This year's Giving Tree program is themed "Deck the Halls." Rather than creating the sign on my own, I asked a group of fifth grade girls to make our signs (didn't they do a great job?). They used butcher paper and die cut snowflakes were added.

Our Giving Tree program is a food drive that benefits families in our communities. Here's how it works at our school:
1. Students select an undecorated paper ornament with a label (for a food or hygiene item) from the tables on either side of the tree in the lobby.
2. Students then bring in the food or hygiene product from their ornament/tag (with parent permission, of course). The item(s) are placed in the proper labeled box in the lobby.
3. Students hang their uniquely decorated ornament on the tree; it's a visual way to display the school's generous giving on our tree!
4. Donated items are sorted into boxes and delivered to families in the community.

Below is the Q & A posted on our school website:

In addition to the tree, tables and "Deck the Halls" sign, another display was added to the lobby. This bulletin board says, "Tis the season to be JOLLY!" and includes clean holiday jokes sprinkled generously in the "snow!" A box under the display allows students to submit jokes to add to the display. With all the stress and rush during this time of year, I wanted this year's holidays to be fun and festive, as well as a time for giving and contemplation. 

We had an open house called Supply Night at our elementary school last night. It was so wonderful to see all of our students and families again after several months apart! In preparation for this, I created a display to fit this year's theme: "You can be a hero, too!"

One section displays a school counselor's "super powers," including consultation with staff and parents, group counseling, connecting families to community resources, and on and on. I added a touch of humor by adding a "G" symbol in the Batman-styled search lights, as I go by Ms. G. around the school. The third section features a comic strip story of three students who have a problem, but make heroic choices to turn the situation around! I plan to use this board as I teach my introductory lessons in classes in the coming weeks. At the table on Supply Night, I also provided pamphlets for local community resources, our elementary counseling program pamphlets, a sign up sheet for any parents or guardians who wanted to discuss their student or family needs in greater depth, and a sign to encourage everyone to vote for our school at the Give with Target Facebook page. Overall, I am pleased with the result!

So, what do YOU think? Do you have any resources, websites, or lesson plans about ordinary heroes to share? And what do you do at Open house events?

I enjoyed the office link party so much that I thought I'd join another… the Back to School, Back to Connecting Linky Party hosted by Franciene Sabens (School Counselor Space)! 
This party has inspired me to begin planning for the coming year in earnest; I hope it will also encourage new counselors to connect with colleagues around the country. Blogs and social media have been a lifesaver for me this past year, and I'd like to pass that knowledge on to others. What are you waiting for?  Join our link party!

Staff officially begin August 26th, but I was lucky enough to be invited along with the K-1 team for a planning beach retreat weekend! Students start on September 3rd.

Last year (my first year!) was spent getting to know everyone, being testing coordinator, and/or teaching 24 guidance lessons and 8 groups every week. This year, I want to work alongside our new principal to create a formalized Comprehensive Guidance Program and implement it according to the ASCA model. Just a small goal, right? ;-) I have a lot of work ahead, but I am honestly looking forward to creating a program to compliment the needs and character of our school.

1. A smile. It works wonders in so many situations, and helps establish therapeutic relationships.
2. A clapper board. I brought one to a classroom lesson early in the year and it became a behavior management tool disguised as a fun toy for role plays!
3. Pinterest. If you've seen my boards, you know that I use ideas from Pinterest pretty much every day for group and classroom lesson planning, displays, and… well, everything! Pinterest is a goldmine of creative ideas… and it's FREE!

I am planning to have a table similar to Mary Beth's featured in her Elementary Counseling Blog. I hope to have assistance from my two interns this year, as well.
In addition, I am planning an icebreaker activity involving Whoonu cards for an introductory lesson in grades 1-5. When these are done, I will post in my blog!

This is an area where I would really like to expand my skills. Thus far, I have relied on the phone and in-person contact. This year, I would like to create a page on this website for parents and connect it to our school's counseling page.

1. Do not attempt to reinvent the wheel. Really, that is the key to keeping sane. There are so many fantastic school counseling blogs out there, and with a little searching, you can find a lesson to work with just about any topic. 
2. Also, when you see a resource you really love but can't yet afford, add it to your very own Amazon SC Wish List. It reminds you of super cool lessons you want to try in the future, with the added bonus of allowing friends, family and PTA members to know exactly what you need in your program… :) 
3. Finally, make your lessons engaging and fun, but also practical. Observe students at recess and in the cafeteria, attempt to seek out the struggles of individual classes or grade levels, then then try to create realistic scenarios for role plays.  It was neat to see students begin to use the problem solving we were practicing in classes, but on their own and all around the school!

Hahahaha… that's funny! (Give yourself a break if you're new to counseling. It can take awhile to find a system that works for your school(s) and program!)
I had a binder last year that held a master calendar, to do lists, SWIS data, event planning, lesson plans, etc. This year I would like to divide and conquer by having multiple binders, similar to the organizational genius of Alyssa the Classy Counselor. I also use Google Docs and Calendar, and (try to) keep on top of email and scheduled lessons!

I'm really looking forward to the year ahead and all the challenges, triumphs and general merriment in store! I look forward to hearing how you all are progressing, as well. Best wishes for 2013-2014, everyone!

Stephanie

Our elementary school has created a new incentive program to support students in the cafeteria and at recess. Using the school's "Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible" guidelines, students can earn Pride Paws. These paws will be posted by grade level on a bulletin board in the cafeteria (see above). Each week from Monday to Thursday, a goal will be set for the number of paws to earn toward a designated reward on Friday. This reward might be sitting with friends at lunch, fruit roll ups from the kitchen staff, or a few minutes of extra recess. 

We began the Pride Paws program this week with a goal of 5 out of 8 paws. Hopefully, students will buy in and reap the rewards!

To learn more, check out the attached document below.

The second week of February is crazy, extra, SUPER special at our school! It's Valentine's, a Penny Drive for a local charity, and R.A.K. Week- all rolled into one! 

The catch phrase is, "Bring the Change, Be the Change!" When I visit each classrooms, we talk about empathy and practicing random acts of kindness (the super secret code: R.A.K.). In K-1 classrooms, students generate an ABC list of kind things they can do around the school. In the upper grades, we watch a great video about kindness (see below), discuss how kindness comes around full circle, then make a list of ways students can practice RAK in our school community. All students are asked to be RAK spies and catch their peers in the act of being kind to others, then write down each RAK on a simple rectangle of paper. These slips can then be posted in the lobby's display case, or drawn from a basket to be read to the entire school over the intercom. The display case also features a collection of all of the change being brought in by grade level, so everyone can clearly see the changes happening over time. That way students can be encouraged to see that when they BRING the change in, they can actually BE the change in their community!

In addition to the staff adoption of three families (see the blog post, winter wishes, for details), the entire school is working together to collect food and hygiene products for families who may need the items over the winter break.

The principal of our school, who happens to be a masterful decorator, put up a gorgeous tree in the lobby.   In order to prepare my end, the following needed to be created (attached docs coming soon): 

• a list of items needed for each box
• labels with individual food/hygiene items
• about 500 die cut shapes (trees, circles, mittens)
• letter to send home with students
• a sign for the lobby ("Decorate the Giving Tree!")

I spent a week visiting all 24 classrooms to explain how the Giving Tree works:

• Every student must get permission from a parent/ guardian before participating.
• Students may take one or two blank, white ornaments from the tables in the lobby.
• Students decorate their blank ornament and bring it  back along with the item(s) listed on the label.
• Students then hang their ornament on the tree and put their donation underneath.

In two weeks, staff members will come together and organize the donated food into 10-15 boxes, then deliver the boxes to families in our community. And as the tree fills up with ornaments, the school can clearly see just how generously we can share! 

This time of year is always so fun, as everyone feels festive and generous. It's such a joy to participate in this spirit of giving during my first holiday season as a school counselor! 

My school has a tradition of adopting three or four families each holiday season, and this year I am the one to continue the (confidential) tradition. Each adopted family member made a wish list and the items will be purchased by staff members. Gifts will be wrapped while we enjoy a festive potluck brunch, then delivered during the annual "Ring & Run" (it's exactly like it sounds: we drop off presents and the Giving Tree food boxes at the families' front doors, then go out to celebrate our success). 

This year, I chose the theme "Winter Wishes" and decorated the staff lounge accordingly. First, there is a clothesline with the theme's letters and red mittens hung out to dry. Then I cut out snowflakes to add to our windows; I plan to add fake white snow and a few stray red mittens to the counter once all of the tags have been taken. Finally, I made the gift tags. I had originally planned to use die-cut mittens, but then I realized I could use the scraps from the die-cut trees I'd made as ornaments for our school wide Giving Tree. (That will be another post!) Staff members can use the tags to write a note and add it to the gift when it is wrapped at the brunch. I am hoping that every family member has their wildest winter wishes come true!