Counselor Connection
Fall 2017
Dear Parents and Guardians of Timberlane Students,
Marking period 2 is a great time for students to have a fresh start with their academics! Questions to ask your child to help them reflect on the past marking could be things such as:
"What is something you are proud of from Marking Period 1?"
"What small changes have helped you in the past to get the results you want regarding your grades?"
"How has it been balancing your schedule with other obligations and school?"
"If school is tough for you, what is one part that you are passionate about?"
Warmly,
Terri Stimmler (Grade 6)
Scott Stuhlmuller (Grade 7)
Amanda Fertig (Grade 8)
Sue Nissenblatt (Student Assistance Counselor)
John Halligan Assembly Presentation- Ryan's Story
Monday, Jan 29, 2018, 06:30 PM
Timberlane Middle School, South Timberlane Drive, Pennington, NJ, United States
Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse
Are you concerned that your child will start or may already be using alcohol or drugs? Research (NIDA) has shown the importance of Positive Parenting in prevention. Family Checkup (Child and Family Center at the University of Oregon) identifies five parenting skills that are important in prevention. Each Counselor newsletter will highlight one of the five parenting skills.
- The first area is Communication.
- To assess this area, ask yourself: “Are you able to communicate calmly and clearly with your teenager regarding relationship problems, such as jealousy or need for attention?”
- Good communication between parents and children is the foundation of strong family relationships.
- Developing good communication skills helps parents catch problems early, support positive behavior, and stay aware of what is happening in their children’s lives. The following link has information on effective communication as well as videos illustrating both positive and negative communication: https://www.drugabuse.gov/family-checkup/question-1-communication
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact: suzannenissenblatt@hvrsd.org.
Got Assets?
Research by the Search Institute has identified 40 concrete, positive experiences and qualities- "developmental assets" that have proven to have a tremendous influence on young people.
Asset #30- Responsibility- The young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
- Don't always bail your kids out of trouble. Help them learn from their mistakes.
- Don't nag or rescue your kids when they forget to follow through on a responsibility. Let natural consequences occur (e.g. kids who don't put their dirty laundry in the basket run out of clean clothes to wear)
- Talk about the cost of the things you buy and how you make decisions regarding what to spend your money on.
- If you have a pet, encourage your child to take an active role in taking care of it.
For more information visit http://www.search-institute.org/content/40-developmental-assets-adolescents-ages-12-18
The Breakfast Club!
The Breakfast Club is an informal discussion group with topics chosen by parents. Previous topics have included social media, communication, homework, friendships, responsibility, and many others! It is an opportunity to network with other parents, gain support, and learn strategies to manage the joys and challenges of parenting teens.
Please e mail Sue Nissenblatt at suzannenissenblatt@hvrsd.org or Terri Stimmler at terristimmler@hvrsd.org if you are interested in attending!