School Counseling & Guidance
What does the school counselor at Little Britain Elementary School do?
- Counsel individuals and groups
- Consult with teachers
- Meet with parents
- Give classroom presentations on a variety of topics
- Act as a liason with therapists and social services
- Offer resources to families
- Develop, offer, and organize all activities for "Red Ribbon Week" in October
- Welcome new students by inviting them for lunch groups
- Assist 4th grade students with fundraiser for humane societies/animal organizations
- Offer a variety of programs for parents
- Chair the "FIN" Committee (Families in Need)
- Co-chair the Volunteer Breakfast Committee
- Run the "JUST SAY NO"club for 4th grade students
- Run the "TOO COOL FOR DRUGS" club for 5th grade students
COUNSELING
Students may receive counseling services through any of the following ways: self-referral, parent request, or teacher referral. Students receive counseling for many different reasons. Counseling can help a student with developing healthy self-esteem, problem-solving, coping with peer pressure, making and keeping friends, experiencing loss and grief through death, separation, and divorce, learning healthy communication skills, practicing role playing with difficult situations, practicing kindness and assisting others as a bystander, for example.
LUNCH WITH MS. VERTOSKE
During the course of the year, your child may be invited to have lunch with Ms. Vertoske. The purpose of the gatherings are merely social. It is a nice opportunity to chat informally in a quiet, relaxed setting.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Little Britain Buddies is a peer-assistance program for students in grades two through five. A boy and a girl are selected from each class, and the group meets every other week for the first half of the year. Students are taught peer helping skills and are utilized as a “buddy” for new students in their classrooms.
The JUST SAY NO Club is for 4th grade students, and we meet from October through January. Emphasis is placed on self-esteem, peer pressure, and refusal skills. Also discussed is the difference between prescription medication and illegal drugs.
“Red Ribbon Week” runs from October 23rd – October October 29th. Red Ribbon Week came about because a man from Mexico named Enrique Camarena joined the Drug Enforcement administration but sadly lost his life in the fight against drugs. We honor Enrique by wearing red ribbons in his memory. Stay tuned for L.B. “themes” during Red Ribbon Week.
Military groups for students in grades 2 through 5 will begin in October. The groups will run for 5 weeks. The purposes of the groups are to validate children’s feelings and provide a safe environment for children to share the unique aspects of living in a military family.