Hello Wolves! Thank you so much for reading the information in this newsletter. We are officially past the 6-week mark, which means our routines are (hopefully) well established, and all of us are back in the groove of the school setting. We have been busy supporting students, families and staff in adjusting to the new school year, and we are excited to see our students grow academically, socially and emotionally!

In this issue you will find:

• Introducing our School Counseling Trainees
• Good bye and good luck to Mr. Garcia
• Start with SEL: Routines and Expectations!
• Bullying Prevention Month
• Red Ribbon Week
• Community Resources
  
• Save the Date(s)!
• Contact Information

This year we will have two amazing School Counselor Trainees from San Diego State University under the supervision of Mrs. Amador. They are here every Thursday working to support the School Counseling Team goals. Please say hi if you see them and read below to get to know them a bit!

Hello! My name is Mei Xia Stanley, aka Ms. Mei Xia (pronounced like May-Shaw) and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I graduated from UCSD in 2020 and I am currently studying at San Diego State University to become a school counselor. I am so excited to be here at LMA this year as a school counselor trainee. I am here because I believe so deeply in the power and potential of young people, and I am passionate about working with and supporting them in their journey to achieve their goals and become the best version of themselves. When I'm not in school I love to write, play video games, go to the beach, and spend time with my loved ones.

Hello! My name is Charlie Grenier (aka Ms. Charlie), and I am so excited to be a school counselor trainee at La Mirada Academy. I am a long-time member of the San Marcos community, attending Woodland Park Middle School and Mission Hills High School. I graduated from UCLA in March 2022, and I now attend San Diego State University to earn a Master's degree in School Counseling. Through counseling, I hope to help make schools a place where all children feel safe, loved, empowered in their learning and confident in their ability to achieve their goals. In my free time, I love to bake, try new restaurants and cafes, and go thrift shopping. Thank you for allowing me to share this space with you all. I am excited for us to learn and grow together throughout the school year!

As some of you may have heard during our first Friday Flag of the year, Mr. Garcia, one of our assistant principals, will be leaving LMA to join the Grizzly Team at Mission Hills High School next week.

The Counseling Team wishes him the best in his new school site, and we want to thank him for this past year of continuous collaboration in supporting our students to be the best learners and humans!

Mr. Garcia just remember that once a Wolf, always a Wolf! Best wishes to you!

Come and join the counseling team in learning more about the importance of routines and structure in student success. You will receive a visual schedule to help you set great morning and afternoon routines at home with your student(s)!

We hope to see you there!

October is Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying is commonly defined as unwanted aggressive behavior that is repeated (or likely to be repeated) between two or more students with an observed or perceived power imbalance.

Solutions to bullying are not simple. Bullying prevention approaches that show the most promise confront the problem from many angles. They involve the entire school community—students, families, administrators, teachers, and staff such as bus drivers, nurses, cafeteria and front office staff—in creating a culture of respect. Zero tolerance and expulsion are not effective approaches. Bystanders, or those who see bullying, can make a huge difference when they intervene on behalf of someone being bullied. Studies also have shown that adults can help prevent bullying by talking to children about bullying, encouraging them to do what they love, modeling kindness and respect, and seeking help.

Your Counseling Team is prepared to support students understanding the definition of bullying and how to be upstanders against bullying to keep our school community safe and welcoming to all.

If you would like to learn more about bullying and what you can do to support your student(s) please click on the following links:

• Facts about bullying
• What parents can do

The week of October 23 to 31 is Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. At LMA, your Counseling Team facilitates a series of developmentally appropriate activities to promote a healthy lifestyle for all of our students.

Please be on the lookout as we share more information about our Red Ribbon Week activities, including a spirit week!

If you would like to learn more about Red Ribbon Week, please click on the following link:

Red Ribbon Week FAQ

If you would like to learn more about the importance of early prevention in drug abuse, please watch the video below. Herron Rocky is a retired DEA agent that currently works with the San Diego County Office of Education, and travels around the world, to prevent drug abuse with the Operation Prevention campaign. He often collaborates with our District and school site to bring important information for our students and families about current trends and drug abuse prevention.

Latino Book & Family Festival on October 15, 2022 at Mira Costa College!

Click HERE for more information

Please click on the following links for a comprehensive list of resources:

• Student Wellness
• Mental Health and Counseling Resources
• Emergency Psych Evaluation Centers
• Community Resources (Housing, Food, Etc.)
• Technology Resources and Support
• North San Diego County Food Resources

School Counselor (Last Names A-L)

Email: marthaanahi.amador@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/
Location: Room A-128
Phone: (760) 290-2006

School Counselor (Last Names M-Z)

Email: miriam.jaimes@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/our_school/school_counseling_department/school_counseling_staff/miriam_jaimes__school_counselor
Location: Room A-126
Phone: 760-290-2016

School Social Worker

Email: gloria.ortiz@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/
Location: Room A-127
Phone: (760) 290-2444