Counselor Corner
December 2025
We were able to collect over 1,300 food items for the Thanksgiving food drive benefitting Feed the Family, a partnership between Huston-Tillotson University Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and AISD Parent Support.Our 5th graders won the grade-level prize for most items collected at 291 items! They won an extra recess, but the biggest prize was our community getting to help families have a more bright and full Thanksgiving day.
Way to go, Bear Creek!
More Information on Red Ribbon Week (Love Your Brain Week)
Dear Parents and Guardians,
In late October, Austin ISD celebrates Red Ribbon Week, also known as Love Your Brain Week, a time to celebrate healthy bodies and brains, and is a collaborative effort between Coordinated School Health Leaders, School Nurses, and School Counselors. We celebrated the week of October 27- Oct 31, 2025 with special announcements and dress-up days, culminating with costume day on 10/31.
The goal is to promote healthy choices, positive activities, and encourage students to avoid drugs, tobacco and alcohol. Each day has a content area focus and a fun theme to participate in:
Parents are one of the most important factors in creating healthy habits and in preventing alcohol and drug abuse. According to the National Family Partnership, children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations.
We encourage you to take some time this week to talk to your child about your expectation that they avoid drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. There has been a recent rise in vaping or “e-cigarettes” amongst Central Texas teenagers, and parents are key to preventing teen smoking. This resource from the surgeon general provides some tips for parents on how to have the conversation and sample talking points.
Austin ISD is also posting a handout in every nurse’s office that includes information from the “CRAFFT” screener. We encourage you to talk about the warning signs of drug and alcohol dependence with your child. If you need some community based resources for drug and alcohol treatment, contact your primary care physician, school nurse, or school counselor.
Many accidental overdoses occur from children taking unused prescription medications. This is also a good time to check your medicine cabinet and dispose of medication properly. Local Walgreens Pharmacies have “take back” programs, so you can take your old medicines there.
Thank you for partnering with Austin ISD as we help keep our students healthy and safe, so that they can graduate college, have a career, and be life ready!
Parent/Caregiver Resources:
Talk. They hear you. Underage Drinking Prevention phone APP for parents/caregivers
Community Resources:
AL-ANON & ALA TEEN
Support groups for families of alcoholics
(512) 441-8591
Phoenix House
Crisis Intervention, drug & alcohol abuse (13-17)
(512) 440-0613 x4745
Palmer Drug & Abuse Program
(512)-927-0422
OSAR (in Round Rock)
Free outreach, screening & assessment referral
(512) 244-8444
Youth Advocacy
Counseling and drug court assistance
(512) 444-9505
If you or someone you know needs resources for food, please refer to this LIST of local organizations.
If you'd like to refer your child to the counselor, please use this FORM. A counselor "check-in" is a short meeting where I assess the student's needs and whether follow-up is needed.
