Small Group & Individual Counseling
Small Group and Individual Counseling services are available for students to support their social, emotional, behavioral, and academic development here at Graden.
Small group and individual counseling are arranged upon teacher, administration, student and/or parent referral. Data from our evidence-based screeeners and Panorama surveys help guide small group and individualized ntervention. School counseling is not intended to take the place of therapy, or outside counseling. It is short term, 4-8 weeks, and uses a solution-focused strategy.
Goals are developed in collaboration with parents, students, and teachers to support student's resilience.
Individual and small group counseling is led by Mrs. Gittemeier - School Counselor (small group & individual), Mrs. Dawson - School Social Worker, (small group & individual), Mrs. Witherby - Recovery Room Interventionist (small group), and Deputy Blacklock - School Resource Officer (informal, middle school preparation).
Also, if a student, needs to check in with me to discuss a problem or feeling they are experiencing, I am available for that as well. Students can request to see me by asking their teacher or using the online/paper referral process outlined above and taught to them during introduction counseling lessons. If you are concerned that you're student needs individual and small group support, please let me know. Feel free to reach out to me via phone or email; information is below.
Virtual Relaxation Room
In addition, Graden is continuing to implement physical calming corners in every classroom this year to help promote a safe, comfortable environment. Calming corners are a place in a classroom/room that provides students with soothing “tools” to help them regulate their emotions when upset. Students received a brief review on expectations of the calming corner from their classroom teachers at the start of the school year.
When we are upset, something significant happens in our brains. We cannot think clearly, and are quick to react. The myth that calming corners are a place for students to play with toys, and get out of a bad choice they have made, is simply not the purpose of calming corners. The purpose of calming corners are for students to get out of the fight, flight ( run away), or freeze part of their brain and engage the thinking part. Once the thinking part of their brain is in control, we can process with students and teach them why their behavior was not the expectation. Calming corners are not meant to be punitive, but a place to soothe. It is a proactive support to prevent a negative/unexpected behavior from happening.
If your student struggles with managing their emotions at home, creating a calming corner with them in your home could be beneficial. To learn more about creating a calming corner at home, read this article: "Setting up a Calming Corner at Home."
Parent Referral Form
Is your student struggling in the social, emotional, or behavioral realm(s)? Interested in inquiring about getting them counseling support? Scan the code above!
Amazon Wishlist
Interested in donating to our Graden Counseling classroom? If circumstances allow, consider purchasing something from the below wishlist to support social/emotional learning through books, regulation and sensory tools, as well as student organization items.
Confidential Resource Checklist
The Confidential Resource Checklist provides a myriad of resources we have available for our families in the Park Hill School District. If you believe you could benefit from any of these services, please complete the form and myself or the school social worker will be in touch with you to gather more information.
Cari Gittemeier
Email: gittemeierc@parkhill.k12.mo.us
Phone: 816-359-5647