Urey Counseling Corner

Hey, it's me...your SCHOOL COUNSELOR!

Welcome back, Falcons! New grades, new teachers, and new routines can bring big feelings—totally normal in middle school. The fastest way to lower family stress is to rebuild predictable rhythms: sleep/wake times, homework blocks, screens off before bed, and a calm morning routine. Validate jitters (“nervous and excited can happen together”). Work with your student to learn how Harmony and Canvas work so that you can help your student with daily/weekly check-ins. Adjust nightly routines for homework and nightly prep for the next day now that you can see what their weekly schedules will be. Reach out to me if you have any concerns about your student:) The best part of my job is getting to know our kids, hanging out, and helping them learn how to navigate through the challenges/stresses of life.

Always here for UMS families!!

Middle school is when phones, group chats, and gaming chats really ramp up. Create a Family Media Plan so expectations are clear before problems pop up. Keep tech out of bedrooms at night, set “call‑me” words for help, and coach kids to pause–screenshot–save–tell when something feels off.

Kids & Screen Time: How to Use the 5 C's of Media Guidance

The "5 Cs" offers easy-to-remember, age-based media guidance tips for parents. It's based on research and what we know supports family relationships, social-emotional development and mental health. Learn how to use this guidance, which is available for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, school-age children, young teens and older teens.

healthychildren.org

-Week 1: Who do you usually sit with at lunch? What do you like about that time?

-Week 2: What’s one way someone showed kindness to you this week?

-Week 3: What’s something you can do to be a good friend to someone else?

-Week 4: If you could invite one friend to do something fun this weekend, who would it be?

open_in_new

College & Career GO! Week

September 22-26 Get ready students for a FUN spirit week where we all DRESS UP and learn more about college and career paths!!

Monday: Hats off to college-WEAR YOUR FAVORITE HAT

Tuesday: Your future starts at UMS-WEAR YOUR FALCON GEAR

Wednesday: Off to College/Military-WEAR YOUR FAVORITE COLLEGE TEAM/MILITARY SHIRTS/SWEATS/ SWEATSHIRTS

Thursday: Don't sleep on your future-WEAR YOUR FAVORITE PAJAMAS & SLIPPERS. *Make sure pajamas are school appropriate:)

Friday: COLOR WARS: 7th grade wears RED/8th grade wears BLACK
*The grade that wears the most of their assigned color will win a sweet treat!!

Picture Day is coming up OCTOBER 1ST

Get your clothes ready for picture day!! Information on how to order pictures will be coming to families within the next few weeks.

Off to college-IUSB/Ivy Tech-OCTOBER 2nd

8th Grade students will be visiting IUSB and Ivy Tech campuses on Thursday, October 2nd. Help students be ready by:

-Helping students dress for the weather-campus tours are both inside and outside.

-Bring a lunch/drink

*More details will be coming home soon.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

Here are some links to articles and sites that may help you and your student(s). If you find a site/article that was helpful, email me and share your thoughts with me:)

Executive Functions Skills help for parents:

https://www.thepathway2success.com/parent-support-executive-functioning/

Suicide Awareness & Prevention:

https://www.in.gov/health/cfr/files/SLC-T.Family!!.pdf

NEW 988 Suicide Lifeline #:

https://www.in.gov/fssa/dmha/update-on-988-in-indiana/

Anti Bullying:

https://www.stompoutbullying.org/parents-page

https://www.pacer.org/bullying/parents/helping-your-child.asp

Anxiety/Stress:

https://childmind.org/topics/anxiety/