NHE Counseling Corner

Our NHE Falcons have had an awesome start to the 2025-2026 school year! I am enjoying getting to know our new to NHE students and giving hugs, high fives, and waves to our returning students. I look forward to supporting our NHE family this year!

I am starting my 24th year at NHE (15th year as a professional school counselor). I enjoy teaching bimonthly counselor lessons in every class, meeting with small groups of students, meeting with individual students, supporting our NHE staff, and helping connect our families to resources they may need such as food, clothing, and outside counseling support. I have a big heart for all of our NHE students and am ready to find as many ways as possible to help our kids grow socially and emotionally this year!

I enjoy meeting with students individually as needed! Students may be referred by a teacher, another staff member, or a parent to meet with me. Students in 3rd-6th grades are able to request to meet with me by using a QR code. This gives them the opportunity to advocate for what they need during their school day.

Here are some reasons a student might meet individually with me during school hours:

* conflict with a friend

* worried, anxious, or nervous about something

* feeling overwhelmed with school or something outside of school

* want help improving behavior

* want to set goals to improve grades

* want to learn strategies to help when feeling angry

* coping with death or loss of someone or something they care about

* challenges at home or outside of school

* family changes

These are just a few of the many things I talk with students about individually. I am happy to help your child when needed with any of these topics or others that may come up! Please know that I want to build trust with the students I meet with during the school day and will only share what we talk about with other adults if (1) the student gives us permission to share, (2) we are worried about the student hurting themself, (3) we are worried about the student hurting someone else, or (4) we are worried about someone hurting the student. I always make sure students know it is ok for them to share with their grownups what we talk about at any time. It is their story to share.

If students end up needing to meet multiple times about a specific topic, additional outside counseling resources will be shared. I am happy to share a list of RISD approved outside counseling resources with anyone who may be looking for additional counseling support for their child.

Here is an overview of the August and September lesson topics that will be covered in my guidance lessons with students:

Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grades:

* Intro to the Counselor Lesson- Students will learn about or review the role of school counselors and how they help support students. Students will also learn what they can do to request to meet with me.

* Self-Confidence- Students will learn what it means to have confidence in themselves and will learn the importance of celebrating their differences that help to make them each unique.

* Managing Emotions/Time to ACT- Students will be able to identify a variety of emotions. They will also learn how to identify the emotions they are feeling, how to identify the emotions others may be feeling, and how to use ACT (ACKNOWLEDGE how someone is feeling; let that person know they CARE about them; and TELL a trusted adult when needed to help support yourself or someone you are worried about).

* Bullying Prevention- Students will learn to differentiate between bullying and rude or unkind behaviors. They will also learn how to be an upstander to help protect themselves and others from other's mean words and actions.

4th and 5th Grades:

* Intro to the Counselor Lesson- Students will learn about or review the role of school counselors and how they help support students. Students will also learn what they can do to request to meet with us.

* Setting Reachable Goals- Students will learn to differentiate between short-term and long-term goals and will learn the steps to setting reachable goals. Students will use these steps to set at least one goal they want to accomplish this school year.

* Responsible Decision Making- Students will learn the steps to making responsible decisions to help them avoid negative consequences for the choices they make.

* Bullying Prevention- Students will learn to differentiate between bullying and rude or unkind behaviors. They will also learn how to be an upstander to help protect themselves and others from other's mean words and actions.

6th Grade:

* Intro to the Counselor Lesson- Students will learn about or review the role of school counselors and how they help support students. Students will also learn what they can do to request to meet with me.

* Setting Reachable Goals- Students will learn to differentiate between short-term and long-term goals and will learn the steps to setting reachable goals. Students will use these steps to set at least one goal they want to accomplish this school year.

* Responsible Decision Making- Students will learn the steps to making responsible decisions to help them avoid negative consequences for the choices they make.

* Time to ACT/Signs of Suicide (SOS)- Students will be able to identify a variety of emotions. They will also learn how to identify the emotions they are feeling, how to identify the emotions others may be feeling, and how to use ACT (ACKNOWLEDGE how someone is feeling; let that person know they CARE about them; and TELL a trusted adult when needed to help support yourself or someone you are worried about). Students will also participate in a lesson that focuses on learning the signs of suicide and how they can use ACT to help themselves and others when they notice the signs learned in the lesson. Additional information will be shared with 6th grade parents prior to this lesson being taught.

* Bullying Prevention- Students will learn to differentiate between bullying and rude or unkind behaviors. They will also learn how to be an upstander to help protect themselves and others from other's mean words and actions.

Note: Many of the lessons that will be taught in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade this year are from the Too Good for Drugs Curriculum required by RISD.

I am looking forward to working with our 6th graders to help prepare them for their transition to junior high. More information will be shared starting in late October or early November.

Check out the Junior High section of this calendar to find out when Westwood Junior High and West Junior High are offering parent information nights to learn more about the magnet programs offered at these two schools. Save the dates!

Click the link below to find out more about how and when to donate clothes to the Clothes Closet or how you can sign up to volunteer. Students who are enrolled in RISD schools are eligible to get clothing from the Clothes Closet. Please contact me if you want to learn more about these opportunities. Here is the link to learn more about the Clothes Closet: https://risdpta.membershiptoolkit.com/clothescloset

Please contact me if you need any information regarding outside counseling support, food, clothing, or other basic needs you may have. I am happy to share contact information of community partners who may be able to help you!

Let me know how I can best support you and your NHE Falcon(s)! E-mails and phone calls will be responded to during school hours. I will do my best to respond within 24 hours of receiving your message during the school week.

Email: paige.pendery@risd.org
Phone: 469-593-4332