Congratulations to two of our Ridgeview Student Leadership Team Members! Holly and Henry Welsh were recently recognized at the Illinois Principal's Association Student Recognition Breakfast. It has been such a pleasure to work with Holly and Henry on the Student Leadership Team this year. Each of them have stepped outside their comfort zone to serve and lead at Ridgeview. They are continuing to find their strengths and discover new ways to grow in those areas. I am SO proud of them!
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I hope you've heard of this awesome program within our district called Dunlap Gives Back. If you haven't, please check it out here! Essentially, the program provides a number of various items for students and families within our district who don't have access to those items. They help families in our schools with everything from food to clothing to school supplies--the list goes on and on! Here at Ridgeview, we've been particularly blessed to have this program provide breakfast and snack items for students.
The Ridgeview Student Leadership Team wanted to do something BIG before moving on to Dunlap Valley. They wanted to provide some type of event that would hopefully make a large impact on a large number of students. When they learned about Dunlap Gives Back and all that it does for the community, they knew exactly what they wanted to do! During the week of May 2nd through May 6th, the Ridgeview SLT will be hosting Ridgeview Gives Back! During this week, we will be collecting toiletry items to donate to the Dunlap Gives Back Program. We are looking for items such as...
Our goal is to collect 2,000 items to donate to the Dunlap Gives Back program. So please, help us make this week a success! Take a trip to Costco or Sam's and pick up a case of deodorant. Drive down to the Dollar Tree and stock us up on all types of soaps and shampoos! It doesn't take much for us to make a big impact! I want to thank our Student Leadership Team for doing such a great job organizing this event. They are the brains behind it all! And one more thing; the class that collects the most items will receive a Pizza Party with the Principal! Yummy :) April is nationally recognized as Child Abuse Prevention month. During this month, the Dunlap Elementary Schools present their annual lesson in compliance with the state-mandated Erin’s Law. Erin’s Law began several years ago in the state of Illinois. The law requires that all public schools implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches appropriate techniques to recognize abuse and how to tell a trusted adult. The elementary counseling team has worked together to create a once a year lesson that fulfills the state-mandate. Using information from the Center for Prevention of Abuse, age-appropriate lessons were designed to teach our students how to seek help if they are ever abused. We believe in the importance of these lessons to help empower our students to find support when in crisis. We strongly encourage parents to continue the discussion at home. Children are not allowed to ask questions while the lesson is given; rather, they are encouraged to take those questions home to their parent or guardian. To help facilitate discussion on this topic, the elementary counselors will send home a resource list after the classroom lesson. You will find books and websites that can help foster a healthy conversation about physical and sexual abuse. '''''Understanding the values and beliefs of our families, children are allowed to opt- out of the lesson. To do so, please contact your child’s school counselor. Planning for PARCCWhat is PARCCPARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) is the new state standardized test that has replaced the ISAT. This is the second year our students in grades 3rd-12th will complete it. This is a computer based test and taken twice a year. It aligns with the common core standards and is intended to better assess student’s knowledge. Your child’s teacher and school have been working hard to help prepare your child for the upcoming tests. However, it takes a village! Below are some strategies you can implement at home to help prepare your child for test day.
Tips and Strategies for helping your child with PARCC Test Preparation Week Before The Test:
Testing Attitude- Help your child build a positive attitude about tests by modeling and encouraging them to demonstrate the skills below. Be Positive
If you have any questions please contact your child’s school counselor or visit: http://www.parcconline.org/for-parents for more testing information. Kind Regards, The Dunlap Elementary Counseling Team February marks the annual celebration of National School Counseling Week! During the week of February 1st through the 5th, school counselors nationwide celebrate and promote their profession. It’s an important week because many school districts are unable to fund counseling programs. However, research shows that schools with counselors tend to have higher success rates. New research shows that when students receive more frequent and helpful counseling services, they:
Here in the Dunlap District, your elementary school counselors strive to support all students in the following domains: Academics Development, Personal/Social Development, and Career Development. We do so in a number of ways. Firstly, we are always available to meet with students individually to meet any needs that might hinder them from learning. Sometimes a child may lack academic skills such as study habits, organization, or the ability to focus. Perhaps a child is overcome with anxiety anytime they take a test. School counselors are trained on how to teach these skills to students. We also meet with students in small groups. Small groups can be run for a number of reasons. Some commons groups seen at the elementary level are impulse control, friendship skills, or anger management. The purpose of small group is to not only learn from the counselor, but also learn from the other members within the group. Lastly, school counselors provide school-wide support by teaching proactive skills in the classroom. For example, the weeks prior to state testing, a school counselor may go to the classrooms and deliver instruction on how to handle test anxiety. Maybe a classroom is having a difficult time problem solving with one another. The school counselor can come to the classroom and share problem solving strategies with the entire group. Each elementary counselor in the district offers services that are slightly different based on the needs of their building. One thing they all have in common is that their number one purpose is to advocate for all students. To learn more about the school counseling program in your child’s school, e-mail your child’s counselor or explore the counseling website. Never hesitate to reach out for support. For more information regarding the effectiveness and importance of school counseling, please visit the website below. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Careers-Roles/Effectiveness.pdf It's so hard to believe that we have almost made it to Winter Break. Only 4 more alarm clocks until rest and relaxation (until you remember only 10 days left to do shopping). This week, the Student Leadership Team celebrated their hard work with a Winter Break Party. I am so impressed with the time and dedication these students have put in. This is one of the most creative groups I've been able to work with. They are constantly coming up with new ideas on how to support RES. They definitely deserve some pizza and sugar! Great first half of the year, team! I'm looking forward to seeing these students develop even more next semester. They really are leaders within our school.
December can be an extremely stressful time of year for some of us; emotionally, physically and financially. When dealing with all the hussle and bussle of the season, try to keep the most important things to your immediate family, at the top of your list. Families want their holidays to be a happy and memorable time, especially for the children. It is important to remember that a family needs to find time to relax and enjoy this wonderful time of year. Here are some ways to reduce stress for the entire family:
Have a safeand happy holiday season! Sincerely, The Dunlap Elementary Counseling Team For more information visit “Children feel holiday stress too: Learn the signs, and take some simple steps to ease the tension”. The Chronicle (Dec 20, 2013) http://www.chroniclenewspaper.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131220/NEWS01/131229996/-1/news/Children-feel-holiday-stress-too This month, the elementary counselors would like to focus on the importance of thankfulness and kindness. As the holiday season approaches, we should all step back and recognize what we have to be thankful for. Raising a thankful child can present its challenges at times, as it requires a balance between giving to our children, and knowing how and when to draw the line. Parents can navigate this balancing act by demonstrating their own thankfulness.
Sincerely, The Dunlap Elementary Counselors October is a busy month for social-emotional learning. Each year, October is designated at National Bullying Prevention Month. In our elementary schools, we do many things to help children learn to problem solve through our SEL curriculum, Second Step. Second Step teaches specific ways to address peers when there is a problem. The curriculum also focuses on the difference between being passive, aggressive, and assertive. Assertiveness training is highly important when it comes to handling bullying situations. It’s important to talk to your child about appropriate times to be an upstander and times when it’s best to get an adult involved.
Each elementary school in the Dunlap district provides additional lessons or programs to help address bullying. Ask your child’s school counselor for more information. If you are interested in additional education to support your child, please visit http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/. Red Ribbon Week is also celebrated each October. This year’s Red Ribbon Week takes place October 26th through the 30th. Red Ribbon Week was started as a campaign to bring awareness to drug prevention. Since then, it has grown into a nationally recognized campaign that focuses on making healthy choices for your body, your mind, and your life. At the elementary level, we recognize Red Ribbon Week by placing an emphasis on all the ways you can keep yourself and others happy, safe, and healthy. To celebrate the campaign, each elementary school does various activities and lessons. Check with your child’s counselor for a more detailed look at the activities provided. For more information on how your family can get involved with Red Ribbon Week, visit http://redribbon.org/. We know that October will be a busy month in our schools. In this season of business, be sure to stay connected with your child. Try asking them some new questions to get the conversation started!
Sincerely, The Dunlap Elementary Counseling Team |
AuthorMy name is Jen Dando. I'm the school counselor at Ridgeview Elementary School. Posted here will be monthly updates about the school-wide initiatives taking place at RES. Every month the counseling program will be focusing on a special topic! Archives
April 2020
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