Counselor's Corner
October Edition
Counselor Greetings!
Welcome to September. This month is full of learning and opportunity. September we observe Suicide Prevention Week, Student Sleep Health Week, and National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week. We will also learn about the comprehensive school counseling program, how students/parents can access their resources at school, and complete the parent needs assessment. Please read the newsletter carefully to uncover valuable resources.
As always, please reach out to me if you need support. Have a safe and accomplished September!
- Mr. Mason Dover
Parent Needs Assessment!
It is vital that we have parent voice when planning to support your child. Please take time to complete the survey and give us a better idea of the needs you and your family have. The assessment can be completed by selecting the "Parent Needs Assessment" button below.
PD for Parent's: The Comprehensive School Counseling Program!
Each month I will provide a professional development meeting designed for parents. We will discuss topics on mental health, academic success, and college/career readiness. The goal of these lessons is to educate and inform parents so they can continue to be advocates for their students success.
This months PD for Parent's will be centered around the comprehensive school counseling program. Please review the information below to learn about the school counseling program at BOMLA. The PD for Parent's segment will take place during Coffee with the Principal.
Parent Counselor Request!
At BOMLA we encourage parent support and input. Throughout this year, please utilize the Counselor Request Form/Parent to arrange a time to meet with me. I will do my best to connect with you within 24-48 hours of your request. However, keep in mind that there is a high volume of needs at the start and end of each semester. It may take me more time to connect and arrange a meeting.
Counseling Services Location!
We are excited to announce that counseling services will move from the main office to the media center. It is our hope to create a collaborative space within the media center that allows for brothers to access their School Counselor, Mental Health Clinician, and College/Career Advisor. Below you will find office numbers for all members of the counseling services team along with a brief explanation of the services they provide.
Minute Meeting!
Access to your school counselor is vital. For this reason, I will be conducting minute meetings with each individual brother. During this time, brothers will have three to five minutes of my undivided attention. The goal is for brothers to make a connection with their counselor and know they are seen and heard on our campus. Meetings have been scheduled to take place during each brothers history class.
In the meantime, please assist in ensuring your child has completed the minute meeting survey. The survey provides a baseline so I have information to work with when we sit down to have our discussion. All minute meetings will be complete by the end of September.
Class with the Counselor!
This school year Class with the Counselor will be held once a week in the library during A, B, and C lunch. This seminar style session will provide brothers information on a variety of topics that aren't widely covered in classroom guidance, but are still highly important to our brothers success. Class with the Counselor is optional for all students. Topics for the month of September are "Regulating Big Emotions", "Getting a Good Night's Sleep", "Historically Black Colleges and Universities", and "How do I Graduate High School".
Counselor Book Club - Readers are Leaders!
In alignment with the districts focus on literacy, the counseling team will be hosting a book club for middle school clubs. This month we will read Pie for Breakfast by Cynthia Cliff. The book explores dishes from various cultures. We will be hosting a members only diversity dialogue brunch on September 15th, 2022 to celebrate our readers.
Classroom Guidance!
Each month, our amazing science team agrees to host the counselor for classroom guidance. Brothers are provided a 45 minute guidance lesson on various topics. This months topic is an introduction to the Comprehensive School Counseling Program and the Student Handbook.
Upon completion of the lesson brothers will master the following!
- Brothers will know the role of the school counselor and how it serves them
- Brothers will be able to identify resources provided by the counseling services team
- Brothers will acknowledge the Student Handbook and understand their responsibility to uphold their role as scholar.
September Events!
National Suicide Prevention Week September 4th-10th
National Suicide Prevention Week is an annual week-long campaign in the United States to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide. By drawing attention to the problem of suicide in the United States, the campaign also strives to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic, as well as encourage the pursuit of mental health assistance and support people who have attempted suicide.
To recognize this week, we will be hosting information booths Monday-Friday in all lunch periods. The Be Project, Lifeology, BOMLA's School Based Clinician, and School Counselor will host information booths. Students will receive knowledge on mental health support, suicide prevention, and safe reporting practices.
Student Sleep Health Week September 12th-18th
Student Sleep Health Week will take place Sept. 12-18, 2022. It is organized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) to drive awareness of the importance of healthy sleep for students of all ages to learn, grow and thrive.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau report that 78% of high school students and 34% of children don’t get sufficient sleep on an average school night, and studies show that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on sleep in children.
The pandemic altered children’s daily routines, including sleep and wake schedules, screen time and physical activity, all of which can be harmful to their overall health and well-being. Now that most students are back in the classroom, it’s important that they establish new routines that include the proper amount of healthy sleep.
Watch this video to understand why teenagers are biologically wired to be “night owls” who prefer to stay up late and sleep late. “Why Are Teens So Sleepy?” highlights the challenges teenagers face to get sufficient sleep, recommends later school start times, and provides advice on how teens can develop positive sleep habits.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements for the United States.
The BOMLA Counseling Services team knows the value each one of our brothers brings to the culture of our campus. The diversity of our campus is what sets our school apart from many. We must celebrate those that bring rich culture to our communities. After all, the beauty of our world lies in the diversity of its people.
Please join me in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Influential People!
Justice Sonia Sotomayor! The fearless federal trial court judge who saved Major League Baseball from a ruinous 1995 strike – entered the record book as the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the High Court.
For more information on her life and career visit; https://www.oyez.org/justices/sonia_sotomayor
Cesar Chavez!
An American labor leader and civil rights activist. Along with Dolores Huerta, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers labor union.
For more information on his life and career visit; https://ufw.org/research/history/story-cesar-chavez/
Sidney McNeill Gutierrez! An American pilot and former NASA astronaut. Since retiring from NASA, Gutierrez has worked in several leadership positions at Sandia National Laboratories and Rocket Crafters Inc.
For more information on his life and career visit;
National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Week September 19th-23rd
Here at BOMLA we are committed to enhancing the intellectual excellence of our brothers. We know that college is the best chance our brothers have at a high quality of life. Let's take this opportunity to highlight the benefits historically black colleges and universities provide our young men.
What is an HBCU?
The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”
Check out the three articles below to learn more about HBCUs and their benefits to brothers.
In recognition of HBCU week the district will be hosting a college fair Wednesday, September 21st, 2022 from 5:30PM-8:30PM. Please use the QR code to register for the event. BOMLA will be providing one bus to transport high school students to and from the event. All students and families wishing to travel on the bus must report to the BOMLA campus. Please reach out to Mr. Dover at mdover@dallasisd.org for more information on transportation.
North Texas Giving Day September 22nd, 2022
North Texas Giving Day is September 22, 2022. The Friends of Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy Foundation would like to extend the opportunity for you to contribute. The organization is vital to the success of our brothers. As you know the funds going to them go directly to supporting our school's mission. Any funds donated from now until September 22nd will be matched. That means if you donate $50.00, we are actually gaining $100.00 towards our brothers. The school's goal is $5,000 dollars which would be matched to equal $10,000. With support from teachers, staff, and families, I know we can exceed our goals. For questions, please contact Ms. Jackson our Foundations Executive Director. She is copied on this email.
North Texas Giving Day Link: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/story/Hkgq0f
Health and Wellness!
The health and wellness of our brothers and families are of high importance to the counseling services team at BOMLA. We know that if our brothers basic needs are not met, they will struggle to meet our high expectations. Please click the images below for more information.
Mason Dover, M.Ed
Lead School Counselor
Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
Dallas ISD
Email: mdover@dallasisd.org
Website: https://www.dallasisd.org/domain/16152
Location: 3030 Stag Road, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-749-2115