International School Counselor

“A federal task force recommendation that all adolescents between 12 and
18 be screened for depression is causing controversy among parents and
pediatricians, the Washington Post reports. Critics fear the
amount of antidepressant drugs prescribed to teens will rise massively,
although the Preventive Services Task Force stressed that screening
only makes sense when specialized care such as therapy is available,
instead of a one-size-fits-all drug approach.”

If you want to read more - “Pediatrics has not really owned up to the fact this is a major health problem in kids that they need to be responsible for.”

Tuesday, May 12th 3:30pm, Cafeteria
Encore presentation of “Cyberbullying – How it Impacts our School Community.”  If you missed this presentation the first time, here is your chance to catch it.  This presentation is appropriate for parents whose children are in grades 4 and up.

Wednesday, May 13th 7pm, Auditorium
All 5th grade parents are invited to attend a presentation by the MS principal and counselor.  An overview of what to expect in Middle School and how to support your 6th grade student will be discussed.  This talk is a must for parents who have never had a middle school student before.

Take breaks for family fun
Middle schoolers can be reluctant to hangout with parents. Special activities can make a difference. Here are some ideas:

• Super snacks. Discuss life whileyou enjoy the treat.

• Hip happenings. Check the newspaper for local events, such as concerts.

• Friendly fun. Do something new and let your child bring a friend along.

• Child’s choice. Have your middle schooler pick where to go, what to see or what to do—within reason, of course.

Some common homework hazards can trip up even the best student. If your child needs help, suggest that he:
• Write down everything he has to do if he’s overwhelmed with his workload.
• Concentrate on important topics if he’s waited until the last minute to start his work.
• Connect new material to things he already knows if he has trouble remembering what he reads.

Source: “Ten Traps of Studying,” Counseling and Wellness Services, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, http://caps.unc.edu/content/view/73/0/.

An outline for our 5th grade transition can be found here:  Overview of the transition to Middle School

Please review and take advantage of these opportunities to see life as a Middle School student.

Here is the link to the Cyberbullying Presentation:  Parent Presentation - April 2009

Please provide your valuable feedback: Parent Feedback and Suggestions

“Cyberbullying – It’s Impact on Our School Community”

Monday - April 20th 9am to 10am     Multipurpose Room

On behalf of the ACS Middle School, we would like to invite parents of current 5th to 9th grades students to attend a presentation, “Cyberbullying – It’s Impact on Our School Community.”  Today’s students are growing up in a digital age that is constantly evolving and changing.  An increasing number of students are being bullied and negatively impacting by other students using Internet chat rooms, cell phones, blogs and social networking sites. 

Topics to be included:
+ As a parent, how can you support your child if they become a victim of Cyberbullying? 
+ What are schools doing to combat this growing problem? 
+ Where should parents draw the boundaries when it comes to Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites?
+What are some of the long-term effects if a student posts inappropriate material or messages online?

Article by Kari Henley about MS students and Facebook.

“Kids get into trouble with sites like Facebook and MySpace because they are too self-centered in their overall development to understand the impact of what they are doing, she said. Middle school age children are the most susceptible to cyber bullying, and high school students most likely to use poor judgment in giving out information.“

CyberSmart - 21st Century Skills for Educators -CyberSmart! fosters 21st century skills to increase student engagement and prepare students to achieve in today’s digital society.

Another great video from the Ad Council and Sony Creative Software.  I do not want students and parents to be afraid of the power and the connections that the internet can make.  I want them to use it wisely, purposely and at times cautiously.  I love my Facebook as much as the next 13 year old adolescent, but I have to remember that I am help responsible for the feedback, posts, links and pictures that I post, comment or blog about.

Illuminate Cyberbullying