Hello Centurion Students & Families,

I am Mrs. Walker the school counselor for the 6th Grade Academy (Team Black & Team Red). I am here to assist all 6th grade scholars' with their transition into middle school. Through my comprehensive school counseling program, my role as the school counselor is to collaborate with families, school faculty and the community to provide a safe, caring climate and atmosphere. The following services and supports are offered: academic support, goal setting and decision making skills, social emotional learning, conflict resolution and whole group and small group counseling lessons.

A Little About Mrs. Walker

• JCPS employee for many years in a both Elementary & Middle School (Special Education Teacher & School Counselor).
• Educational Background: Bachelors Business/Marketing, Masters in Special Education & Masters in School Counseling
• 24 years Mental Health Professional
• Married with Two Teenagers and a Dog
• Enjoy vacationing, shopping, spending time with friends and watching my children play Golf and Lacrosse

We are going to have an amazing school year together and I look forward to your partnership in your scholars education!

Warmest Regards,

Counselor Walker

Below are some of the topics that we will discuss this school year:

• Healthy Relationships
• Conflict Resolution
• Suicide Prevention
• Bullying Prevention (Bullying vs Peer Conflict)
• Digital Citizenship/Social Media (Negative & Positive Footprints)
• Goal Setting

Transitioning into middle school is a fresh start for our scholars. It can be a little overwhelming with a lot of new changes at once, such as larger new school , new friends, multiple new teachers, schedules, and learning new routines etc. Parents can play a huge role in helping their students to have an amazingly positive and valuable year at school, so here are some tips to help encourage and inspire student success:

• Support being on time and regular attendance at school
• Getting prepared the night before (Check Agenda, Charge Chromebooks, Prepare backpack)
• Work on organization skills (Use planners, calendars, color code folders, notebooks etc.)
• Encourage positive homework, reading, and study habits at home
• Make time every day to talk to your student about their school day, so that they feel important and see how important school is to you
• Make getting a good nights' sleep and eating a healthy breakfast part of your students' daily.
• Limit Screen time ( Computers, T.V, video games & phones)

*These helpful tips and more can be found at http://kidshealth.org*

Parent Resources

Parents as your child is transitioning into middle school, preteen/teenage years, self discovery, digital world etc. I want to provide you with some resources to help with the transition. Please check out www.operationparent.org. This is a local website that provide webinars, events and education for parents with children/teenagers. Topics such as (Drugs, Social Media/Internet Safety, Anxiety& Depression, Mental Health, Trauma, Managing Screen Time, Suicide Prevention, Divorce, Death, Vaping etc. Parents you are not alone, so I want to make sure that I provide you with all the resources that you need to assist with your child transitioning into their teenage years.

Suicide Prevention: Week of Sept 3rd

MAP Testing Reading: Tuesday September 10th 1st and 2nd Periods

MAP Testing Math: Wednesday September 11th 1st and 2nd Periods

Make-up / Extended time Thursday September 12th and Friday September 13th

• Parents & Guardians, thank you for being patient with the school as we navigate our new drop off and pick up care rider line! Please continue to follow our car rider line procedures.
• Parents please consider our neighbors as you wait to pick up your child. Please do not block intersections, driveways or cross walks.
  
• Parents if your student is a walker in the afternoon and you have given your child permission to walk off the school property to the surrounding business, please talk with your child about being aware of their surroundings and street safety. Also remind them how to conduct themselves in the stores and restaurants without an adult present.

Mental Health Support is offered for our students at JCTMS. We have a school based Mental Health Practitioner name Ms. Elizabeth Lewis and we also have some outside providers that will offer school based therapy at school during the day. If you would like for your child to have school based services, please complete the form below. Lastly, if you would like additional outside therapy resources please see www.psychologytoday.com

Families you find will all the information that you need on the school website linked below.

• Calendars and Upcoming events
• School sports and Extracurricular Activities
• PTA
• Purchase Tickets
• School Twitter Page
• Faculty Email Address
• Handbooks
• Dress code
• Pay fees etc.

Aisha Walker

6th Grade Academy Counselor

aisha.walker@jefferson.kyschools.us

Twitter: @counselorwalker

Ring Central Phone/Text: 502.830.0760