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School Counseling Services
Message From Counseling Services

Dear Parents-

The beginning of the school year is such an exciting time of year for everyone! I hope that your family has enjoyed a great start this year. As I begin another year as the school counselor at Bells Elementary, I am very happy to have the opportunity to work with you and your child!

I look forward to guiding your children in areas of academic, social emotional, and career development. We will cover many topics throughout the year that will help in the development of skills that will benefit students in the classroom, at home and in the community.

Students follow our five Guidance Rules each week-

  1. Respect yourself and others.

  2. Follow directions at all times.

  3. Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak or move around the room.

  4. Keep hands and feet to yourselves.

  5. Have a positive attitude.

We also use the Magic system to keep our behavior on track, if needed.

  1. Reminder; remind students that they know our rules.

  2. Warning; let students know there will be consequences for not following our rules.

  3. Magic; consequence given (assigned seat/loss of privileges, homeroom discipline, contact with parent, office referral).

Our guidance theme for this year is based on the theme "I Can" and supports our School Wide Positive Behavior Theme “Give Ps a Chance”. We will discuss the important role we all play in being Positive, Prepared, Polite and Productive students and citizens. You can check out our first “can" project when you visit us during Parent Teacher Conferences on October 18th! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at 663-2041 or staceymcadams@bellscityschool.org. Again, I look forward to working with you and your child throughout this school year! Sincerely,

Stacey R. McAdams, School Counselor

Estimados Padres-

El comenzo del año escolar es tal tiempo excitoso del año para todos! Yo espero que su familia habra disfrutado un grande comenzo este año. Como Yo comienzo otro año como el consejero de escuela en Bells Elementary, Yo soy muy feliz a tener la oportunidad de trabajar con usted y su niño!

Yo anticipo con interés orientar a sus niños en áreas de académicas, personales, sociales y desarrollo de carrera. Nosotros cubriremos muchas temas a lo largo del año que ayudará en el desarrollo de habilidades que beneficiarán estudiantes en la aula, en el hogar y en la comunidad.

Los estudiantes siguen nuestros cinco normas de orientación cada semana-

  1. Respeta a sí mismo y a los demás.

  2. Siga las instrucciones en todo momento.

  3. Levanta la mano y esperar el permiso para hablar o moverse por la habitación.

  4. Mantenga las manos y los pies a nosotros mismos.

  5. Tener una actitud positiva.

También utilizamos el sistema de magia para mantener nuestro comportamiento en la vía, si es necesario.

  1. Recordatorio; recuerde a los estudiantes que conocen nuestras reglas.

  2. Advertencia; deje que los estudiantes sepan que habrá consecuencias por no seguir nuestras normas.

  3. Magia; consecuencias dado (asiento asignado/pérdida de privilegios, disciplina de aula, el contacto con el padre, referido a la oficina).

Nuestro tema de guía para este año es por la historia “Yo Puedol” y apoya nuestra Tema Amplio de Escuela de Comportamiento Positivo "Give P's a Chance" "Da a las P's una Oportunidad". Nosotros discutiremos la importancia que nosotros todos juegan en ser estudiantes Positivos, Preparados, Comedidos y Productivos y ciudadanos. Usted puede mirar nuestro primero Proyecto “poder" cuando usted nos visita durante Conferencias de padres y maestros el 18 de Octubre! Por favor de sentir libre para llamar me si usted tiene cualquier preguntas o intereses en 663-2041 o staceymcadams@bellscityschool.org. Nuevamente, Yo anticipo con interés trabajando con usted y su niño a lo largo de este año escolar!

Sinceramente,

Stacey R. McAdams, El Consejero de Escuela

Helpful Links & Info

6 years ago

Bullying Information
Stop Bullying Now 
http://www.stopbullying.gov/ 

Kids Against Bullying 
http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/ 

National Bullying Prevention Center 
http://www.pacer.org/bullying/ 

Education.com 
http://www.education.com/topic/school-bullying-teasing/ 

StopBullying.gov 
http://www.stopbullying.gov/respond/support-kids-involved/index.html 

SchoolFamily.com 
http://www.schoolfamily.com/search 

NEA 

Student bullying is one of the most frequently reported discipline problems at school: 21% of elementary schools, 43% of middle schools, and 22% of high schools reported problems with bullying in 2005-06. Bullying is the number one discipline problem in middle schools. These lesson, activities, and games will help you and your students understand this serious problem.

*Statistical data from Youth Violence Program


http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/teaching-students-to-prevent-bullying.html 

Drug and Alcohol Awareness
National Family Partnership 
http://www.nfp.org/default.asp?PageNum=617 

Red Ribbon Coalition 
http://www.redribboncoalition.com/ 

SADD 
http://www.sadd.org/ 

Natural High

WE ARE NATURAL HIGH

Every day youth are bombarded with mixed messages about drugs and alcohol – that they’re cool and that everybody who’s cool is using them.

We believe it’s time for a new social norm – one that empowers youth to find what they truly love to do –activities that inspire them to turn their back on drugs and alcohol, to establish their true identities, and to influence their peers to live a drug-free life.

It’s time to live life on a natural high.

Natural High is a 501(c)3 drug abuse prevention organization that helps youth discover, amplify and pursue their natural high so that they have a reason to say no to an artificial high.

A natural high is an activity, art form or sport that you love to do and makes you feel good… inside and out.  What’s yours?


WHAT WE BELIEVE IN

 

WE ARE COMMITTED

We work tirelessly to help youth discover, amplify, and pursue their natural high because we know that it’s better than any artificial high. Everyone has one. No exceptions.

WE ARE DIRECT

Every day youth are bombarded with messages of all kinds. To cut through them, we don’t sugarcoat the issues nor do we make light of them, and we never talk down to anybody. We do this so that we can reach youth before drugs do.

WE ARE COLLABORATIVE

We work with youth, educators, and parents to create networks of support for each person pursuing their individual natural high. We enlist celebrities and youth as our messengers because we know their voices have incredible impact with youth across the country.

WE ARE INVOLVED

We meet youth where they’re at, speak their language, and relate to them in authentic and relevant ways.

WE ARE OPTIMISTIC

We believe that a true natural high has the power to help people live a drug-free and healthy life and we communicate this message in a positive and relevant way.

WE ARE FUN

While we take what we do very seriously, we have fun and pursue our own natural highs every day.

http://naturalhigh.org/ 

Parent Information
School Family

Your go to guide for school success with lots of information and timely, insightful ideas and tips on how you can help your child succeed in school!

http://www.schoolfamily.com/ 

Macaroni Kid

Looking for summer camps, parenting tips, family events, kids' activities and great deals on meals? Find it all here on Macaroni Kid! Regular updates on local events and opportunities to share your news as well.

http://jackson.macaronikid.com/ 

Summer Camps

Looking for something your kids can do this Summer?  It is not too early to plan for summer camps.  Click here to find a 2012 Summer Camp Guide with lots of options for all ages!

http://jackson.macaronikid.com/article/280487/mkj-2012-summer-camp-guide 

Parents Magazine

Parenting made easier!

http://www.parents.com/parents/pdf/ParentingMadeEasier.pdf?sssdmh=dm17.658078&esrc=emparwb0313si 

Macaroni Kid Summer Camp Guide

It's that time again!  Check out Macaroni Kids' Local Summer Camp Guide for ideas for your kids.

http://jackson.macaronikid.com/article/454502/2013-summer-camp-guide.  Check for updates regularly! 

http://jackson.macaronikid.com/article/454502/2013-summer-camp-guide 

Learning and Fun Filled Summer Ideas! 

(Check out more fun ideas for learning, fun and healthy eating at http://www.schoolfamily.com/)

Here are some ideas for covering math and language arts without, as kids might say, sucking the fun out of summer.

Math Activities

It’s the subject that can strike fear in kids and parents. Experts say the best way to neutralize the fear of math is to make it relevant to kids. Here are some fun ways to do just that.

Picnic learning: Let your kids take charge of a family picnic. Give them a budget and let them plan the menu, shop for the food, and pack everything. For more challenge, add nutritional goals, such as grams of protein per serving and overall calories.

Pan for gold: Bury pennies in a sandbox and have children use colanders or sieves to find them. Then have them count their loot. Compare findings and crown the winner.

Estimating time and distance: The next time your child asks “Are we there yet?” help her figure it out. Using tools like a map or road signs, ask her to estimate how far you’ve traveled and how much longer it will take to reach your destination. On routine trips, ask questions like “It’s 2:15, and it will take 25 minutes to get to the doctor’s office. Will we arrive before your 3:00 appointment?”

License plate learning: When you’re on the road, have your kids study the license plate on the car in front of you. Have them rearrange the numbers on the plate to make the largest three-digit number possible. The person with the largest number wins the round. Change it up by asking for the smallest number possible. Introduce algebra by using plate numbers to solve math problems. For example, add two numbers to get the answer 6 (for example, 3 + 3). Or use three numbers to get 6, such as (3 + 3) x 1 = 6.

Grocery game: Cut out photos of grocery items from magazines, catalogs, and flyers. Help your child glue them to individual index cards. As you develop your grocery list, ask your child to find the picture of the needed item. Ask your child to count the cards to determine how many items you need. For added challenge, have your child group items by food group and count the number of items in each group.

Clipping coupons: Teach money management by involving your children in your family’s grocery budget. Instruct your kids to look in newspapers and flyers and clip coupons for items on your list. Then give your child some coins and ask him to count out how much is saved by a single coupon. How many different coin combinations can he make to total the savings—such as 50 cents—using nickels, dimes, quarters? Have your child figure out the total savings.

Grouping groceries: As you put away groceries, play Guess My Rule. Group items based on a common feature—such as cold items or canned items. Challenge your child to guess what rule you used to group items. Switch roles and ask her to use another rule to regroup the items. See if you can guess her rule—glass jars, cardboard packages, food groups? This is a great way to help your child develop classifying and mathematical reasoning skills and the ability to analyze data.

Language Arts Activities

One of the best ways to help children develop a love of language is to encourage them to play with words. Start with these word games and activities that will have kids reading and writing for the fun of it.

Word search: Enlarge and copy a portion of the newspaper or magazine. Write four or five words at the top of the paper and ask your child to search for them in the article, using a highlighter to mark the words.

Home theater: Create a stage where your children can put on plays, do dramatic readings, recite poems, and sing songs. Assign everyone in the family part of a one-act play to read. Perform for the grandparents. Go to plays or children’s theater presentations to pick up acting and production tips.

Picture a book: When reading from books without pictures, have children cut pictures from magazines that look like the characters and settings they visualize. Or create separate sketches and compare them. Put the pictures together and let children retell the story.

Summer journal: Let your child choose or make a special journal to record thoughts, feelings, activities, and sketches. The journal will help him remember activities and deepen his understanding of experiences.

History rewrite: Choose a famous historical event your child has studied. Talk about the event—where and why it happened, the time period, and the people involved. Next, select another place with which your child is familiar. Ask her to retell the tale, setting it in the new location. She can rely on imagination and discussion, or research the place to come up with realistic details. If you have more than one player, give them different places to see how their stories differ. As an alternative, change the historical time instead of the place and discuss how you’ve changed history.

Volunteer reading: Is there an elderly relative, a neighbor, or a younger friend your child can read to over the summer? Reading for an audience is a different experience than reading independently. Your child will build confidence in his reading skills and feel good about giving of his time to someone else.

The recipe for a perfect summer has just the right mix of relaxation, physical activity, family togetherness, and learning. You may need to tinker a bit to find the right combination for your family. Once you do, you’ll be able to cook up a summer full of fun and engaging activities.

Journalist Patti Ghezzi covered education and schools for 10 years for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She lives in Avondale Estates, Ga., with her family, which includes husband Jason, daughter Celia, and geriatric mutt Albany.

http://www.schoolfamily.com/ 

Drawing the line on screen time

Limiting screen time used to be a lot easier. But with today’s mobile technology, kids can be “on” when they’re in the backyard, in the backseat of the car, at the bus stop, even in the bathroom. Here are some tips to ensure they aren’t overdoing it on screen time and are using laptops, tablets, and smartphones in appropriate ways.

Check out this link for more info- https://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/10890-drawing-the-line-on-screen-time?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=ednote&utm_campaign=2_2_17_connect&_bta_tid=298368516776000737125059849343385617368282838946339925448182892596847546681901353385760&_bta_c=e8s2guc42z2wknltss4vq7q57io9i

https://www.schoolfamily.com/school-family-articles/article/10890-drawing-the-line-on-screen-time?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=ednote&utm_campaign=2_2_17_connect&_bta_tid=298368516776000737125059849343385617368282838946339925448182892596847546681901353385760&_bta_c=e8s2guc42z2wknltss4vq7q57io9i 

Smartphone Detox: How To Power Down In A Wired World

Smartphone Detox: How To Power Down In A Wired World

A growing number of doctors and psychologists are concerned about our relationship with the phone. There's a debate about what to call the problem. Some say "disorder" or "problematic behavior." Others think over-reliance on a smartphone can become a behavioral addiction, like gambling.

/https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/02/12/584389201/smartphone-detox-how-to-power-down-in-a-wired-world 

Healthy Habits for TV, Video Games, and the Internet

TV, interactive video games, and the Internet can be excellent sources of education and entertainment for kids. But too much screen time can have unhealthy side effects.

That's why it's wise to monitor and limit the time your kids spend playing video games, watching TV, and using the Internet.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tv-habits.html?WT.ac=p-ra 

Tween Tribune
Tween Tribune

TweenTribune, TeenTribune, and TTEspañol offer teachers and students an opportunity to read high interest news stories about everyday people from around the world. Introduced in such an appealing way, Tribune stories are interesting to middle schoolers and are a great way to get students to read newspaper articles - and then to hear them comment.

http://tweentribune.com 

Kids Health
Kids Health

Confused, sad, mad, glad? Students are learning about these feelings (and many more) and finding out how to recognize them, understand them and express them in healthy ways.

Check out this website for more information on Feelings and so many more helpful topics for kids and parents!

http://kidshealth.org 

Career Planning
Paws In Jobland

Find information about careers and which one might be for you!

http://paws.bridges.com/collegefortn.php 

College For TN

Find everything you need to know from what classes to take in high school to planning your career!

http://secure.collegefortn.org/Home/_default.aspx 

Career One Stop 
http://www.careeronestop.org/Videos/CareerandClusterVideos/career-and-cluster-videos.aspx

Safety
Risk Watch Safety

Make sure your family is safety aware!  Take the safety tests that your children are taking in Guidance so you'll be ready for fun and play in the warming weather!

http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=1050

http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=1050 

Kid Health Internet Safety 

The Internet can be a wonderful resource for kids. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games. Kids who are old enough to punch in a few letters on the keyboard can literally access the world.

 
Just like any safety issue, it's wise to talk with your kids about your concerns, take advantage of resources to protect them, and keep a close eye on their activities.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html 

Safety

Emergencies happen when we least expect them, and they require fast thinking and action. But different emergencies call for different approaches. Students considered safety skills learned and created their own safety puppet shows for their classmates for learning and fun!

http://kidshealth.org/Search01.jsp#cat20019 

Danger Rangers

Danger Rangers® is the flagship brand of Charlotte, N.C. based Mighty Kids Media. Mighty Kids Media is a multi-media edutainment company committed to the production of premium content that entertains, educates, and empowers children in all areas of safety and well-being. The Emmy® and Oscar® award winning team makes learning fun; and when it's fun, it's memorable!

The Danger Rangers brand has won numerous awards for family friendly content and production excellence. The Danger Rangers is the first NY Emmy® nominated, animated television series that blends educational safety messaging with positive character role models, action-adventure storylines, comedy and fantastic music. The unique combination of these elements empowers children with potentially life-saving problem solving skills, helping them to avoid or know how to reduce their most common safety risks. The Danger Rangers is the perfect combination of entertainment kids love and educational content parents value.

The Danger Rangers animal characters and premium quality entertainment appeal equally to both boys and girls across a broad range and from all demographic and sociographic backgrounds.
The Danger Rangers will help reduce preventable child injuries in communities around the country, one family at a time.

For more information, please visit the Mighty Kids Media website. 

http://www.dangerrangers.com/index.php 

Stranger Safety
KidSmartz 
RETHINKING “STRANGER DANGER”

“Stranger danger.” It’s short. It’s simple. It even rhymes! But is it really the most effective abduction prevention lesson for our children?


Children do not understand the concept of a stranger. Many believe that strangers are mean, ugly people — so the nice man asking for help to find his lost puppy? Not a stranger.


Further confusing the issue, children sometimes need to turn to people they don’t know for help. Lost children should be taught to ask for assistance from a store clerk, police officer, or parent with children. These people are strangers, but in this situation children should be encouraged to talk to them. It may be hard for younger children to understand the difference between strangers who may be able to help them and strangers who could potentially hurt them.


Focusing on “stranger danger” also ignores the fact that most children are abducted by someone they know. Avoiding strangers will not help if the abductor is a family member, neighbor, or family acquaintance. Instead of focusing on people, abduction prevention safety lessons should teach children to recognize and respond to threatening situations.

A NEW MESSAGE

Although “stranger danger” seems like an easy way to teach our children basic personal safety, it actually puts them at a disadvantage. Children who are taught stranger danger may:

  • Be afraid to ask helpful strangers for assistance when they need it
  • Not know how to recognize and avoid risky situations

Instead of teaching “stranger danger,” try the following tips when talking to your child about abduction prevention safety:

  • Don’t say: Never talk to strangers.
  • Say: You should not approach just anyone. If you need help, look for a uniformed police officer, a store clerk with a nametag, or a parent with children.
  • Don’t say: Stay away from people you don’t know.
  • Say: It’s important for you to get my permission before going anywhere with anyone.
  • Don’t say: You can tell someone is bad just by looking at them.
  • Say: Pay attention to what people do. Tell me right away if anyone asks you to keep a secret, makes you feel uncomfortable, or tries to get you to go with them.

In addition to these conversations, use role-playing scenarios to help your children practice their abduction prevention skills. The more children practice, the better prepared they will be to respond to an emergency.


http://www.kidsmartz.org/ParentTips 

College Planning
College Affordability 

Find the most affordable colleges & degrees in the USAFind the most affordable colleges & degrees in the USA at http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/.

 

The following links can help you find affordable schools in Tennessee-http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/schools/tennessee/ or http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/schools/tennessee/online-colleges-in-tennessee/ 


http://www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org/schools/tennessee/online-colleges-in-tennessee/