Transition Plus
Preparing students for the Future! - Week 4!
Free stuff
If you are interested in free school supplies for students, feel free to stop by the Davis Center to pick some up - 2nd floor North.
- While supplies last, they include: pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, crayons, highlighters, glue sticks and bottles, flash cards, folders, notebooks, binders and Kleenex.
Counselor Corner
College Knowledge Month is in the month of October- look for additional info on how staff can support this month!
Robby will be starting to pull students out and working with them 1:1 on post T-plus plans.
Please contact him if you have any questions / concerns 45109
Due Process Updates
- When you are assigned a new student to your caseload, please remember to assign them to yourself in EdPlan ASAP.
- Liz Carlson is available for due process help. Her preps are during periods 2 and 5.
- An eval is not considered complete (or in compliance) until all signatures have been obtained for SLD evals/re-evals. Kim Mesun suggested that we obtain signatures at the results meeting. She does not care if the paper says "draft" on it. She is more concerned about the signatures. In addition, to prevent having to get signatures from former team members, please update the teams for all students, but especially those with a primary disability of SLD.
- Kim Mesun recently clarified dates with the psych team regarding snow days. If a "school days" due date falls on a snow day, then you get another day and won't be counted out of compliance (e.g. Eval due 2/2/16, but started early so 30 school days makes it due 1/28/16). However, if a "calendar days" due date falls on a snow date, you are going to be out of compliance (e.g., last IEP was on 4/4/16 and is now due 4/3/16...snow day was 4/3 so meeting couldn't be held = out of compliance). She recommends not to wait until the last day for evals/IEPs when looking at calendar days.
Community School Collaborative
The Community School Collaborative is offering a number of peer support groups for T+ students, and we would like for you to refer students whom you think would be a good fit and could benefit from the experiences.
Women’s group- In this group students are encouraged to explore issues surrounding self-esteem, empowerment, respect, academics and jobs/occupations, post-school goals, and social/cultural topics. Facilitators will direct therapeutic interactions between members to encourage the development of group processes (increase ability to communicate effectively, build trust in interpersonal relationships, resolve conflict, etc). It is the group facilitators’ intent that such practice will improve students’ success both inside and outside the classroom.
Men’s group - In this group students are encouraged to explore issues surrounding self-esteem, empowerment, respect, academics and jobs/occupations, post-school goals, and social/cultural topics. Facilitators will direct therapeutic interactions between members to encourage the development of group processes (increase ability to communicate effectively, build trust in interpersonal relationships, resolve conflict, etc). It is the group facilitators’ intent that such practice will improve students’ success both inside and outside the classroom.
Grief and Loss- This group is intended for any students who have experienced significant loss in their lives, including the death of/abandonment by loved ones, and material losses due to transitions, such as financial circumstances or natural disasters. Its purpose is to help students in their ability to process their individual grief, as well as to develop positive relationships within their grief and loss process.
Creative Expression- This group is for any students who enjoy expressing themselves through art and/or writing. The group will serve as a forum for members to show their work and discuss their creative processes with peers. Facilitators will direct therapeutic interactions related to students’ art and writing, to increase communication and cohesiveness within the group.
Current & Community Events- This group allows students to discuss and process local community events, as well as worldly events they may be concerned about. Topics will be chosen by members; facilitators will aim to provide a safe environment in which students feel they can share their beliefs, opinions, and experiences openly. The purpose of the group is to provide an outlet for processing the impact of community trauma, as well as to develop relationships and support between members.
New Students Group- This group is for students who are new to T+ or have recently re-admitted to T+. The focus of the group is to build relationships between members, recognizing that students are more likely to come to school and do well at school if they feel connected. Facilitators will provide weekly topics related to transitions, goals, and stress management; however, topics may vary depending on student needs.
Please contact your social worker with names of students you think would benefit from any of the groups. Not all of the groups will be offered at one time; what is offered will depend on the majority of identified student needs. If you have any questions about the groups or who to refer, please ask the CSC staff or social workers. Thanks so much for your help! :)
Classroom Sinks
Walk / Bike to Work
Stay tuned for more details.