Dragon Connection
Carroll Senior High School, Counselors' Newsletter
December 2020
WELCOME DRAGON STUDENTS & PARENTS
Mark Your Calendars
Dec. 18 - Early Release 12:00 pm
Dec. 21-Jan 1- Winter Break
Jan. 4 -Semester 2 Begins
December Focus Topic: Generosity & Empathy
The Importance of Generosity!
Acts of generosity, such as giving your time, talent or resources, and expecting nothing in return, have been proven to be good for our health. Generous individuals are personally more fulfilled, happier and more peaceful within themselves, not to mention more productive at home and in the workplace.
The University of Notre Dame’s Science of Generosity Project defines generosity as “the virtue of giving good things to others freely and abundantly.” When we think deeply about this definition, three parts stand out clearly. Generosity is giving “good things”, giving “freely”, and giving “abundantly.”
We can deepen our experience of generosity by moving from acts of generosity to cultivating an attitude of generosity. When we embody an attitude of generosity, the good things we share expand out from deep within our hearts as an offering of freedom from fear–no one need fear that I will harm them, no one need fear that I will take from them what is not mine, no one need fear that I will cause harm with my words.
Mindfulness Practices to Cultivate Generosity
Cultivating Generosity with Youth
- Act in Service. Invite youth you work with to research the needs in their communities and organize a service project around this need. Schools and youth organizations always need extra hands. The benefit of practicing this kind of generosity locally, is that youth will be able to witness the effects of their giving. Be sure to dedicate time to reflecting on how the act of generosity made the kids feel.
- Smile. Giving away a smile can be a simple yet impactful form of generosity. Invite students to identify a person at school whom they will offer a smile to at least once a day for month. Students can reflect on this process by journaling how if feels each day to give in this way.
- Practice Self-Love. Being generous with ourselves can be a lifelong challenge. We can support our youth with developing healthy self images by encouraging them to practice self-love.
Why is Developing Empathy Important for Students?
Building an understanding of what others are feeling, how their own actions can impact on others, and why someone might be experiencing feelings at a particular time is a valuable life skill for children to possess.
Helping students to develop a strong sense of empathy is beneficial because:
- It helps them to build a sense of security and stronger relationships with other children and educators, positioning them well for learning
- It encourages tolerance and acceptance of others
- It promotes good mental health
- It promotes social harmony and can reduce the likelihood of bullying
- Greater success personally and professionally
- Higher levels of overall happiness
- A better ability to understand others, like customers or co-workers
- More success in leadership positions
- More satisfying relationships and be better at dealing with conflict
- Lower levels of stress
In a nutshell, developing empathy is a vital building block in a child’s ability to regulate their emotions and is so valuable in being able to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing world.
How can we help children develop empathy?
Other simple ways empathy can be developed include:
- Helping your child to name their feelings, as understanding their own feelings is an important first step in understanding the feelings of others
- Talking to your child about how other people may be feeling, and why. This helps to build their emotional language and think about other people’s perspectives.
- Caring for animals and plants, which helps children understand the role they play in helping another living thing survive, thrive and be happy.
from paying attention
in a particular way, on purpose,
to the present moment,
with non-judgment.
Jon Kabat-Zinn
A Message From Coach McDade & Rachel's Challenge
See Coach McDade's message about an opportunity for leadership and to help create positive change on our campus:
https://vimeo.com/470750236/10deae4723 (Links to an external site.)
Email your counselor if you'd like to get involved with Chain Reaction!
Attention Juniors: It's Almost Time to Sign up for Your Junior Conference
Your Junior Conference will cover your questions about: graduation requirements? Senior schedule? SAT/ACT tests? Service hours? Naviance? College? Career Planning? and More!
- Make sure your and your parent’s email addresses are updated in Naviance. Information regarding scheduling your junior conference will be sent via email using the email addresses you have listed in Naviance. Be on the look out for this email towards the end of October.
- Watch the video below, "Junior Fall Guidance Naviance Super Match". You will learn how to find Colleges that are the best fit for you. You will also learn how to login to Naviance and update your email address in case your forgot. :)
- Have your YouScience Assessment completed as well, you should have received an invitation from YouScience in your SouthlakeCarroll.edu account, if you are having trouble finding this email please email your counselor.
- Log on to your Naviance account and complete your "Super Match" college wish list (we showed you this in your US History class back in September) and enter 3-5 college choices in your "Colleges I'm Thinking About" list (you will find both of these items under the "Colleges" tab.
YouScience
Great news! Your student now has access to YouScience - a tool that will help them discover where their natural talents and passions meet. We believe YouScience is a great way for students to learn more about themselves, explore high-demand careers that are a good fit for them, and gain a better understanding of how their unique talents are needed in the economy.
Through a series of engaging 'brain games,' YouScience measures aptitudes (natural abilities most important to career choice). We then translate those talents (combined with interests) into real world, high-demand careers.
YouScience has been proven to engage students effectively and provide the direction they need to make the most important education and career decisions.
The insights students get from YouScience are meaningful and actionable. We want parents to be in the know and able to engage their students in conversation about their results and plans for the future. We have provided some FAQs and conversation starters to help get them talking!
What is YouScience?
YouScience is an online assessment that uses 11 "brain games" to find where passions and talents meet. We then match each student to more than 500 high-demand careers to recommend the paths that best fit their natural abilities.
How is YouScience different than other tests?
Most career guidance relies on interest-only surveys, but YouScience goes beyond that to measure natural abilities. While interests can be limited by exposure and understanding, aptitudes are able to give a broader spectrum of options and opportunities. Most importantly, you will never see a score on a YouScience profile. There is no pass/fail or good/bad. Every student has talent - we want to help them understand what makes them great and how to make most of it.
Click the link below to learn more about YouScience and what it means for your student.
THE RESILIENCY PROJECT
We tend to idealize childhood as a carefree time, but youth alone offers no shield against the emotional hurts and traumas many children face. Children can be asked to deal with problems ranging from adapting to a new classroom to bullying by classmates or even abuse at home. Add to that the uncertainties that are part of growing up, and childhood can be anything but carefree. The ability to thrive despite these challenges arises from the skills of resilience.
The good news is that resilience skills can be learned.
Building resilience — the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant sources of stress — can help our children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. However, being resilient does not mean that children won't experience difficulty or distress. Emotional pain and sadness are common when we have suffered major trauma or personal loss, or even when we hear of someone else's loss or trauma.
DRAGON TIP LINE - 817-406-2512
The Dragon Tip Line system is designed to help students, parents and community members anonymously report past, present and predicted concerns in our school community. Information about bullying, harassment, drugs, violence, weapons, theft, or any other potential threat to school safety should be reported.
Report concerns anonymously, anytime 24/7.
A New Type of Help: Crisis Text Line
Text 741-741, ANYTIME YOU ARE IN A CRISIS
With today's teenagers living in the age of texting, the Crisis Text Line has noticed they feel more comfortable texting rather than calling into a helpline when they are in need of help. The great thing about this support is it is available 24/7 to anyone in any type of crisis. You can text confidentially between classes, in the middle of a situation without anyone knowing who you are talking to. Crisis counselors are on stand by 24/7 to help you from the heat of the moment to until you are calm.
Crisis doesn’t just mean suicide: it’s any painful emotion for which you need support.
SAT & ACT INFORMATION & DATES
Visit our CSHS Counseling Website for information on ACT/SAT Testing and More
$ PAYING FOR COLLEGE $
Visit your Naviance Account for a full list of scholarships available to you. There is a TON of money out there, APPLY and maybe you will be selected!
Check the Scholarship list in Naviance Monthly:
- Log in
- Click on the Colleges Tab
- Then click Scholarships and Money.
**Seniors this list will grow, make sure you check at least once per month.
You can also visit:
Our Counseling Team
Serving Students Last Names A-D
Tracey.Flores@southlakecarroll.edu
Melissa Woodward, M. Ed.
Serving Students Last Names E-K
Melissa.Woodward@southlakecarroll.edu
Keri Bettencourt, M. Ed.
Serving Students Last Names L-Q
Keri.Bettencourt@southlakecarroll.edu
Tammy Grasmick, M. S.
Serving Students Last Names R-Z
Tamara.Grasmick@southlakecarroll.edu
Deborah Warner, M. Ed.
Intervention Counselor - CSHS 504 Coordinator
Deborah.Warner@southlakecarroll.edu
Counseling Office Support Staff
Deidra Mulloy
Registrar
Deidra.Mulloy@southlakecarroll.edu
Anne Fore
Receptionist
Shela Daniel
Secretary
Shela.Daniel@southlakecarroll.edu
Website: https://www.southlakecarroll.edu/domain/736
Location: 1501 West Southlake Boulevard, Southlake, TX, United States
Phone: 817-949-5813
Twitter: @CounselingCSHS