Middle School Counseling Newsletter - October 2022

MIDDLE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL COUNSELING COUNSELING NEWS NEWS OCTOBER 2022

“Another fall, another turned page.” Wallace Stegner (American Novelist) Somehow, October is upon us! Please remind your daughter(s) to be gentle with themselves as the first quarter winds down. They have accomplished so much thus far this year!

It has been such a joy to get to know your daughters. I am so excited for what lies ahead for our middle schoolers as we continue into fall.

CLASSROOM LESSONS concluding their study skills

PARENT RESOURCE NIGHT – THANK YOU!

course (1st quarter) on October

Thank you to those who

13. Recent lessons focused on

attended the recent Middle

organization, active listening,

School Parent Resource Night

group collaboration, and test-

presentation. With the school

taking strategies. The sixth

year well underway, it is always

graders also have participated

beneficial to check in to see

in two Girl Talk sessions with

how things are going, learn

their Upper School mentors.

from one another, and be

Lessons and discussions in Girl

reminded of various supports

Talk have centered around the

available to your daughter(s). If

transition into middle school

you could not attend, the

and bonding with their small

presentation from the Middle

group leaders. Girl Talk monthly

School Parent Resource Night

meetings will continue through

can be found on the Counseling

April.

Resource tile in the Viz Portal.

Sixth Grade – Our sixth graders are

Seventh Grade – Our seventh graders will begin the Owning Up curriculum this month. This program is designed to help them with topics such as healthy friendships, conflict resolution, and empathy. An optional Study Skills Club, open to all seventh graders, will continue after school on Wednesdays (3:003:45 p.m.) through October.

Eighth Grade – Half of our eighth graders began the Owning Up curriculum this month. This program is designed to help them with topics such as body image, eating disorders, and the media’s portrayal of females in

ERB STANDARDIZED TESTING Middle School students are required to take the ERB standardized tests ONLINE on the following dates in October: - Tuesday, October 11, from 8:00-9:35 a.m.

(Math Part 1 and 2) - Wednesday, October 12, from 8:00-11:30 a.m.

(Verbal Reasoning, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning) *Note – 11:30 a.m. dismissal for all MS/US students on Wednesday, October 12. Please bring a snack. There will be no lunch or Extended Day. Students may dress down today (please follow guidelines in the MS Handbook).

- Thursday, October 13, from 8:00-8:45 a.m.

(Writing Mechanics) An email with additional details was sent previously to all parents. Please arrive on time for school on testing days. Any students who are late or absent must make up all missed tests before or after school or during enrichment periods. Make-up testing will be scheduled with Mrs. Giljum and Mrs. Jung after October 13.

our society. Lessons will continue into December. The second half of the eighth graders will participate in these lessons during the second semester. An optional Study Skills Club, open to new eighth graders, will continue after school on Wednesdays from 3:00-3:45 p.m. through October.

Through the organization Etiquette St. Louis, Cotillion began on Tuesday, October 4.

The Cotillion program will continue on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:00 p.m. through October and early November, concluding with a formal dinner/dance on Friday, November 3, offcampus.

TESTING TAKING TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR STANDARDIZED TESTING 1. Prepare ahead of time – A good night’s rest before testing is critical. Please encourage your daughter(s) to eat a full breakfast.

They also should come to school each day with a fully charged laptop. Standardized testing for middle school is all done on the laptop.

2. Just before testing – Arrive early to school, so your daughter(s) have plenty of time to get to their testing location. Testing will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. on each day of testing. Avoid rushing! Remind them to use the restroom before entering the testing room.

3. During testing – Remind your daughter(s) to read and listen to all directions (pay close attention); read all possible answer choices before selecting an answer; focus on each question individually instead of worrying about the entire test; do not spend too much time on any one question; and skip those they do not know, with a plan to return to them at the end of the test.

4. Don’t forget – Your daughter should avoid distractions and work at her own pace.

Standardized testing is not a race! Remind her to take deep breaths, feel her feet grounded on the floor for comfort, and avoid comparing herself to others in her testing location. Remind her to just do her best!

Additional Test Taking Tips: https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/testing-tips.html

Additional Tips to Reduce Test Anxiety: https://success.oregonstate.edu/sites/success.oregonstate.edu/files/LearningCorner/Tools/t est_anxiety_20.pdf https://childmind.org/article/tips-for-beating-test-anxiety/

UPCOMING DATES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS Optional Study Skills Club for Grade 7/NEW Grade 8 Students - October 5, 19, and 26 (3:00-3:45 p.m.)

Optional MS Wellness Club (Grades 6-8) - October 6 and 20 Girl Talk (Grade 6) - October 18 ERB Standardized Testing (Middle School) - October 11-13 (various times, see above) (Note: Early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 12. No Extended Day offered.)

End of 1st Quarter – October 13 Owning Up (Grade 7) – October 18, 25, and 26 Owning Up (Grade 8) - October 20 and November 3 Cotillion (Grade 8) - October 4, 11, 18, 25 and November 1 (3:30-5:00 p.m.)

(Note: Formal dinner/dance will be held in the evening on November 3 off campus.)

MRS. ASHLEY GILJUM, MSW Middle School Counselor Grades 6-8 agiljum@visitationacademy.org visitationacademy.org

(314) 625-9225