Folks Counselor Connection

• Counseling Department Google Form- Make a request to talk with a counselor by clicking on this link:
• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hs3zbo6dCOioHb88TcXdS7q2dNMmq-if09iXG63e-zM/edit#slide=id.p
  
• Email
• Ask teacher for a pass to visit their counselor

*Parents can also call or email their child's counselor to set up an appointment.

Our Mission

The mission of the Counseling Department at Dr. John Folks Middle School is to provide and implement a comprehensive school counseling program that is designed to assist all students by advocating for their personal, academic, social, and emotional well being. Our goal is to empower, support and equip our students to receive the best education in a safe and nurturing environment that will equip them to be successful in their future. We are dedicated to helping students grow and continue to have life-long success and make a positive impact in their community.

Professional school counselors work within 4 key components: responsive services, individual planning, guidance & system support.

Folks counselors offer tiers of support to all students when working within our four components of counseling.

Students, parents and teachers will be invited to complete a needs assessment form, so that counselors can gather information on important topics to address through guidance lessons and small groups.

Parents,

Please take a few minutes to complete our Parent Counseling Department needs assessment form below to help us support your child at Folks Middle School:

https://988lifeline.org/

As a campus, we all play a vital role in ensuring that everyone has a great day and feels safe. During YOU MATTER week, flyers were posted in classrooms with positive affirmations that students could take what they need each day as counselors support our students. Morning announcements focused on letting students do kind things to let others know that at Folks We All Matter!

October is National Bullying Awareness Month, a timely reminder to take action to foster safe and supportive environments. By promoting kindness, inclusivity, and respect, we can contribute to creating environments where everyone feels valued and respected. The month is a reminder to always be kind and compassionate to others, promote acceptance, and boost inclusivity to prevent bullying.

https://www.stompoutbullying.org/world-day-bullying-prevention

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/

https://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2020/10/21/october-national-bullying-prevention-awareness-month

On Friday, October 4th all NISD students and staff will be invited to sign a Declaration of Respect poster as part of the district's anti-bullying initiatives. Folks Stallions are encouraged to always take a stand against bullying and treat others with respect and kindness throughout the year. Our students and staff members are committed to providing a safe, respectful and healthy school climate at Folks Middle School as we all declare to do our part to prevent bullying and cyberbullying!

MilitaryChild.org

October 11 is the last day of the first nine weeks. Students should be checking their grades in HAC regularly to ensure they are not missing assignments!

Join us for a district-wide community educational forum hosted by the Safe Schools Initiatives program. This event is open to all NISD families. Due to the nature of the topic, it is recommended for adults. However, parents may bring their high school children, at their discretion.

Special Agent, Armando Talamantez will discuss the important message of the DEA's One Pill Can Kill awareness campaign. NISD Officer David McCormick will speak about the current trends in drug use in and outside of NISD. Adriana Felts, NISD Prevention Counselor, will discuss drug prevention in Northside.

Intrapersonal Relationships

• Developing a positive self-concept
• Changing a particular behavior
• Developing ways to manage the demands of school, social activities, and family
• Making positive decisions and taking responsibility for actions

Interpersonal Relationships

• Evaluating how prejudices can be harmful
• Respecting and appreciating differences
• Learning how to effectively communicate with others
• Navigating relationships with friends, dating partners, family members, teachers, employers

Post-secondary Planning and Career Readiness

• Motivation to achieve in school
• Understanding how grades can affect post-secondary choices
• Selecting a career or college path
• Setting post-graduation goals

Personal Health and Safety

• Identifying resilience and positive coping skills
• Identifying assertiveness skills for personal protection
• Learning how to set personal boundaries
• Creating a personal wellness plan

Howdy & Needs Assessment Guidance Lessons

• the role of professional school counselors
• small group counseling offerings for this year
• Student 2 Student (S2S) Ambassadors--supporting new students transition to Folks/lunch buddies

Bully Prevention Awareness Guidance Lessons

• understand David's Law and its implications in school
• campus resources for personal health & safety & coping skills to help regulate their emotions
• students took the Anti-Bullying Pledge acknowledging to never use their device as a weapon.

For more information on David's Law please click this link: https://www.davidslegacy.org/2019/07/08/davids-law-a-texas-pta-story/

Drug Awareness / Vaping Guidance Lessons

• Identify the dangerous effects of drugs on the brain
• Understand possible school and legal consequences of drugs
• Focus on making healthy choices to stay safe

Northside ISD middle schools follow a 9 week grading period. Report cards are no longer printed each 9 weeks, the grades are available in HAC the week after the grading period ends. In HAC, click on the grades icon and then the report card tab. The year is broken down into four quarters and the grading timeline is as follows:

1st Quarter: Aug 19 - Oct 11

2nd Quarter: Oct 14 - Dec 20

3rd Quarter: Jan 7 - Mar 7

4th Quarter: Mar 17- May 29

The counseling department has a Schoology account where students can access dates for upcoming events, guidance lessons, how to reach their counselor, and much more!

The Folks Counseling Department is honored to be recipients of the CREST (Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas) Award for our school counseling program for two consecutive years in a row! It is so rewarding to work with our amazing staff, students, parents, and community!

We are excited to announce that Folks Middle School has been named a 2024-2025 Purple Star Campus! Our campus will retain the Purple Star Campus Designation for school years 2024-25 and 2025-26.

This special recognition from the Texas Education Agency highlights schools that go above and beyond to support military connected students and families. 💜💜💜