What are Elementary Guidance Services?

Elementary students may encounter a variety of difficulties in school.  Simply entering school can be overwhelming for many children, and even as students adjust to their teachers and classes, they may have difficulties in one or many of the following areas:

• Making Friends
• Maintaining Friends
• Family Changes
• Cooperative Behavior
• Anxiety

The goal of the elementery guidance service program is to make available to students a variety of services to help them cope with these and other problems that may affect their performance at school and/or at home.

What Services are Avilable?

Mrs. Leone or a SUCO intern can help students work through these difficulties.  Services offered to help students in these areas include:

• Individual Counseling:
  One-on-one counseling sessions with Mrs. Leone combine discussion and the use of therapeutic games.  These sessions offer students a chance to identify and explore feelings, and work to develop healthy ways to cope with problems.
• Group Counseling:
  Under Mrs. Leone's direction, group sessions give students an opportunity to share their feelings and ideas with peers.  Groups can also help to make problems seem less overwhelming to students as they come to realize that their peers are going through similar experiences.

Some examples of groups that Mrs. Leone runs each year include:

Banana Splits:  A group offered throughout the school year for students in grades 2-6 whose parents are separated or divorced.  This group gives students a chance to discuss the changes divorve or separation brings about in their lives with others who are going through comparable experiences.

Lunch Bunch:  In Lunch Bunch groups, students bring their lunch to Mrs. Leone's office.  These groups give students a chance to get to know Mrs. Leone and the workings of her office better.

Other groups may focus on particular issues helpful to certain students, such as Friendship Groups, Ability Groups, etc.

• The HealthZone:
  In addition to offering medical services, the HealthZone offers mental health services as well.  The HealthZone conselor, Ms. Ann Garlick, is available to see students on a part-time basis.

Great Tips for Great Parenting:

• Praise is a powerful tool.  Try to point out all of the good things that your child does -- not just the bad.
• Talk to your children about the shows they see on television.  Talking can counteract the negative effects of violent television shows.
• Set aside times to read with your child, for example, each night at bedtime.

To contact Mrs. Leone please call the school at 432-2050 Ext. 1280, if you have any questions.