Counselor Connection

lftorek@ashland.k12.ma.us

(508) 532-8074

Important Dates:

• May 2: Grade 2 to 3 parent information session at Mindess
• May 7: Cartwheel Webinar 7:30 pm
• May 10: Parent Coffee for Current Grade 2 Parents of students with IEPs or 504 plan at Mindess at 9:30 am, also Ashland High School Make-A-Wish Dance Party 6:00 pm
• May 16: Warren School Art Show 5:30-7:00 pm

• May 22: Incoming Kindergarten Screening (by appointment)

• May 23: Incoming Kindergarten Screening (by appointment)

• May 27: No school in observance of Memorial Day

Is it tattling? Is it telling? How do you know? This month in Social Skills, we learned how to tell the difference between tatting and telling.

Tattling

- Trying to get someone in trouble

- It is a small problem and you can solve it yourself

- Blaming someone else for your behavior

Telling

- Someone if hurt or could get hurt

- It is a big problem that needs grown up help

- Bullying

Ask you first grader to explain the difference!

This month, we also tackled the difficult concept of Perspective! We read one of Ms. Ftorek's favorite books, Hey, Little Ant. In the book, we look at a story from 2 different points of view (a boy and the ant he is about to squish!). In the end, we decided that the boy should let the ant go free!

Learning about perspective helps students to understand how someone else might be feeling during a conflict with friends. First graders learned what it means to "walk in someone else's shoes".

Please remember to pack a snack for your child every day, including early release days! Also, if you have extra snacks at home that your child does not like, please feel free to donate them to the front office labeled, "snacks for counseling office." Pretzels, Cheez-its and Goldfish are always welcomed!

As the weather gets warmer, please remember to send your child with a water bottle! Drinking enough water throughout the day is vitally important to your child's health and ability to learn. If your student needs a water bottle, send them to see Ms. Ftorek!

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining, there is a lot more opportunity for outdoor play! Research has shown that playing outside improves children's motor coordination and physical stamina and overall heath. In addition, outdoor play promotes positive social emotional responses and encourages curiosity and discovery.

Find more reasons to send your kids out to play in this article by BSN Sports: From Screen Time to Green Time: Why Kid's Need More Time Outside.

We are so lucky to have the Ashland Recreation Center in our town. ARC is offering several spring and summer programs - make sure to check out their website!

Ashland Public Schools has partnered with Cartwheel Care to provide our students access to a licensed therapist within seven days. Therapy is provided virtually, and sessions are available after school, in the evenings, and on the weekend. Therapists speak a variety of languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Indonesian, Hebrew, Ga (Ghana), Twi (Ghana) and Moroccan Arabic. All insurance is accepted.

If your child would benefit from this service, please contact Director of Counseling Jen Taylor at jtaylor@ashland.k12.ma.us or your child’s school counselor.

Free Webinars

Cartwheel Care also offers free webinars to empower caregivers, family members, and school staff with practical and actionable information on mental health topics affecting youth and families today. Sign up to receive webinar invites here.