Did you know that, since the pandemic began, 72% of public schools in the U.S. report an increase in chronic absenteeism? (National Center for Education Statistics). All students' learning and school experiences were interrupted in 2020-2021. But what is even more concerning is that millions of chronically absent children continue to miss out on the invaluable benefits of school, including opportunities for academic growth, learning, social-emotional development, friendships, stable meals, ... VIEW POST
Attendance Interventions for Elementary Students
How to Schedule School Counseling Lessons
One of the most common questions that school counselors ask me is: "How do you schedule classroom guidance lessons?" It sounds like a simple question that deserves a simple answer, but the truth is, scheduling counseling lessons can be a headache! School counselors may feel overwhelmed by so many "moving parts," and unsure where to start. In this blog post, I'll share my best tips for success for scheduling counseling lessons, so that you can confidently create your monthly calendar and ... VIEW POST
Valentine’s Day Counseling & SEL Ideas
Love is in the air! One of my favorite holidays, Valentine's Day, is just around the corner. While I could easily spend all day googly-eyed over my adorable sons and handsome husband, I also get warm and fuzzy feelings from celebrating the holiday with my students. Y'all know any reason to theme up my counseling sessions and classroom lessons is a win for me! Luckily, my kiddos love it as much as I do, and we have so much fun not only celebrating the day, but learning the true meaning behind ... VIEW POST
Helping Children Cope with Divorce
Have you ever had a student look at you through teary eyes and ask, "What does divorce even mean? Will I still see my parents? Is this all my fault?" With divorce rates skyrocketing during the pandemic, more children than ever before are asking these painful questions, and struggling to navigate stressful family changes. Divorce can be shattering for everyone involved, but seems to hit elementary-aged children especially hard. 5 to 11-year-olds are old enough to remember their family life ... VIEW POST
Bullying Prevention Story Books
"He's bullying me!" As educators, this is something that we hear all.of.the.time, but how often is the behavior actually bullying? This word is thrown around so casually, and so frequently, that one-time, mean choices are often labeled as "bullying." My fear here is that real bullying behaviors may go unnoticed or undetected, while educators and parents overwhelm themselves with small, no-big-deal issues that children can solve themselves. This can have very serious, even life-threatening, ... VIEW POST
Success Stories from School Counselors: So Long, Inappropriate Duties!
Can advocating for our role as school counselors be scary, tedious, and a bit overwhelming? Can it be done - and is it worth it? Yes, and YES! In my last post, I shared my four-step process for removing inappropriate duties from our plate, making way for programming and services that best meet the needs of our students and stakeholders. In this post, I share success stories from practicing school counselors to inspire and empower you to do the same. You'll hear from: Nikki, an Elementary ... VIEW POST
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