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Counseling Connection

With Mrs. Cordova, Young Elementary Counselor

Counseling ConnectionWith Mrs. Cordova, Young Elementary Counselor

January 16th, 2024

JANUARY Guidance Lessons

Happy New Year! 2024 is a blank slate and a new opportunity for our students to set intentional goals and finish the school year out strong! Talking to your student about their goals academically and otherwise can help you know how to support them on their journey to success!


In our Kindergarten - 2nd grade guidance lessons we are still going strong in our empathy unit; focusing on showing compassion and how to help others, as well as starting to notice feelings in ourselves and how they feel in our bodies.


In our 3rd grade - 5th grade classes we continue to think about and recognize the feelings of ourselves and others. We will also begin to learn strategies that help to manage strong feelings when they occur. These skills are SO important to learn and take with them as they grow.

Ideas for Family Fun/Activities and Connection

Check out these fun ways to connect and spend time with your children/family!


  • January 19th is National Popcorn Day so pop some up and enjoy a movie with the family!
  • Learn together how wild animals survive the winter. Your child could then draw a picture of their favorite animal you learned about.
  • Pick a random country from around the globe and go to the Library to find a book or two about It.
  • Make ice wreaths!
  • Start a new hobby together - knitting, puzzling, a reading challenge, etc. find a common interest you all share!

Community Resource Spotlight

Jenny's Hope is a grief center located right here in Decatur that provides free grief counseling to adults and children.



A little bit about them from their website:

No one should ever have to grieve alone. There is healing found when we share our stories, our fears, and our memories. In 2017 we discovered Wise County Christian Counseling had 59 families with children needing grief counseling on the wait list. We could hardly bear it that 59 sets of parents were on the edge of their seats waiting for a call for help. We prayed, we dreamed, we sought advice. We decided to open Jenny’s Hope, a free grief center for children and adults.



No grief journey is the same. What is the same is the need for support. Jenny’s Hope is a place for healing and support found in hope, love and compassion.


They are about to kick off their next round of groups starting 1/22. These groups last 8 weeks and are completely free to attend. The groups are for ages 5 and up along with their guardians. If you are interested in joining a group or want more information you can contact them at (940) 627-1618 or email britt@wiseccc.org.



You can also check out their website:

https://jennys-hope.org/

Coping skill

There SO many options of activities your child can do to work through their big emotions. However, any coping skill works best when it is specific to that child. In the calm times, talk with you child about what they like to do, what relaxes them or makes them feel positive feelings? Then you could create a coping skills wheel or chart together to have on hand to refer back to when their strong emotions are starting to take over. Having a choice still lets them have control in a time where they might feel overwhelmed by how they are feeling.
2023-2024 Young Elementary Counseling Information Form
Use this link to let the counselor know what counseling and/or resource needs your student or family has.
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Wise County food pantry locations and details

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Espanol- Wise County Despensa de Alimentos

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Wise County 4H Information

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Please reach out if I can answer questions or help out in any way!

Courtney Cordova M.A.

Counselor

Young Elementary

Email: courtney.cordova@decaturisd.us
Location: 379 Buchanan Road, Decatur, TX, USA
Phone: (940)-393-7446

Courtney Cordova
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