Guidance

         Mrs. Cynthia Burns

     924-8588 or cgburns98@yahoo.com

Students and/or Parents may be seen during times of crisis or family adjustments.  Referrals are facilitated to professionals in the community when requested or when longer term assistance is required.

Classroom Guidance is provided on a wide range of topics including:  friendship skills, sibling rivalry, peer pressure, coping with bullies, drug awareness, character development, dealing with anger and aggression, “uncliquing” your class, and other relevant issues.

Guidance Library

A  wide variety of books on parenting childhood issues are available in the guidance office for check out.

After introducing a topic to the classroom, all students in grades 1-5 are seen for two group sessions during the year to pursue activities related to the topic.  Students are seen in small groups for two "get acquainted" sessions to familiarize them with the guidance counselor and the guidance office.  This school year our guidance program will explore "justice."  We are called to be just and to seek justice in our relationship with ourselves, our fellowman, and with God.  In the lower grades, we will discuss fairness as opposed to equality, resolving conflicts so everyone wins, and confronting injustice in our world. 

During the third and fourth quarters, kindergarten students  meet with the guidance counselor in small groups for "get acquainted" games.

Grades 6 students have three quarters of weekly classroom work with the resource teacher and one quarter with the guidance counselor.  The guidance quarter focuses on developing the social skills of empathy, tolerance and self acceptance.  An individual project is assigned at the beginning of the course, and students receive a grade for their work.

Grade 7 students have two quarters of weekly classroom work with the  resource teacher and two quarters with the guidance counselor.  During the guidance quarters of the course, students learn communication, conflict resolution, and mediation skills.  Quarterly projects are assigned, and students receive a grade for their work.

Grade 8 students have one quarter of weekly classroom work with the resource teacher and three quarters with the guidance counselor.  During the first guidance quarter of this class, students will explore  Stress Management.  They will have a weekly reading assignment from the book Fighting Invisible Tigers.  A study guide will be provided to aid in their understanding of the reading, and questions are to be answered from the book.  An exam will be given at the end of the quarter covering the book and questions from the study guide.  Grades are earned by participating in classroom discussions and utilizing proper classroom decorum (30%), completing reading assignments and study guide questions (30%), and including the grade from the final exam (40%).  The second quarter will be spent in self exploration. Students will look at personality in terms of their individual preferences and those of their classmates.  In past years, this has proven to be helpful in increasing understanding and tolerance among the students.  They will also view personality as it applies to career selection.  The final guidance quarter will be spent exploring some of the pitfalls of adolescence:  drug and alcohol use/addiction, eating disorders, depression, and risk taking behaviors.

Rainbows for All God's Children

Each semester a six week course is offered for children who have experienced the death or divorce of parents.  Issues of grief and loss are discussed and coping skills are taught.  Four faculty members have been trained as group facilitators, and the students meet in age related groups.  Some minimal class work is missed, but makeup is allowed.  We feel this is a most important use of students' time.  All information shared by the student is kept confidential unless issues of harm come to light.