Counselor's Corner
February Counselor Newsletter
Sarah Milner School Counseling Department Mission and Vision Statements
Mission: The mission of the Sarah Milner Elementary school counseling department is to empower students to achieve their highest potential by providing a data informed school counseling program in a safe, equitable and accessible environment. The program fosters academic, career, and social-emotional development that prepare students to be leaders in their communities. Students will demonstrate responsibility for their learning, curiosity, and develop a strong sense of self-efficacy with the support and advocacy of the school counseling program.
Vision: At Sarah Milner Elementary School, students are responsible, collaborative, and resilient. They respect and welcome differing perspectives, demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills, and have the skills necessary to achieve excellence. Students are self-aware lifelong learners, preparing them to confidently pursue college and career opportunities.
Contact the Counseling Office
📧 Email: emily.gruen-white@tsd.org
📞 Phone: 970-613-6734
February Awareness Dates
February is...
Black History Month
Career and Technical Education Month
Gap Year Awareness Month
International Boost Self-Esteem Month
The following days are also celebrated in February:
February 3-7: National School Counseling Week, Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action
February 9-15: Random Acts of Kindness Week
February 15: International Childhood Cancer Day
February 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
February 24-28: National Eating Disorders Awareness Week
February is Black History Month!
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month, celebrated during the month of February, is a way of remembering and celebrating the contributions Black Americans have made, and continue to make, to our society.
Cater G. Woodson began the celebration as a week in February of 1926, and overtime, it has grown to be observed for the entire month. The theme for Black History Month in 2025 is, "African Americans and Labor".
How can I celebrate Black History Month?
There are many ways we can celebrate, including:
- Watching tv or movie shows, reading books, or playing video games that prominently feature Black characters and Black history
- Seeking out stories from folks who lived during the Civil Rights era
- Attending local showcases of Black history, art, and culture
February 3-7 is National School Counseling Week!
What is National School Counseling Week?
National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA (American School Counseling Association), is way to celebrate the impact that school counselors have on the success of students everywhere. This week, always celebrated in the first full week of February, acts as an opportunity to advocate for and educate about school counseling programs. The theme for 2025 is" School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive".
How can I celebrate National School Counseling Week?
You can celebrate NSCW by by:
- Asking a school counselor about their job and work
- Explore ASCA's website, like the tab "About School Counseling" on the front page, found here
- Take a closer look at the Sarah Milner Counseling Department Vision and Mission statements at the top of this newsletter
I am incredibly honored and privileged to get to work at Sarah Milner and support students, their families, and other staff members. If you're curious about how I provide that support, I'm available at the email address and phone number above. I look forward to hearing from you.
February 9 - 15 is Random Acts of Kindness Week!
What is Random Acts of Kindness Week?
Random Acts of Kindness Week is a time for us to celebrate the tiny contributions we can make to make the world a better place. This week highlights the countless things we can do for ourselves and others in order to create a better world, and it reminds us of the power of kindness that we can use every single day.
How can I celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week?
The main way to celebrate this week is to do random acts of kindness and see what difference it makes in your life! The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has plenty of ideas and activities for anyone to do during this week (or anytime!).
Sarah Milner is a Leader in Me School!
What is Leader in Me?
Leader in Me is a framework for schools to build a culture focused on leadership and success for every student. It has been successfully implemented in thousands of schools in the United States and many more all over the world. The Leader in Me began with The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey, which originally only applied to adults. Over time, these habits have been adapted for use in schools and with students. At Sarah Milner, the Leader in Me curriculum is taught 4 days a week for 15-20 minutes, but the principles are woven into the culture of the school.
The 7 habits are:
- Be proactive
- Begin with the end in mind
- Put first things first
- Think win-win
- Seek first to understand, then to be understood
- Synergize
- Sharpen the saw
For the month of February, we will emphasize the fifth habit in this newsletter: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
What does this mean?
Practicing this habit is all about communication. It means that we are good listeners who value other people's perspectives and opinions while also effectively sharing our own feelings and opinions. Practicing this habit means we understand and validate others while also being comfortable sharing our needs and ideas.
How can I reinforce these concepts at home?
- Help your child develop empathy by focusing on a person or character in media and ask questions about their experience and emotions. What is that person going through? How do you think they feel about what's going on?
- Practice "I" statements with your student to help them take responsibility for their feelings and actions. By saying, "I feel upset" or "I didn't like that", kids learn to focus on themselves rather than pushing blame onto others for their emotional state (i.e. "You did this to me!", "You're so mean!", etc.).
- Take opportunities to make sure you and your student feel heard. This doesn't mean we have to agree, but validation and acknowledgement can go a long way (i.e. "I see that you're frustrated because we have to get ready for bed. I know it can be really difficult to stop playing games.").
The school is ultimately a partner in your child's learning journey. We very much appreciate collaborating with parents and adults at home as we all learn more about Leader in Me and students are able to demonstrate their leadership potential.
For more information about Leader in Me, check out the Leader in Me website.