Counseling Corner

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, so we will be doing our Bully Prevention Unit for the month of October and a little into November. In this unit we will learn what bullying means (repeated behavior, on purpose, happens over and over again; not something that happens only one time). We will also learn what victim and bystander mean and the different types of bullying (verbal, physical), how groups of people can bully and how even leaving someone out on purpose all the time is also a form of bullying. We will discuss ways we can help stop bullying by being kind and inclusive and will learn how to report bullying to a trusted adult who can help.

Red Ribbon Week is also in October, the 23rd-27th. We will also do a Red Ribbon Week lesson during October where we talk about making safe choices such as proper medication, only taking our medication with a trusted adult, not picking up things we find on the floor and putting them in our mouth (even if they look like candy), not taking medications given to us by friends, etc. We will also do a sorting activity on safe/healthy vs unsafe/unhealthy choices.

The Red Ribbon Week theme this year is "Be Kind to Your Mind. Live Drug Free." We will celebrate with dress up days and a coloring contest as well as getting a Red Ribbon to wear or keep on our bags for the week. Teachers will also participate in a door decorating contest. Our Red Ribbon Week dress up days are below. The Halloween dress up theme for the Elementary this year is Story Book Characters.

Please talk to your student during Red Ribbon Week about making safe and healthy choices for our bodies such as taking medications properly and only with a trusted adult, not putting things in our mouths that we find on the floor (even if it looks like candy), not taking things from people we don't know, etc.

The food drive this year will be November 6-10th. The food collected in the food drive will go to McClain County Operation Christmas and the Lil' Dragon Food Pantry to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to families in need. The class that brings in the most items for the food drive will get a popcorn or popsicle party. You may start sending items in with your student in November. The food will be collected and delivered after school on November 10th so that will be the last day food items will be accepted. More information will be coming soon on what items are most needed.

ParentPro is a free service that promotes Oklahoma families with young children by linking them with programs that best fit them. Please visit the link below if you would like more information.

www.parentpro.org

Routines are very important for children and sleep is very important for growth, development, and emotions! A good night of rest helps students regulate their emotions! Emotions feel so much bigger when one is tired. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for sleep are below.

Please fill out the form below if you have a concern regarding your student that you would like the counselor's assistance with. The school counselor does her best to respond to request forms as quickly as possible. If you need more immediate assistance, please contact the school and ask to be connected with the school counselor's office.

Please Note:

• School based counseling addresses only issues that affect the child in school and is only short term.
• The school counselor is not a therapist and does not provide in depth or long term therapy. (A list of local professional therapists is available upon request.)

If your student is in need of resources please use the form below and the counselor would be happy to assist you with resource referrals or needs. Please only fill out the form if you and your family are in need of assistance.

All day, every day, attendance is very important at Purcell Elementary. Although we are encouraging attendance, we also want to encourage you to keep your child home if they are feeling ill. Please reach out to your child's teacher for their missed work if they do have to stay home due to illness. We appreciate your support in this effort to help everyone stay healthy.

According to school policy, a student may not miss more than four (4) days per nine-week period. Doctor’s notes and phone calls from parents/guardians allow your child to complete make-up work, but still count toward the four (4) day per nine-week period limit. If your child has a doctor’s note, please send it to the school office. Also, please notify the office staff and/or myself if there is an extenuating circumstance preventing your child from attending school. Extenuating circumstances include hospital stays or other unavoidable situations. We also encourage you to communicate with your child’s teacher concerning absences and work missed. We are here to help, so please contact us and let us know if you have a concern regarding your child’s attendance.

According to our school handbook, any student arriving to class after the 8:00 bell will be counted tardy. Three (3) tardies equal one (1) absence. An early dismissal is also the equivalent of one (1) tardy.

With that, all students will receive an attendance reminder letter at 3, 7, and 10 days missed. This is to remind you of the attendance policy and how many days your student has missed. Students will get these letters regardless if their absence is excused, unexcused, or if you have called the office. Please don't be alarmed by the attendance letter if you know you have called into the office or provided documentation. It will be noted on your student's attendance print out if an absence is excused, unexcused or any note from an office call in. DIstrict policy states an attendance letter must go home regardless. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out and we would be glad to help you.

Below is my counseling wish list for new and updated items for the counseling space. Different students come with different needs so I like to keep a variety of items available for student use. Different items can be utilized with individuals, in small groups, or even in our whole class lessons. I also like to have items available that teachers may use in their classrooms with students as well if needed. Do not feel obligated to make a purchase. Any help would be greatly appreciated and put to good use by our students.

Hat Days are a fun way to celebrate and wear a hat to school as well as give back to our friends in need. Bring $1 and wear your favorite hat! Be creative or just have fun wearing your favorite hat while helping us support our school community! The money from hat day will go to support students who might be in need of a coat, backpack, and other items that support our students and classrooms.

Thank you for your support!

Dates to wear your FAVORITE Hat:

• Oct. 6th
• Nov. 10th - Free Hat Day! Help us honor Veterans by wearing Red, White & Blue!
• Jan. 12th
• Mar. 8th
• April 12th
• May 16th - Free Hat Day! We made it! Last day of School!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24/7) 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

National Alliance on Mental Illness CRISIS TEXT LINE (24/7) Text NAMI to 741-741

National Teen Line – 1-800-852-8336 *8pm-12pm or TEXT TEEN to 839863 *8pm-11pm

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Reachout Hotline – 1-800-522-9054

Oklahoma Child Abuse Hotline – 1-800-522-3511

Resource Directory- Dial 211

Emergency - Dial 911

• October 10th & 12th - Report Cards Go Home & Parent-Teacher Conferences 3:30-7 pm
• October 13th - Virtual Day / Asynchronous Learning
• October 19th, 20th & 23rd - Fall Break - No School
• October 24-27th - Red Ribbon Week & Dress-Up Days
• November 9th - Fall into Learning Carnival
• November 20th-24th - Thanksgiving Break - No School
• December 1st - Virtual Day / Asynchronous Learning
• December 18th-January 2nd - Winter Break - No School
• January 3rd - Professional Development Day - No School
• January 4th - 2nd Semester Begins
• January 4th - Report Cards go home in TH Folders
• January 15th - Martin Luther King Junior Day - No School
• February 2nd - Virtual Day / Asynchronous Learning
• February 5th-10th - Missoula - The Princess & the Pea
• February 12th-16th - District Kindness Week / Acts of Kindness
• February 16th - 50's Valentine's Day Celebration
• February 19th - Professional Development Day - No School
• March 12th & 14th - Student-Led Conferences / PTO Bake Sale / Book Fair 3:30-7:00 pm
• March 15th-22nd - Spring Break - No School
• April 5th - Virtual Day / Asynchronous Learning
• April 26th - No School - Snow Day
• May 3rd - No School - Snow Day
• May 6th-10th - Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week
• May 7th - PTO Freedom Fun Run Annual Fundraiser
• May 15th - PTO Super Kids Day
• May 16th - Last Day of School / Parent Picnics / Report Cards go home

September: https://www.smore.com/8f0rp

August: https://www.smore.com/4hn5v