Counselor Corner

Time has been flying here at Green Hills!

Our students and families have 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

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

I have been visiting our students in grades K - 5 at least once a month to deliver lessons aligned with our character education curriculum. Here is a snapshot of what we have been discussing this month:

Kindergarten - We have been focusing on recognizing our own feelings as well as those around us. We spoke about all of the clues that we can use to figure out how other people might be feeling, and we played a game that allowed the students to guess how different people might feel in different situations.

First Grade - We have been learning more about accepting each other's differences while also recognizing all that we have in common. We read The Sneetches, and then students participated in an activity that allowed them to discover common interests with their classmates!

Second Grade - We have been exploring the concepts of gratitude and holding grudges. We had a great conversation, read The Sour Grape, and then students spent some time writing and drawing about all of the things for which they are grateful.

Third Grade - We have been focusing on empathy and including others. We read the book The Invisible Boy, and the students then had a chance to write, draw, and share about situations in which they have gone out of their way to make others feel included.

Fourth Grade - We have been discussing what empathy means to us, and how we can try to understand how people feel, even when we have not had similar experiences. Students worked in groups to explore how different people might feel in various situations, and they then had a chance to finish a comic strip where they could put themselves in other people's shoes.

Fifth Grade - We have been learning about conflict resolution, and different ways that we can deescalate rather than escalate difficult situations. We had a wonderful discussion, and then students were able to play a "Scoot" activity with a partner and respond to different prompts about productive ways to resolve conflicts.

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 March 19th 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.

In partnership with the Mental Health Association, we presented a parent program focused on supporting families as they help their child manage stress. Presented earlier this week, the impact of stress on youth's mental health was discussed. Families were provided with specific stress management techniques they can share with their children.

The Great Kindness Challenge is one of my favorite weeks of the year! The entire school came together at the beginning of the week for an assembly that focused on kindness and teamwork.

Our Mustang Zone members worked diligently to develop fun, meaningful tasks for students of all ages to complete. Younger grades were paired with our middle school students to work together on a variety of activities. Students made signs to hang in the hallways, delivered cards to classmates and staff members, and visited our Kindness Stations during lunch and recess.

As a reward for their kindness and for the overall achievement of earning over 250 horseshoes this school year the students voted to see Mr. Bollette taped to the gymnasium wall at the end of the week!

We were very excited to offer the "Just Talk About It" parent presentation from Minding Your Mind for our parents in January. This 90 minute virtual parent presentation is one of Minding Your Mind’s most popular and flexible programs. “Just Talk About It” is foundational mental health education for adult audiences. Facilitated by a mental health professional and featuring a young adult speaker, parents heard about the two sides of the youth mental health experience.

The program is designed to give families practical strategies to empower them to start a mental health conversation with the youth in their lives. We are very grateful to the parents who were able to attend the important presentation.

We collaborated with the Mental Health Association to offer a valuable parent presentation focused on social media and its relation to youth mental health. The program focused on adolescent mental health and the impact from social media including the benefits vs. risks. Parents were offered safety tips, ways to set healthy limits and how to support safe practices.

We were thrilled to be able to welcome the crew from LEAD U back to Green Hills School. Our students had a blast as they learned how to become positive, resilient leaders within your school community.

Our 8th grade students are beginning to plan for their Freshman year of high school! All 8th grade students had the opportunity to meet with their counselors from Newton High School in late February. Parents, students, and counselors worked together to create a schedule for their Freshman year, and to discuss the variety of opportunities that will be available to them in high school.

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!