Walter Clarke Counselor Connection

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We are off to a strong start and are excited to share all the great things happening on campus.

The Capt. Walter E. Clarke Counseling Department is committed to serving and providing full access to our school counseling services for ALL students and families. Please reach out to us if there is a concern you would like some support with.

Together we truly are #BetterTogether

We foresee ALL students to graduate college and career ready obtaining the knowledge,

skills, and attitudes to overcome barriers and reach their full potential. Our students at Capt.Walter E. Clarke are working towards one common goal, acquiring the academic, career and social emotional skills to be productive life-long, successful leaders in the 21st century through access to our comprehensive school counseling program.

The mission of Capt. Walter E. Clarke Counseling Department is to provide a

comprehensive school counseling program that will empower students by ensuring equity, access, and success to all. By providing a positive, structured environment, students will optimize personal growth in the academic, personal-social, and career areas to prepare them to become productive citizens in the 21st century.

1. Every student can learn, and every student can succeed.
2. Every student should have access to and opportunity for a high-quality education.
3. Every student should graduate from high school prepared for postsecondary opportunities.
4. Every student should have access to a school counseling program.
5. Effective school counseling is a collaborative process involving school counselors, students, families, teachers, administrators and education stakeholders.
6. School counselors are leaders in the school, district, state and nation.
7. Comprehensive school counseling programs promote and enhance student academic, career and social/emotional outcomes.

This year we have Terry Martinez-Salcido, LPC servicing our military families and students on campus. She provides confidential non-medical counseling services to students and youth up to 18 years in small groups or individually. In addition, to offering support to families, staff and support personnel. She provides support on the topics below but not limited to:

• Feelings identification
• Bullying
• Self-esteem
• Separation from parents
• Problem solving
• Family relationships
• Time management
• Deployment & reunification
• Divorce

We would like to share some parent learning opportunities that will be coming soon. Please mark your calendars and join us for the following meetings with your School Counselors in the Parent Resource Center for AM meetings and Gym for the PM meetings.

Parent Topics:

• Drug Prevention & Vaping Concerns- October 26 @ 9AM
• 8th Grade Requirements- October 26th @ 6PM (Required for all 8th grade parents to cover Advanced Academic Academies, Early Colleges, Dual Credit, TSIA2, & more)
• Human Trafficking Prevention- November 29th @ 9AM
• Suicide Prevention- December 7th @ 9AM
• Advanced Academic Academy & Early College Parent Night- December 13th @ 6PM (Required for ALL 8th grade parents if your student is interested in applying)

We are currently holding a Minute Meetings with every student one-on-one. We know that last year presented a lot of challenges and trials, so getting to know ALL our Cowboys on an individual basis is important to us. Through these meetings, we will establish our small groups for counseling to provide additional support. Our goal is to finish before Intersession.

The Counseling Department reaches ALL students by providing classroom-based counseling lessons on a bi-weekly basis. Social- Emotional Learning is a big part of everyday life and we feel strongly about providing these skills to help students manage their stress and challenges. All our lessons enhance the knowledge, attitudes and skills students need to achieve academic success, college and career readiness and social/emotional development.

Below features the lessons/activities that will be provided to ALL students during their P.E. Health and Entrepreneurship Classes for the first semester.

• Bullying Prevention & Cyber Safety Lesson
• Minute Meetings
• True Colors Lesson (Discovering Your Unique Personality)
• Suicide Prevention/Coping Skills & Anti-Victimization Skills Lesson
• Drug Prevention Lesson
• Early College Presentation (Trailblazer Early College @ AHS)
• Advanced Academic Academies/Early College Presentation
• Human Trafficking Prevention Lesson

If there is a lesson that you would like for your student to Opt-Our of, please click the link below and let us know which lesson specifically.

The TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE ASSESSMENT is at state mandated exam for ALL 8th graders that is utilized to determine a student's readiness for college-level courses.The purpose of the TSIA exam is to provide you with useful information about your academic skills in Reading, Writing & Math.

We will be offering a camp for students who would like to take Dual Credit Classes in high school. This opportunity will provide them with some specific practice to assist with passing the exam in February.

Please click below to sign up your student to participate in our TSIA Intersession Camp from October 2nd-5th from 8:00-12:00pm.

All 8th grade will be visiting Americas High School on Wednesday, November 1st from 9:00-11:00AM. Students will need permission to ride the bus to attend the tour. Please be on the lookout for permission slips that will be sent home right after Fall break.

Mark your calendar and make plans to attend!

This is a wonderful experience for your students to explore all the opportunities available. This will also assist with the decision making process for all 8th graders as they transition to high school.

This year our theme is #BetterTogether

Everything we do this year supports us coming together and practicing how to be Generous, show Responsibility, have Integrity, and be Tenacious. We believe our students have lost some of these disciplines due to the pandemic. Everyday your student is engaging in meaningful Social-Emotional Learning activities and conversations that build classroom community, establish healthy relationships, and enhance their life skills.

We also are acknowledging the random acts of kindness with our BetterTogether tickets for students that display great character traits, citizenship, and simply do what is right. When a student earns three tickets they will receive a free dress pass for the end of the month.

Self–Care Awareness Month in September is a time to remind us that taking care of ourselves, first and foremost, is essential. Self-care is often neglected in our everyday lives. We all tend to put others' needs before our own and it is crucial to remember, that we cannot fill another's cup from our own empty vessel.

Suicide is currently ranked as the second leading cause of death in ages 15-24 year olds in the United States behind accidents and road traffic. The pandemic enhanced mental illness in our youth after being isolated and disconnected for so long. Please take a look at the information below that provides warning signs, ways to help, and resources.