Columbia Counselor Corner

Happy New Year Eagle Families!!

As we enter 2026 take a moment to reflect on 2025 and all the memories, successes, and progress you have made in the last year. It is important to remember big or small you grew in so many ways over the year and that is something to celebrate! See below for how to create a bucket list for positive goals this year.

Counseling Groups

Groups will be starting in January for students who have been referred by teachers as someone who will benefit from this support. Students must be opted in to participate in group. If you feel your student could benefit or would like more information please reach out.

K-Kids

2nd grade mentors have met with their kinder mentees and are excited about building relationships this year to help their kinders grow.

Shop with a Cop

In December a group of students had the opportunity to participate in Shop with a Cop. Thank you Columbia Police Department for making this happen!

Character Strong

January character trait of the month is Perseverance. See below for more ways to connect what students are learning at school to discussions at home.

As always, feel free to reach out with questions, resource needs and anything else I may be of support. You can reach me by email: ashley.phelps@myeagles.org or by calling 517-769-8557, feel free to leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I am available.

Try creating a bucket list at home with your family to look forward to all the things you would like to experience in 2026! See below for some ideas on what you may like to add to your list.

Hello!

December was a busy month!

*Mrs. Phelps and I coordinated sponsors with families in need for the holidays. This is a big undertaking, but we are happy to support families in our community. We want to thank all of the sponsors who helped many families in our community have a fantastic and merry Christmas!

*Some of our students attended the Shop with a Cop Event. Thank you to our Columbia Township Police for putting on the event and the Brooklyn Sportsman's Club for helping with the event as well as Mrs. Liebau's Leadership class from the high school who also helped! The students enjoyed spending time with Santa.

*Our Food Drive went well at CUES ending with our fun annual Food Drive Race-the teachers had to race against the clock to load all of the items into trucks (running the length of the gym). If they don't do it in time, then the students get to do a fun, educational activity the last day before break! Teachers were not able to beat the clock this year, due to a change in rules, to the students' great delight!!! Teachers were not allowed to use bags or boxes to move the items. The students had a great time watching the staff run with canned goods tucked in their shirts.

*We will be starting our Peer to Peer program here at CUES in January. Students will be selected by a school committee of teachers, our principal and myself. They will be trained in conflict resolution and peer to peer mentoring and then helping students with conflicts during recesses here at CUES.

*I will start Conflict Resolution guidance lessons for grades 3-5 in January as well as a guidance lesson on "Understanding each other and how we are more alike than you think" lesson with the 6th grade students.

* Starting in January, I will be do a Lunch Bunch during lunches where students will play board games and other game activities. During this time, we will work on social skills, conflict resolution, and inclusion of others as we have fun playing games. It will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, and attendance will be on a sign up basis.

*Character Strong, as well as Student of the Month, will continue in January. January's word is Perseverance.

We here at CUES hope our families and community had Happy Holidays and a relaxing family filled break! We hope life slows down for our families in January and everyone has some time to catch their breath.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns -krista.schatzle@myeagles.org or 592-2181.

This month the mindfulness moment is Boxed Breathing. Lie on your back, close your eyes, relax and still your body. Breath in for 4-6 seconds, until your lungs are completely full. Hold that breath for 4-5 seconds, then slowly release the breath for 4-6 seconds, and once again, hold without breath for 4-5 seconds. This is a great strategy to use when upset because it works to slow your breathing, reset your diaphragm, and calm your mind. Do several times until you are calm and feeling better.

Mental Health Resource List

The following document provides a list of different mental health resources available in our surrounding area. If immediate danger is suspected please call 911. For additional guidance and support, our district counselors are available through school email.

Ashley Phelps, CES Counselor, ashley.phelps@myeagles.org

Krista Schatzle, CUES Counselor, krista.schatzle@myeagles.org

Jessica White, JR/SR High Counselor, storm.caryl@myeagles.org

Wendy Diefenthaler, JR/SR High Academic Counselor, wendy.diefenthaler@myeagles.org

Will Bower, District 504 Coordinator - Counselor, will.bower@myeagles.org

211

Dial 2-1-1 for immediate access to over 2,000 services available to Jackson County Residents. When you call you are connected to a trained Information and Referral Specialist who can discuss your needs and give you the information and/or referrals you need to find what you are looking for. There is an online directory of available resources as well on the website listed above.

Okay2Say

Michigan.gov/okay2say/

A student safety program that allows students to confidentially report potential harm or criminal activity directed at school students, school staff and schools. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students can submit tips through phone, email, text message, mobile app or Okay2Say website.

Community Action Agency Jackson, Lenawee & Hillsdale Counties

1214 Greenwood Ave. Jackson, MI. 49203

400 W. South St. Adrian, MI. 49221

55 Barnard St. Hillsdale, MI. 49242

517-784-4800

517-263-7861

517-437-3346

Services: Education, Economic Self-Sufficiency, Housing, Health & Nutrition, and Community Development.

LifeWays CMH

1200 North West Ave. Jackson, MI. 49202

25 Care Drive Hillsdale, MI. 49242

517-789-1200

517-439-2641

Behavioral Health Services in areas such as severe mental issues, intellectual/developmental disability, substance use disorder, and co-occurring disorders.

Family Service & Children's Aid

330 W. Michigan Ave.

Jackson, MI. 49201

517-787-7920

Born Free: Counseling & treatment for females (ages 14+) 12-step recovery program into daily life; Intro to Alcoholics & Narcotics Anonymous and Al-Anon; Families & Schools Together: families attend an 8-week group focusing on family bonding, communication, discipline and nurturing; Other services by referral only: drug screening, counseling (group & individual), First Time Offenders Program, and Breakout Drug Free Education Program in schools (6-12th grade); Child abuse and neglect educational presentations

Lenawee County Community Mental Health

517-263-8905

Behavioral Health Services in areas such as severe mental issues, intellectual/developmental disability, substance use disorder, and co-occurring disorders.

LJ Gallagher PsyD and Associates PLLC

451 Marshall Street

Brooklyn, MI 49230

(517) 414-0697

A Healing Place, LLC

207/209 First St. Jackson, MI. 49201

1218 Greenwood Ave. Jackson, MI. 49201

517-998-4673

Services: Individual Psychotherapy, Psychological Testing, Children/Adolescent Therapy, Family Counseling, Couples Counseling and Group Therapy for Eating Disorders.

Accepted Insurances (Varies by Therapist): BCBS, BCN, Priority Health, HAP, Aetna, Cofinity, PCN/PHP, JHN, Medicare, Magellan, Meridian