MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS COUNSELING NEWS
FEBRUARY 2023
FEBRUARY 2023
"February is the month of love. Loving yourself, loving your neighbor, and loving the small blessings that show up in the most unique places." (Unknown)
In middle school, everything centers around friendships and peer connections. Therefore, I want to dedicate the February edition of this newsletter to the idea of navigating friendships and provide resources for you to help support your daughter(s) during this journey.
CLASSROOM LESSONS
Sixth-grade students will continue discussing various topics as Girl Talk continues during the second semester In January, the sixth graders created a list of class-wide resolutions and performed skits with their leaders to represent these resolutions They also participated in their third-quarter counseling lesson, which focused on friendship, relational aggression, and con ict resolution There are a few takeaways from this third quarter lesson First and foremost, I strongly recommend that you spend time viewing your daughter’s text messaging and social media usage I have been made aware of quite a bit of con ict occurring via group and class text messaging. Your daughters know that I am recommending this to you Secondly, the sixth graders completed an activity to vote on the top characteristics they nd valuable in a friendship I would encourage you to continue discussions at home around how to be a good friend and what to look for in a friend. The top characteristics they selected include fun, always there for me, helpful, knows everyone’s business and lls me in, communicates, cares
STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES
Student-led conferences will be held individually with each student and their advisor and parent(s) These will be conducted in twenty-minute increments during the school day on the dates below, either in person or via Zoom.
Eighth-Grade Student-Led Conferences – March 23
Seventh-Grade Student-Led Conferences – March 24
Sixth-Grade Student-Led Conferences – March 28
An email containing the conference registration link will be sent to all parents at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, February
3. Registration will close on March 3 at 3:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Giljum, Middle School Counselor, directly at mailto:agiljum@visitationacade my.org.
SUMMER ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES
While summer still feels far away, it will be here before we know it! As we become aware of additional summer camp opportunities, they will be added to the Counseling page of the Viz Portal Be sure to check back often to view updates There are several local area summer opportunities for you to consider, including options at Visitation Academy
Stay tuned for more information regarding Visitation Academy summer camps!
about my feelings and opinion, is trustworthy, and empathetic
In seventh grade Owning Up, we recently discussed ways to show empathy and compassion within our class and the greater community We also spent time focused on healthy and productive con ict resolution strategies. Please ask your daughter to de ne S E A L for you and explain suggested ways to tackle con ict with peers, friends, parents, siblings, and teachers.
The second half of the eighthgrade class spent time learning about advertising and body image. Students spent time in our last meeting analyzing an advertisement of their choice
UPCOMING DATES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS
Mid-Third Quarter – February 3
Girl Talk (Sixth Grade) – February 28
Owning Up (Seventh Grade) – January 31-February 1, February 13-14, and March 1
Owning Up (Eighth Grade) – February 27 and March 6
MS Parent Speaker Night – March 1 from 6:00-7:00 p m
Rescheduled YMCA Parent Presentation – March 22 from 6:30-7:30 p m (Doors open at 6:00 p.m.)
Student-Led Conferences – March 23 (Grade 8), March 24 (Grade 7), and March 28 (Grade 6)
WHEN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1ST, 6-7PM WHERE 3020 NORTH BALLAS ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO
MORE INFORMATION
Middle School Parent Speaker – Kara Friedman
Thursday, March 1, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. DeChantal Hall
Middle School Madness: EffectiveStrategiesto Help ParentsNavigatetheMiddleSchoolYears
Navigating the middle school years as a parent can be challenging and confusing, lled with many questions such as: When should I worry? How do I respond to this new behavior? Will she ever come out of her room? How do I cope with my/her anxiety? Am I ruining my child?
Please join Kara Friedman, a private practice therapist with over 20 years of working with anxious teens, as she helps you answer these questions and more. Walk away with new strategies, dialogue, and perhaps a refreshed mindset on how to best approach raising a middle school girl
To reserve your spot at this parent-only event, please email mailto:agiljum@visitationacademy.org.
About Kara Friedman
http://www karafriedmancounseling com
Kara has been in the counseling eld, working with adolescents and adults for the past 23 years, and there is no other career she would choose She enjoys helping people overcome their challenges while gaining a better understanding of who they are and becoming the best version of themselves. Kara nds that if people are open and willing to make a change, anything is possible- no matter their age.
Kara received her BS in special education at Miami University and her MS/ EdS at Indiana University. She is licensed in Missouri as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Kara has extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy through the Beck Institute and Exposure Response Prevention Therapy through the International OCD Foundation Her private practice, located in Clayton, specializes in working with teens and women struggling with anxiety, OCD, low selfesteem, and everything having to do with worry. Kara has worked in a psychiatric hospital setting as the Lead Case Manager for the children's program, served as a Middle School Counselor for 17 years in the independent school setting, and also has been in private practice for the past ten years. She was awarded the honor of speaking at the American School Counseling Association national conference and the Independent Schools Association conference She has spoken to numerous groups of parents and students on various topics regarding anxiety and all things middle school related. Kara has served as a consultant on the Advisory Board for Girl Talk, Inc and the Board for Girls in the Know (http://www.girlsintheknow.org).
PARENT PRESENTATION -
"RAISING MENTALLY FIT KIDS: STARTING THE CONVERSATION"
WHEN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22ND, 6:307:30PM WHERE 3020 NORTH BALLAS ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO
MORE INFORMATION
The YMCA presentation "Raising Mentally Fit Kids: Starting the Conversation" at Visitation Academy has been rescheduled for March 22 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. in DeChantal Hall Doors will open at 6:00 p m and there will be a resource fair following the presentation from 7:30-8:00 p m This parent-only event includes a brief presentation, parent panel, and resource fair To register, please click the following link -
https://www eventbrite com/e/529370620777
CHECK IT OUT - RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
Article – "How to Help Your Tween Navigate Drama with Friends" (Parents com) by Andy Mullen, 2022
https://www parents com/kids/development/how-to-help-your-tween-navigate-drama-withfriends/
Article – "Three Friends, One Odd Girl Out: Cracking the Girl Threesome" by Rachel Simmons
https://www rachelsimmons com/three-friends-one-odd-girl-out-cracking-the-girl-threesome/
Article – "Dismantle the Mean Girl Time Bomb" (HoustonFamilyMagazine) by Christina Katz, July 2022
https://houstonfamilymagazine com/featured/dismantle-the-mean-girl-time-bomb/
Podcast – "My Friends' Kids Are Excluding My Kid What Should I Do?" by Lisa Damour, 2022
https://drlisadamour com/my-friends-kids-are-excluding-my-kid-what-should-i-do/
