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Jun 24, 2017
Charlton Heights Elementary SchoolPashley Elementary SchoolStevens Elementary SchoolO'Rourke Middle SchoolBH-BL High School

Counseling Center

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News and notes
May, 2017

Middle Years Newsletter

Looking for ideas to keep minds thinking?  Then click here to read the May edition of the Middle Years Newsletter. 

 

5th Grade Visitations

Fifth graders from our three elementary schools will have the opportunity to visit and tour the Middle School before this school year comes to an end.  Students will be transported by bus with their teachers and will be given a tour by current 8th graders.  Charlton Heights will visit on May 23rd, Stevens on May 30th, and Pashley on June 1st.

 

 

 

 

Counseling Staff

All Counseling Center staff can be reached by calling 399-9141, extension 84040.

 

Parents and School Counselors...Partners Helping Kids

As students progress from one grade to the next, their counselor moves with them, providing continuity and time to really get to know students and their parents. They take a holistic approach to making sure each student has a positive experience at O’Rourke Middle School and that they are well-prepared for successfully meeting the challenges of the future.

The president of the New York State Counselors’ Association states the following: "School counselors play an instrumental role in shaping students for success – not just academically, but socially, behaviorally, and emotionally as well. For instance, they:

  • Help students deal with and diffuse problems brought into school from home and outside the classroom;
  • Act as consultants to teachers and serve as sources of institutional knowledge for administrators;
  • Provide academic and career guidance to students, and help them meet and overcome emotional- and mental- health challenges;
  • Establish and promote supportive learning environments;
  • Develop academic and behavioral intervention programs; and
  • Foster and maintain parental involvement.

At O’Rourke Middle School, the school counselor focuses on helping students balance the demands of school, family and friends. Special attention is paid to teaching "life skills" such as organization, study skills, time management, responsibility, cooperation, teamwork and other habits and attitudes that will serve students well in any classroom, job or social situation. Counselors are available as resources to parents and caregivers as students navigate their way through the middle years of their education.

 

Resources for Parents and Students

 

Recommended Websites for Middle School Parents

There are hundreds of resources on the internet that Middle School parents could find helpful. Here are a few that we recommend:

  • www.girlshealth.gov A very girl- and parent-friendly website from the U.S. Department of Health that covers many topics from drugs and bullying to illness and nutrition. A good starting point for a parent-daughter chat on difficult topics.
  • www.4parents.gov Similar to the above site but equally relevant to boys and girls. Includes conversation starters and lots of tips on talking to your teen or pre-teen.
  • www.allkidsgrieve.org/home.html A resource for helping children deal with grief from many types of loss including divorce.
  • www.educationatlas.com/study-skills.html A resource containing tips for improving study skills such as note taking, solving math word problems, dealing with test anxiety, effective listening and much more.
  • www.how-to-study.com A study skills resource site.
  • www.khanacademy.org  Thousands of videos that provide a full course on instruction in a variety of topics, from social studies to statistics.
  • Best Open and Free Educational Resources for Students Share these resources for all subjects with your students. They are excellent tools for supporting students who are struggling and they allow all students to delve deeper into content that sparks their curiosity.
  • Ten Sources For Free Textbooks Online Use this site to get a ton of useful information from a variety of links.
  • Education Technology for Diverse Learners Here is a collection of research on the needs of diverse learners: students with special needs, English language learners, and students with unique interests and backgrounds. Resources and free courses for educators wishing to support diverse learners are also shared.

Mission Statement

The mission of the O’Rourke Middle School Counseling Center is to work cooperatively with students, school personnel, parents, and the community to help students make desirable educational, personal, and social decisions.