HGMS Counseling Connection
February 2021
Spring is Almost Here
Sincerely,
Garcia Counseling Department
When life give you LEMONS, a School Counselor can help you make LEMONADE!
Our students brighten our days!
Mrs. Roberts is ALL in for Collaboration!
Crest Award
2021-2022 Registration Begins
Transition to High School
8th grade Calendar of Events
12/7/2020 8th Grade High School Endorsement Counseling Guidance Lessons -AVID
12/8/2020 HGMS Virtual Endorsement/ Dual Credit Night 6:00-7:00 PM
12/9/2020 8th Grade High School Endorsement Counseling Guidance Lessons- Comm Apps.
1/14/2021 Brandeis & O.C. Counseling Presentations (In-Person & Virtual) to 8th Graders for Course Planning through Communications Apps. & AVID Classes
1/22/2021 HGMS Counselors will start registering 8th graders for high school classes
1/29/2021 NISD Magnet School Acceptance letters sent out electronically
2/2/2021 Brandeis High School Virtual Visit
2/8/2021 Tentatively Week of 2/8/2021- OC Parent Endorsement Night
2/11/2021 Brandeis Parent Endorsement Night 6:00 PM
2/26/2021 Dual Credit Apply Texas Deadline
3/5/2021 High School course request letters will be sent to parents
Brandeis Class of 2025
O'Connor Class of 2025
Garcia Rising 7th and 8th Grade Transition Information
Garcia Elective Choices
Garcia Rising 8th Graders
Garcia Rising 7th Grade Important Dates
February 11th - Google form will open for students to make course selections after presentation in Advisory. **Google form must be completed using student email in the district portal.**
February 17th - Deadline to submit course selections. Google form will close after this date.
Do you need more information on middle school electives?
Kindness Club is Back!!!
Kindness Club Food Basket Service Project
Random Acts of Kindness Week
How To Help Your Teen Navigate A Breakup
During middle school and high school years, your teen is learning how to be in relationships, including what it means to be in an exclusive relationship, how to communicate with others, and what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships. At this stage in their development, relationships are often much more about physical attraction and feelings rather than character qualities or long-lasting types of love (not all, but most).
While teens spend a lot of time together in groups, they are also starting to spend more time in dating relationships. This can quickly become very confusing because some teens may think they are just “hanging out” while others may interpret it as “dating.”
To further complicate matters, teens in the same peer group may have competing relationships. This can contribute to a lot of drama and tension, especially when there are hurt feelings and rejections in the same friend group.
Why Breakups Can Be Extremely Devastating for Teens
At this stage in life, teen relationships may be short lived — whether it lasts a few days, weeks, or months — but it doesn’t mean that a breakup isn’t devastating for your child, especially if it’s their first breakup. Teens sometimes put a lot of pressure on themselves to be in a relationship in order to fit in with their peers. Or they may attach their self-worth or confidence to their relationship status. So when their relationship ends, whether they were broken up with or they initiated the breakup, it can have many implications for how they view themselves and their place with their peers.
The breakup can feel like a rejection of who they are as a person (we still experience this as adults), friendship dynamics can change, gossip can spread about the breakup at school, and they can feel like they “messed up” the relationship somehow and blame themselves. It’s important to keep all of these things in mind when your child comes to you for help with a breakup.
Talking With Your Child About a Breakup
It can be tempting to diminish the severity of your child’s breakup. As adults, we have the years and wisdom to know that everything will be OK and that “there are other fish in the sea.” But, for your child, they may feel like their first breakup signifies the end of their world as they know it.
They may be mopey, lethargic, and sad following the breakup. Instead of encouraging your child to “just get over it,” give them space to verbalize their feelings and experience them. Encouraging your child to identify what they are experiencing is a valuable life skill that often isn’t taught at home or in school.
Ask them how they are feeling and offer empathy. After going through a breakup, they may feel like no one understands or cares about them. Extending empathy toward them can help remind them that there are other people in their life who care about them even if their relationship is over. Remember that empathy is about seeking to understand another person’s viewpoint even if you don’t necessarily agree with them.
Simply listen to what your child is saying, and try to see what it would be like to go through the breakup through their experience (which is likely very different from how an adult would experience it). This can be an especially useful strategy when it’s hard to agree when your child’s reaction seems overly dramatic to you. By providing empathy, you are letting your child know that you care about them, their perspective, and how they are being affected by it. And it is much more effective than saying, “Don’t worry, you’ll get over it” … or “You’ll find someone else soon enough.”
And, when in doubt, simply listen, especially if you are unsure of what to say. Listening can go a long way in letting your child know that you care about them and they are a valued member of the family. Additionally, simply listening can give you the opportunity to listen for aspects of the relationship that were either healthy or unhealthy. You can then gently point out the positive relationship qualities or the negative ones. And, in the case of negative qualities, you can encourage your child to label them as unhealthy and encourage them to seek out healthier qualities in their next relationship.
A first breakup can be overwhelming and devastating for your child. Having some insight into how they view relationships, as well as being armed with the power of empathy and listening, you are able to offer your child the support, compassion, and encouragement they need during a difficult time in their life. Even if you can’t take their heartache away, you can help make the healing process a little easier.
What Can You Do to Help Your Teen With Anxiety
What Does Anxiety Look Like?
Anxiety can look very different from person to person, which can make it challenging to identify. However, the following characteristics are common:
• Distraction: People with anxiety may have trouble focusing or concentrating.
• Unusually good behavior: To distract themselves and others from their anxious thoughts, students may act more behaved than normal. In extreme cases, this can lead to “perfectionism,” which is setting unrealistically high expectations for oneself.
• Physical reactions: Anxiety can cause students to cry, breathe heavily or hyperventilate, shake, fidget excessively, use stumbling speech, or shout.
What Does Anxiety Feel Like?
The brain of students experiencing anxiety goes into overdrive. Anxiety affects decision-making and makes all forms of thinking difficult. Anxiety can make a person feel physically different. Anxiety can speed up students’ heart rate, affect their speaking, or cause excessive sweating, nausea, or shaking. Students can experience the effects of anxiety at school, at home, or in social situations.
I Think My Student Has Anxiety. What Can I Do?
Strategies to Try at Home
Normalize Anxiety
• Discuss your fears and how you deal with them. This conversation shows your student that fears are normal and can be addressed.
• Validate anxious thoughts at home. For example, say “I used to be nervous about that, too.”
• If your student mentions what you consider to be an irrational thought, talk through the thought together. Do not say that the thought is ridiculous.
Work Through Anxious Moments
• Go on a quick walk with your student.
• Encourage your student to have a snack break or music break.
• Do breathing exercises with your student. For example, count to five while inhaling and again when exhaling.
Use Validating Language
When listening to your student’s experiences with anxiety, use phrases like “I hear you,” “It sounds like you’re dealing with a lot,” or “That sounds really challenging.”
Reduce Anxiety as a Family
• Try some family activities like exercising, having game or movie nights, or listening to calm music.
• Create a family schedule to increase the predictability of activities.
Strategies for School
Talk to the School’s Mental Health Provider
Set up a one-on-one meeting with the school’s social worker or psychologist or share questions and concerns via email or phone. This professional can provide helpful next steps that you can do at home or referrals for additional help.
Talk to Your Student’s Doctor
Your student’s doctor can recommend ideas to try at home and options for additional support, such as therapists, peer groups, or activities.
Resources
For more information on anxiety, consult the following resources.
For Teens
• To Write Love on Her Arms https://twloha.com
• Teen Line https://teenlineonline.org
For Parents
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/depression.html
Month of January Stats
16 guidance lessons
94 individual planning sessions
227 responsive services
422 parent consultations
HGMS 2020-2021 Bell Schedule
**This bell schedule is subject to change.
**Students and teachers will follow this schedule for virtual classes.
Home Access Center
To request a HAC account or report a problem, complete this online form and a technician will contact you via email or phone within two business days.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekcDWcg7A2sUMXdUpJ0bFpdjpo9G27o02S5IdWx2rdf44IzA/viewform
To login to HAC:
Staying Connected with the HGMS Counseling Department & Garcia Middle School
Garcia Twitter: @NISDGarcia
Garcia Instagram: NISDGarcia
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Garcia PTA Facebook: www.hgmspta.com