Counselor's Corner

Temperance is one of the virtues that Oro Grande students are asked to uphold. Temperance is showing self-restraint or self-control. Students are encouraged to do this by following the school rules, being kind to others and doing the right thing when put in a situation that involves others not making good choices. The tools we are teaching from the Toolbox Project curriculum support temperance. Students can use the breathing tool and their quiet/safe place to calm down and not use hurtful words towards others. The empathy tool reminds students to think of others and their feelings. The courage tool tagline is, "I have the courage to do the right thing." As we teach the tools, we are reinforcing the virtues.

The Breathing Tool - I calm myself and check in.

The breathing tool can be used when overcome with emotion. Taking slow, deep breaths slows our body down and then we can begin to think clearly and have a conversation.

The Quiet/Safe Place Tool - I know my quiet/safe place.

When we have a real or imaginary quiet place, we can go there when overcome with emotion. After we have regulated our emotions, we can begin to communicate.

At Oro Grande Classical Academy we will be learning about the 12 Tools below and how to use them everyday. Last month students talked about feelings and now we'll move on to using the tools when feelings arise. We will discuss the 12 tools as a whole during the month of September, and how the tools can help us to respond with kindness to others.

At Oro Grande Classical Academy we have various community programs available to students and families.

The Student Assistance Program run by the Havasu Community Health Foundation offers an after-school group for students. If you are interested, please contact the school for enrollment forms.

Food 4 Kidz provides snacks to students on Friday to have for the weekend. To sign up, please contact the front office.

A list of community resources for a variety of providers can be found at the school front office bulletin board or going to: orogrande.lhusd.org/counselorscorner

At Oro Grande we are building a pro-active, preventative school counseling program to benefit all students. We use the Toolbox Project curriculum for weekly classroom lessons and connect the school virtues to the tools. If you ever have questions or comments, please contact Miss Martin. Contact information is at the end of this newsletter. Thank you!

The best way to contact me is via email: Susan.Martin@lhusd.org

You can reach me by phone at 928-505-6989.