We are beginning our emotional regulation lessons in ALL grade levels. Kindergarteners learned how to belly breath by placing puppets on their stomachs and concentrating on moving the puppet up and down. They really enjoyed doing this!
As we enter into December, Mrs. Donaldson and the CMS school counselors begin preparing fifth grade students for middle school course registration. Before each student’s individual registration appointment with Mrs. Donaldson, the CMS counselors will present a Middle School Matters lesson to fifth grade classrooms on December 13th from 9:20-10:30. Students will receive a registration packet which will include a Program of Studies booklet, step-by-step parent portal instructions and a summary sheet of sixth grade course options. Parents will have access to pre-register students (through the parent portal) for courses December 13- January 3. A virtual parent information session, provided by CMS, will be available for families to access at a time convenient to them starting December 16th. In addition, on December 16th, we will be holding a Coffee with the Counselor (Mrs. Donaldson) Zoom for parents to hear a little more about the registration process and be able to ask any questions they may have. The links for both of these will be provided closer to that date. Students will bring home their registration packets on the day of their classroom visit. Registration will take place from January 6 - February 4, 2022 during the school day between Mrs. Donaldson and the students. If you have questions after reviewing your child’s registration packet please contact Sara Donaldson, WHES School Counselor, at [email protected].
As we approach the most wonderful time of the year, sometimes it isn't always so wonderful for some of us. Sometimes, it is very hard on us, financially, to provide the extras during that time. If this is you, please know that we can help. Many people and organizations have reached out to us looking to help out during the holidays. So, please contact Mrs. Donaldson, at [email protected] for a confidential conversation about how we can help you out! Holidays are not meant to stress us out. They are meant for us to focus on our blessings and we want to help!
We are having a BLAST learning all the things that school counselors do for us here at WHES! First graders got to play Pin the Role on the Counselor! They were read a card to see if this is something that counselors do and, if we do, they got to pin it on Mrs. Donaldson! We had a blast!
Lessons will be with Kindergarten, Fourth and Fifth grade next week about the same thing! Looking forward to it! We are so excited to have the kids back in the building! It feels like things are finally beginning to get back to normal! At the end of the day yesterday, I asked several kids if they were coming back and they ALL said, resoundingly, YES!!! The kids are already settling into the structure with the teachers and all seem to be so happy!
With that said, I know there may be some things that we are all still dealing with. Whether your child is dealing with a little anxiety, fear, grief, or confusion about everything that has surrounded this pandemic, know that they are not alone. Also know, and feel completely confident, that we are fully equipped in helping you and your child through all of this. We are going to continue our tradition of providing academic excellence this year, but also supporting our students socially and emotionally. If you ever have any concern about how your child is doing in all three of those areas, please do not hesitate to reach out. As this is my 15th year at WHES, I am very honored to serve as your school counselor. I am available from 7:30-3:00 Monday-Friday at 723-2308. You may also email me at any time at [email protected]. Here's to a GREAT 2021-2022 school year! Hello!
Parents of Rising Sixth Graders...here is the program of studies that has all the course information within it: http://hcps.us/parents_students/program_of_studies If you have not signed up for a registration appointment yet, please do so as soon as possible! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c48aeae22a46-registration2 Looking forward to seeing you at our registration meetings Mrs. Donaldson Happy New Year to All!!!
Hope that this new decade has started out on the right foot for all of you. We are back in routine and rocking it here at WHES. So good to see all the kids back. They always seem to grow so much over the 2 week break. Question...whose child received a SmartPhone for Christmas? Whose children already have a SmartPhone? That is a great debate in my house. I have a middle school daughter, who doesn't have a phone yet. She just isn't quite ready to navigate the whole "smart" world. And, really, nor am I, as a parent. Sure, as a counselor, but not as a parent. As a counselor, I am always looking for resources to help us all direct our children in a healthy and positive way. There is an amazing resource out there called Common Sense Media. This organization's goal is just to educate all users of the digital media platforms about what is happening in the cyber world so that we can make good decisions about its' usage. One thing they do, often, is review new applications that our children could potentially be utilizing. Here is their most recent article about new apps on the market that we, as parents, need to be watching for: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/apps-to-watch-out-for?j=7607637&sfmc_sub=170637839&l=2048712_HTML&u=140314515&mid=6409703&jb=215&utm_source=media_nl_20200110&utm_medium=email Take a look. Sign up for the weekly emails. Stay informed so our kids can stay safe and healthy! Dear Parents of Rising Sixth Grade Students,
It is time to register your child for their middle school classes with Mrs. Donaldson. Please follow the link below for the dates and times to conduct this very important transition meeting, we would be very appreciative. If you don't see any times or dates available, please email Mrs. Donaldson, WHES School Counselor directly at [email protected], and a mutually agreeable time will be coordinated. Please note, if you have registered your child electronically, a registration meeting is still necessary to ensure the process is complete. Any questions, please direct them to Mrs. Donaldson. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C48AEAE22A46-registration2 Thanks so much, Mrs. Donaldson WHES School Counselor
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Sara Donaldson, M.S.WHES' Professional School Counselor Categories |
The mission of Washington-Henry's Elementary School’s Counseling Program is to provide all students with a comprehensive school counseling program centered around a nurturing and supportive environment in which all students gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for academic, career, and personal/social development to become life-long learners, problem solvers, and responsible individuals.
WHES School Counseling Department Information