Counselor Newsletter

🐾Hello Bulldog Families🐾,

November brings exciting and meaningful lessons for our Bulldogs! This month, we’ll explore growth mindset, continue our focus on bullying prevention, and support our 5th graders as they begin preparing for the Middle School transition.

Take a moment to browse this newsletter to see what’s ahead and how we’re helping students grow, learn, and thrive this month.🌟

Mr. Trejo, NISD's 2025 Pillar of Trustworthiness awardee, was our guest speaker for our Pillar of Character celebration and he delivered a wonderful message to our students and their families. "Being trustworthy means that you are helping others by being honest, being brave in doing the right thing, and reliable in what you do every day". Thank you to all our Pillar Awardees for making our school a wonderful place to be!

Students took the RESPECT pledge and made the choice to support a school environment that is safe, respectful, kind and inclusive. This event is a district wide initiative to promote anti bullying prevention programs.

Students practiced effective communication skills and explored strategies from Kelso’s Choices to learn positive ways to manage and solve small problems independently. They were also able to apply their skills in problem solving stations.

Students learned about the Golden Rule-"Treat Otters the way you want to be treated."

The Most Magnificent Thing

Content Area: Intrapersonal Effectiveness

Student Competency: Students will demonstrate a positive self-concept, resilience, coping skills, grit, and a growth mindset.

Students in Pre-K through 2nd grade will read The Most Magnificent Thing. "A story about an unnamed girl and her very best friend, who happens to be a dog. The girl has a wonderful idea. “She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.”- from Kids Can Press.

Family Discussion:

1. Can you think of a time when you felt frustrated while trying something new? What helped you keep going?

2.Why do you think it's important to take a break when you're feeling frustrated?

3. How does it feel when you finally finish something you’ve worked so hard on?

Walter Had a Best Friend

Content Area: Interpersonal Effectiveness

Student Competency: Students develop healthy relationships.

Walter and Xavier are best friends. They do everything together! But then…quietly…slowly…Xavier becomes best friends with someone else. Walter goes from feeling hurt and left out to feeling confused and angry to feeling just plain lonely. Until one morning he wakes up feeling a tiny bit hopeful. That day, while out for a hike by himself, he meets Ollie. Could this be the beginning of a new friendship?

Family Discussion:

1. What do you look for in a friend?

2. How do you know they are a good friend for you?

3. What can you do when a friend no longer wants to be your friend?

Content Area: Interpersonal and Intrapersonal relationships

Student Competency: Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities, use effective communication skills, learn how to make and keep friends.

The Weird Series by Erin Frankel is a trilogy that will be shared with 3rd and 4th graders. These three books tell the story of an ongoing case of bullying from three third graders’ perspectives. Luisa describes being targeted by bullying in Weird! Jayla shares her experience as a bystander to bullying in Dare! And in Tough!, Sam speaks from the point of view of someone initiating bullying. Kids will easily relate to Luisa, Jayla, and Sam, as each girl has her own unique experience, eventually learning how to face her challenges with the help of friends, peers, and caring adults.

Family Discussion:

1. Have you ever felt left out or treated unkindly? How did it make you feel? What helped you feel better?

2. What are some safe ways you can stand up for someone who is being bullied?

3. What can you do each day to help others feel included and respected?

The students engaged in a fun anti-bully dance! Always remember to BE YOU, you're AWESOME the way you are!

Zachry's Principal and Counselor will be visiting our campus this week! On November 13th, 5th-grade students will have the opportunity to learn what a day in middle school looks like, explore the courses offered at Zachry, and ask questions to learn more about middle school life. Check out the following important dates:

APPLICATION OPENS UP ON NOVEMBER 17th!

NISD offers 5 different Magnet School Programs. Check them out!

Bulldog families, we're here to support you! If you’d like more information about any of the resources listed below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. For some of these resources, I’ll need to submit a referral on your behalf. You can find my contact information at the bottom of this newsletter.