St. John the Baptist Parish's school counselors kicked off their lessons for the 2017-18 school year by addressing a variety of topics.
Fifth Ward Elementary School “Set Sail” to an awesome start for the 2017-18 school year. The school underwent quite a transition for this year, now educating students in Pre-K through 4th grade.
Teachers and staff worked diligently to make sure the school was inviting for all students.
“I’m very excited to work at Fifth Ward,” teacher Monica Jones, new to the school, said. “It will be a positive change catering to a younger student population and giving them a rock-solid foundation.”
Parents, students and community members were introduced to the administration, faculty and staff at the school’s annual Meet and Greet. Parents met teachers, droped off school supplies and saw their child’s classroom. A raffle was held for all who attended. Families were able to take home various winnings such as school supplies, backpacks and uniform vouchers provided by sponsors. School Counselor Renisha Oubre was awarded a $2,000 Walmart Community Grant which she will use to purchase additional supplies and resources for students. On September 12th, Fifth Ward will host its annual Open House at 5 p.m. on Sept. 12. Everyone is invited to come by and see how the school is sailing into a great year!
LaPlace Elementary School started the year off by covering school bus safety.
Counselor Mechelle Terrio went over the school’s procedures for students who ride the school bus, walk and are dropped off by parents with students. Students in K-3 watched age-appropriate safety videos.
Students in 6-8th grade began thinking about their futures, with lessons that focused on careers.
Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School kicked off the year by focusing on good manners.
“Good manners are polite ways of behaving or acting,” counselor Stanley Alexis said. “Showing good manners is a way to be considerate and thoughtful to others.”
Alexis discussed with students why polite people use soft, indoor voices when in public buildings. (don't want to disturb others), give up their seat on the bus to an elderly person. (they may need it more and it is respectful), are on time (it is rude to keep another person waiting on their time) and do not point at people or whisper about them (makes them uncomfortable and can hurt their feelings).
The grand opening of West St John Elementary School’s P.B.I.S store on Aug. 31 was a huge success. In an effort to encourage positive behavior, students may earn RAM bucks daily. Students who have earned RAM bucks thus far cashed them in for awesome prizes during their enrichment time. The P.B.I.S. Team purchased prizes that assist students academically as well as with continued positive behavior. A couple of useful items in particular are ear buds and small backpacks. Students may use the ear buds while working on educational programs in the computer lab, and they can fill their backpacks with additional school supplies and resources. The P.B.I.S. program continues to be a successful motivator for positive student behavior as it minimizes discipline problems.
Sixth through eighth-grade students at Emily C. Watkins Elementary School enjoyed the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. Pre-K through fifth-grade students were able to view the solar eclipse via the NASA website.
East St. John Preparatory Academy and Lake Pontchartrain Elementary started the year by going over the role of the counselor and educating parents and students about what services are available.
Students learned about what a school counselor does, the reasons to see a school counselor and that counselors care about everyone's feelings. Kindergarten students at LPE were read the book “What Is a School Counselor?”.
Large group lessons focusing on life skills and emotional awareness, small group counseling for students experiencing difficulties with relationships, family concerns or academic concerns and individual counseling focusing on topics such as anger managements, conflict resolution, family, grief, self esteem, stress management, study and test taking skills, anxiety, depression and high school decisions are all offered through each school’s counseling office. School counselors are also available in person, by phone or by email to assist parents with improving communication, developing behavior intervention plans, consulting on issues at home, exploring ways to help a child succeed, explaining high school individual graduation plans, recommending referral resources and providing reference material.