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Student Services
Mr. Kevin Grahn, School Counselor
Ms. Colleen Condon, Social Worker
Ms. Melissa Smith, Psychologist
AN OVERVIEW OF THE G.D.S. 6-8 CLASSROOM
DEVELOPMENTAL GUIDANCE CURRICULUM
Grades 5, 6 and 7
The classroom portion of 5th, 6th and 7th grade guidance includes 12 classroom sessions using Second Step: Student Success Through Prevention. There are five key themes that are interwoven throughout the lessons:
Empathy and communication
Bullying prevention
Emotion management
Problem solving, decision-making, and goal setting
Substance abuse and prevention
Grade 8
The classroom portion of 8th grade guidance includes 5 classroom sessions using the Prime For Life curriculum. This curriculum is an alcohol and drug prevention curriculum with goals of:
Increase abstinence for a lifetime.
Delay the age of first use of alcohol
Reduce high-risk choices
G.D.S Small Group Opportunities
There are three main group topics that are being offered:
Coping and Grief: This group is for a student with a serious illness or for anyone who is close to someone who is seriously ill. Students are given an opportunity to talk about their feelings and gain strategies and ideas on how to better cope.
Family Change: Students who are experiencing family change as a result of separation, divorce, parents with new significant others, or re-marriage are given an opportunity to discuss their feelings and learn strategies for coping.
Concerned Persons: For students who are concerned about someone else’s use of alcohol or other drugs. Students can talk about their feelings and concerns to learn how to cope with difficult situations.
Information that is important to know about G.D.S small groups:
Mr. Evans, Mrs. Smith and Ms. Condon facilitate groups.
Participation in groups is voluntary.
Groups meet once a week for 6-8 weeks.
When possible groups are arranged so that they are with students of same age.
The groups typically meet at different times of the day so that the academic burden isn’t too great on any one class
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is provided for students expressing difficulties dealing with relationships, personal concerns, or normal developmental tasks. Individual counseling assists students in identifying problems, causes, and possible consequences so that appropriate action is taken. Interventions are provided in response to student need based on referral and/or request. School counselors consider intervention in terms of the rights, integrity, and welfare of the student. Counselors are obligated by law and ethical standards to report if a person’s welfare is in jeopardy. Areas that may be addressed in individual counseling are problem solving, career education, conflict resolution, anger management, and crisis intervention.
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