SCS School Counseling Blog

The election results are on the mind of many of us at school today.  Teachers and students spent time taking care of each other as many within our school community are feeling vulnerable today.  Families have reached to us for ideas on how to talk to children about the election results.  Here is a post from the Today Show.  As always, please reach out to us with any concerns.  Katie and Rachel Experts weigh in: How to talk to your kids about the election results 7 hours ago Allison Slater Tate TODAY Contributor It's the morning after Election Day, Donald Trump is the U.S. president-elect, and as   President Obama promised,   the sun has indeed risen. But in the wake of many controversial and vitriolic soundbites from the campaigns over the past year, parents all over social media are genuinely asking, "What do I say to my kids this morning?" In the wee hours after the results became clear, CNN commentator Van Jones said, "I w...

We are often asked, how can I engage my child in a conversation about their school day?    One thing to consider is both time and setting.  Often times, indirect communication with a child can be a means for communication to begin.  For example, car rides are a great time to check in your child, even when you may have other children traveling with you. Children are  often more open to engage in a conversation in the car, on a walk, or in the darkened room before bedtime -- all times when direct eye contact is limited.  Here are some links to some helpful resources.  As always, please feel free to reach out to us!   Rachel and Katie Talking with Kids About School : Why is it so hard to talk about school? Parents often get exasperated with kids' monosyllabic answers to their simple questions. That one well-intentioned line, 'How was school today?' has probably... 25 ways to ask your child about school without asking them how was school? How to...

As a school, we foster a growth mindset and teaching students how to persevere when the going gets tough.  Whether it is a challenging time with friends or a difficult reading passage, it is a very important life skill to be able to persist when things get hard.  We remind students daily to take academic risks and that we can celebrate mistakes, as we learn and grow when we can stick it out when we feel like stopping or giving up. We really like this blog post from Your Brain Health: http://yourbrainhealth.com.au/8-ways-to-encourage-a-growth-mindset-in-kids/

Happy Wednesday! We have been receiving requests for resources on how families can support their child in having safe and healthy friendships.  Here are a few helpful resources.  Please feel free to reach out to us with individual concerns.  Katie and Rachel Healthy Friendships Girls and Friendships A Mighty Girl Huffington Post Article

Many people often ask questions about our jobs as School Counselors at SCS.  Here is a helpful resource explaining the role of the School Counselor.  Please feel free to contact either of us anytime.   Thanks!  Katie and Rachel http://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/WhoAreSchoolCounselors.pdf

As we are re-designing our blog, here is a link to our posts from last year: 2015-16 School Counseling Blog Here is a highlight from last year on emotional regulation:

Hello SCS Community!  We are back with our own School Counseling Blog!  Please check back soon for weekly posts! Rachel Petraska, 5-8 School Counselor and Katie Tyler, Pre-K-4 School Counselor