Counselor's Corner

Kindergarten

Our classroom lesson in February will focus on kindness at school and why kindness is important and how it can make us and others feel good.

First Grade

Our classroom lesson in February the practicing power of kind acts. With adult support, students will be able to give at least one reason why they think kind acts are important.

Second Grade

Our classroom lesson in February will focus empathy at school. With support, students will be able to describe how empathy leads to an act of kindness in a given scenario.

Third Grade

Our classroom lesson in February will focus on kindness and friendship. Students will be able to identify kind acts that can build a new friendship.

Fourth Grade

Our classroom lesson in February will focus on a new point of view. Students will be able to demonstrate taking another person’s point of view as a way to have empathy.

Fifth Grade

Our classroom lesson in February will focus on empathy and kindness. Students will be able to use empathy to identify problems in their community and the people affected.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

In January of 2023, Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 288 (SB 288), also known as “Erin’s Law, mandating that school districts notify parents about required curriculum implementation around child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention. Schools must implement these new requirements grades K-12 beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, and thereafter.

SB 288 requires that school districts provide students in grades kindergarten through six developmentally appropriate instruction on child sexual abuse prevention, including information on available counseling and resources for children who may experience abuse.

To meet the requirements of the law, our elementary school counselors will be teaching lessons to our K-5 students from a supplemental component of our current Second Step program, Child Protection Unit Grades PK-5. The Second Step program is a program our District counselors have utilized for many years to provide lessons to students, and the additional Child Protection Unit meets the requirements of the law. Our school counselors will be teaching these topics as part of their regularly scheduled monthly lessons in classrooms. School personnel selected this curriculum due to its age-appropriate content regarding child abuse prevention and healthy relationships, as well as its approval from the Department of Education. Providing this child protection prevention curriculum may help to create a greater awareness of the warning signs associated with unhealthy relationships and prevent abuse before it occurs. More information about the specific curriculum can be found at this link. Utilizing the trained school counselors to present these lessons helps communicate the message in a safe, age-appropriate manner. This content will begin in the next month as part of the counselor’s regularly scheduled classroom lessons.

Concepts that will be included in Grades K-3 include:

• The Always Ask First Rule - understanding stranger danger, creating boundaries and knowing who trusted adults are

Concepts that will be included in Grades 4-5 include:

• Keeping yourself safe - when you’re on your own or with friends, you are responsible for your own safety

• Always Ask First - discussing three ways to stay safe (recognize, report, refuse),

There is an opt-out policy whereby the parent/guardian may sign a permission form to withdraw his/her child from participating in these classroom lessons. If you do not wish your child to participate in the child protection curriculum, please sign the form on the back and return it to your child’s teacher, and your child will receive alternate activities to complete outside of the classroom during the lesson time with no penalty or work to make up. If you do not sign and return this form, your child will remain in the classroom to take part in the counselor’s lessons. In order to opt your child out of these lessons, please return this to your child’s teacher by February 20, 2026.

If you have any questions about the curriculum or its implementation in the classroom, you may contact Mrs. Erin Green, Director of Curriculum at eringreen@scsmustangs.org

Sincerely,

Erin Green

Director of Curriculum

Parent Permission Slip to Withdraw from Child Protection Unit Lessons

I have been notified about the child protection curriculum of Senate Bill 88 that will be implemented in my child’s class and wish to withdraw my child from participating in the class lessons. I understand that my child will receive an alternative activity in a different location during the counselor classroom lessons with no penalty or work to make up .

Date:________________________________________________________________________

Name of child: ________________________________________________________________

Name of Parent/Guardian: _______________________________________________________

Signature of Parent/Guardian: _________________________________________________________

Classroom Homeroom Teacher: ___________________________________________________

Building: ______________________________________________________________________


Please return to your child’s teacher by February 20, 2026.

We can't make sure our kids always succeed. We can, however, teacher them how to deal with failure effectively, and set them on the path to success. Here's how:

Why is it important to attend Parent Teacher Conferences?

Kids and teens do better in school when parents get involved. Attending parent–teacher conferences is one way to be involved and help your child succeed.

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/parent-teacher-conferences.html

Home links are fun activities that encourage interaction between your child and adults at home. The activities provide students with a chance to practice Second Step skills outside of school and help families learn about the skills so that they are able to utilize them at home.

We have been focusing on empathy, identifying their own and others' feelings, noticing and respecting same and different feelings, and showing you care about how someone else is feeling. This leads into our diversity and inclusion lessons this month. When students can understand and respond in a caring way to how someone else is feeling, it creates a positive school climate.

Please click the links below which teach specifically about empathy and why it is important. These links also include fun activities to do with your child at home to help them identify feelings and practice empathy and compassion.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Meghan Medlock

Email: mmedlock@scsmustangs.org
Location: 19091 Waterford Pkwy, Strongsville, OH 44149, USA
Phone: 440.268.5445