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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Ellis School.

SCHOOL HOURS ARE:

Building Open to Staff	7:30 AM
Tardy Middle School	7:50 AM
Tardy Elementary School	8:35 AM
Building Closed	4:30 PM

Middle School Guidance

Welcome back! I'm very excited to be back at Ellis School, we have many exciting programs scheduled for the 2011-2012 school year! I am available through the school year to help you and your child have a successful school experience. Students do not always adjust easily to school. Many struggle with the academic work, changes in their families, health concerns, or friendship issues. When a child’s emotions begin to interfere with his/her ability to adjust positively to the demands of school, brief services may be helpful. Individual and small group counseling, lunch groups, parent and teacher consultation and/or emergency services and referrals for additional support may be appropriate. If you are worried about your child’s adjustment, do no hesitate to call or e-mail me.

Thank you for all you do for the community of Fremont, here’s to another great school year!

National School Counselor Week!

February 6–10 is National School Counselor Week! This year’s focus is “School Counselors: Helping Students Be Brilliant.” The week-long celebration, organized by the American School Counselor Association, is meant to highlight the impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

So have you ever wondered what counselors do for students here in Fremont? The counseling position has four components:

Classroom instruction: Counselors deliver standards-based lessons to all K-8 students on topics including personal relationships, social skills, and career planning.

Response services: Based on need, counselors meet with students, individually or in groups, to ensure that those students can be academically successful. Counselors also coordinate with a variety of community organizations, including SoRock, NHHEAF and SASS.

Individual student planning: Counselors serve as the 504 Plan case managers in Fremont (504 Plans serve students with disabilities that impact their education). Counselors may also sit on special education teams. Mrs. Farrar also coordinates the 8th grade transition to area high schools.

Administrative support: Counselors are a part of the administrative team, and often assist in both school wide planning and individual student interventions.

During this week Ellis School counselors will discuss National School Counselor Week with all students; each student will be given a pencil that states “We Love Ellis School Counselor” in our school colors. Students will be encouraged to bring home an Ellis School Counselor brochure for more information

Middle School Lunch Groups

New lunch groups will start the week of March 5th and run for seven weeks. These lunch groups are voluntary; the sign up sheet will be posted Monday, February 20th outside Mrs. Farrar’s office door.

Winter Warm Up

All middle school students who arrive to school by 7:30 are welcome to sign up for Mrs. Farrar’s winter warm that starts Monday, January 2nd. Students who sign up can come into Mrs. Farrar’s office at 7:30 each morning until the bell rings to catch up o n homework and/or as a daily check in. Space is limited; sign up sheet posted December 19th outside Mrs. Farrar’s office door.

Local Resources

Families First-support for families...........health care for all.

Parenting & Family Programs, for more information visit www.familiesfirstseacoast.org

Stepping Stones

A Bereavement Program for Children and Teens

www.manchestervna.org

DC4K-Divorce support for kids. www.DC4K.org

Deployment Support Information available at www.militaryonesource.com or at 1-800-342-9647

Seacoast Hospice Offering Grief Support Groups starting this month in Portsmouth, Dover and Exeter. Groups offered include, healing after suicide, grieving parent, young widow & widower, senior widow & widower and general grief support groups. For more information contact Deborah Proulx at 1-800-416-9207. Registration is required.

Dial 2-1-1 in New Hampshire for information you may need concerning non emergency issues.......

Child care resources

Clothing and thrift shops

Food shelves and nutrition programs

Housing-homeless prevention

Parenting programs

Utility assistance

Youth and family services

Michelle Farrar, B.S., M.Ed

Ellis Middle School Guidance Counselor

895-2511 Ext. 438