Counselor Corner

It has been a very busy first month at Green!

Our students and families had the opportunity to participate in a number of meaningful programs, and we have more to come! Continue reading below for more information!

Please remember that I am here to support the students however I can. I am available to meet if a student needs help or just wants to talk! Don't hesitate to reach out if I can support you in any way.

Please visit my website links to resources and information!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Stiles

mstiles@greenhills.org

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There have been significant changes made to the HIB Law in the state of New Jersey that took effect in recent years. Please join Mr. Bollette and Mrs. Stiles on October 10th for an important presentation about the law, how we are working to reduce bullying, and how the recent updates could impact your family.

Please click here to RSVP for this event. A zoom link will be sent the day of the presentation to those who RSVP.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. We plan to recognize the month in a number of ways. We celebrate the Week of Respect, and planned a number of activities for the students to do during their Flex period. We kicked the week off with a presentation for our K - 5 students focused on inclusivity from Timothy Rohrer! Thank you to our brave teachers who volunteered to be part of the action! Throughout the month, Mrs. Stiles will present the Bullying Prevention lessons to students, helping them learn how to recognize, report, and refuse bullying when they see it.

Parents play a key role in helping to prevent and respond to bullying. For more information about what you can do to be part of the solution, go to stopbullying.gov for valuable resources.

We are lucky to be bringing back Gizmo's Pawesome Guide to Mental Health for our third and fourth grade students! This program introduces young children to methods for maintaining mental wellness, coping with stress, navigating sadness, and enhancing their emotional health. Students learn about, at an age appropriate level, talking to a trusted adult, taking care of their physical and mental health, and ways to cope when they are managing difficult emotions.

The Center for Prevention and Counseling is bringing their Hidden in Plain Sight program to our school on October 24th at 6:00 pm. This presentation provides parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers and other adults an opportunity to explore a teenager’s bedroom to see and identify drug paraphernalia, hiding places and other signs that may indicate alcohol or other drug use by a teen.

Throughout the event, prevention specialists and local law enforcement explain various Sussex County substance use trends, signs, symptoms and lingo in an effort to raise awareness about substance use and provide resources for parents and community members to help keep youth healthy and drug-free.To RSVP for this program, please click here.

We will be hosting a Career Fair in the middle school on November 14th, and we are asking for some help from the community! Students will travel to different classrooms throughout the afternoon to learn about various careers that may be of interest to them! If you would like to come in and speak to students about your career, please click here to fill out a google form or email Mrs. Stiles.

For more than 20 years, The Center for Prevention and Counseling has been hosting an in-person Middle School Summit. This year, Green Hills will be represented by twenty five of our 7th and 8th grade students! This program makes a positive and lasting difference, as students learn the leadership skills and techniques to make their school safe and inclusive. Through the keynote presentations, messages from high school mentors as well discussions and hands-on activities, students are empowered to better understand the theme of “We are All in This Together” as our school works to reduce bullying, increase leadership, empathy, resilience and positive school climate.

Sussex County Technical School is hosting its annual Tech Trek on November 16th from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm. This is a day to expose 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students to Career and Technical Education. The registration form with more information was emailed to parents and distributed to students during homeroom. Please return the registration form directly to Sussex Tech. Tech Trek is one of Sussex Tech's most popular events, and seats fill up quickly. Cost is $15 which includes bagel breakfast, snacks throughout the day, and a gift bag for the students. If you need a new registration form, please reach out to Mrs. Stiles!

For over 20 years, the Center for Prevention and Wellness and the New Jersey Herald have coordinated a contest called "What's Your Anti-Drug," which invites students in grades 4 - 12 to submit a piece of writing or a piece of art for possible inclusion in the Herald's eight page anti-drug supplement. This year, they have also included a new contest called "What Makes You Happy" for students in grades K - 3! Click here for the submission form for grades 4 -12, and click here for the submission form for grades K - 3. We have had student work appear in the NJ Herald for the past three years, and it is always very exciting for students and families!

Our fifth grade students will once again spend time with officers from the Sussex County Sheriff's office for the L.E.A.D. program, which "promotes positive, pro-social attitudes and behaviors, while helping students learn about fostering healthy relationships, resistance to substance abuse and conflict, and resistance to negative peer pressure and influence." Students will have the opportunity to participate in ten weekly lessons, which will focus on the development of specific traits and skills: goal setting, decision making, effective communication, anger management, conflict resolution, and pro-social bonding. To learn more about this program, click here.

After the last few challenging years, it is more important than ever to teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend. In late September, our 8th grade students had the opportunity to participate in a program called SOS (Signs of Suicide). The program teaches students about this difficult topic and encourages them to seek help for themselves or for a friend.

We also invited all parents in the community to join a virtual Signs of Suicide program for adults, and we are grateful to those who took the time to attend.

Our 8th grade students are getting ready for high school! We will be learning more about Newton High School in the coming months, but Pope John and Sussex Tech have some important events coming up in the next few weeks!

Pope John is hosting several open houses in the coming months. The dates are: Thursday, October 3rd | 9:00 am - 10:30 am, Wednesday, October 30th | 9:00 am- 10:30 am, and Wednesday, November 20th | 9:00 am. - 10:30 am. To learn more about these events, click here. A representative from Pope John came to speak with our 8th grade students on Monday, September 30th. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2025 school year, and the deadline is December 6th. You can learn more about the process by clicking here.

Sussex Tech began accepting applications on October 1st. They are hosting an open house on Thursday, October 24th. They are also hosting their annual Tech Trek on Saturday, November 16th, which is an event open to students in grades 6 - 8 who are interested in learning more about the programs offered at the school. This event requires pre-registration, and spots do fill up quickly. Forms were offered to interested students and emailed home to parents. A representative from Tech will visit our 8th graders on October 15th. You can learn more about the admissions process by clicking here.

I have updated my webpage to include a virtual office where you will be able to find information and helpful resources! It is a work in progress, so be sure to check in regularly for new information! Click on my bitmoji above to take a look around!