Counselor Weekly Update 2/7/25

• Feb10-14 10th grade IP/ course registration
• Feb. 12 Middle School Magnet to High School Course Selection Day (8-11a)
• Feb. 12 Counselor Team Check-in Mtg. (830-9a)
• Feb. 13 High School Design Team Mtg. (8-11a)
• Feb. 14 CCMA Mtg. (8-4)
• Feb. 18-25 9th grade IP/course registrations

Highlighting the ways we support our campus through the four components of the comprehensive guidance program through:

Classroom Guidance Lesson

In January we celebrated the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King believed that all Americans should be treated fairly regardless of the color of their skin, hair, religion, age, disability or nationality.

Our pop up asked students what they can do to change the world for the better by writing down how they can the world with their own two hands.

We asked students to write down how they can show kindness to others. We ask you to keep the kindness conversation going in your classrooms.

Counselors met with seniors to discuss their post secondary planning progress and graduation requirement progress. Students who are not on track for graduation worked with their counselor to make a plan to get back on track. Our CCMA, Ms. Elaine Torres, joined the counselors as well to help students with questions about scholarships, FAFSA, college applications and the military.

We would like to thank our English 4 teachers!

Our counselors worked with the middle school students in our feeder zone to choose courses for next year. There are four schools that have students zoned to Taft. Briscoe(328), Jefferson(132), Zachry (184), and Connally(55) have students zoned to Taft.

The courses are entered into HAC/ eschool at the middle school level.

Many of our students are dealing with trauma, consequently it may be difficult for them to focus on your curriculum. Take a moment to be curious rather than reactive when a student acts out or withdraws. Talk with the student one on one to show them that you care and are concerned about their behavior. Begin to build rapport with the student. It's not always easy and it won't happen overnight but your persistence will benefit the student.

If a student makes a suicidal out cry please follow the protocol below. We have to take it seriously every single time, even if the student says they were just playing around.

1. It's best to walk the student to the counseling office but sometimes it is not possible.
2. If you cannot walk the student to the counseling office, please call the counselor assigned to the student or call our counseling secretary. DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL. DO NOT SEND A CHAT.
3. An administrator or counselor will come to your classroom if you are unable to walk the student to the counseling office.
4. Once the student is with a counselor, they will assess the student using a suicidal ideation screener. The student's responses will determine our next steps.

We as educators are human beings with real life traumas and challenging circumstances in our lives outside of work. Some of us are dealing with struggles in our mental health. Reaching out for help is a superpower not a weakness. NISD has a resource that may be beneficial to you called the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP can be accessed by calling The Standard 1-888-293-6948 or visiting http://members.healthadvocate.com/.