January 2023 School Counselor Newsletter
Dear St. John Families,
Happy New Year! I hope your family had a safe and wonderful winter break!
With the new year comes new Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) groups! SEL groups are a key support I offer students in K-5th grade. Groups focus on a variety of SEL skills, including emotional regulation, coping skills, friendship, and conflict resolution skills. Groups are formed with 4-6 same-grade peers and meet weekly for 30 minutes during the school day for ten weeks.
This is the last call to sign up for the winter round of groups. Please fill out this online form by Monday, January 9th if you would like your child to participate in a group.
As always, feel free to email me at cshaw@st-johnschool.org if I can assist you or your family in any way!
In partnership,
Ms. Shaw
January Resources
– Here are 5 positive family rituals you can use to kick off the new year that promote kindness, gratitude, and a positive attitude! These ideas come from the fantastic Big Life Journal—a treasure trove of parenting resources and ideas.
– On January 24th, PNW Parent Education is hosting a free talk with Dr. Lisa Damour titled, “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents.” Dr. Damour is the author of the New York Times best seller, “Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood.” In the talk, she will discuss typical adolescent emotional development and strategies for supporting teens through the emotional ups and downs of adolescence.
– To support the emotional lives of the younger children in your life, check out Coping Skills for Kids. Here you can learn about five key coping styles (relaxation, distraction, sensory, movement, and processing) and techniques to explore each style. Try out a variety of strategies with your child and discover which coping style(s) best aligns with their emotional needs! (Friendly reminder: since we’re all different, we also have unique coping styles, so what works best for one person may not for another and that’s perfectly ok! 😊)