September 2009 Dear Parents, This year I have been given time to work with ALL students on their academic, career, and personal/social development as part as our developmental counseling program. The lessons are intended to support your child’s academic and social progress throughout his/her school career by introducing concepts of career and future planning at an early age and focusing on social and emotional competencies needed for a successful life. Below you will find the basic layout of the subjects/topics I will be addressing at each grade level: Grade 5 • Future Planning Meeting • Introduction to using your planner • Discussion on Responsibility • Decision Making • Address mean behaviors • What is Empathy? • Being Assertive Grade 6 • Future Planning Meeting • Using your school planner • Stress Management • Study Skills • Organization Skills • Addressing mean behaviors • Future Education Goals • Introduction to Careers Grade 7 • Future Planning Meeting • How to effectively use your school planner • Organization • Being Pro-Active • Viewing of “Let’s Get Real” Video • Discussion of mean behaviors • Career exploration Grade 8 • Future Planning Meeting • Overview of The 7 Habits to Highly Effective Teens Book • Time management • Study skills • Overview of mean behaviors • Introduction to resume writing Classroom lessons are one component of the comprehensive school counseling program here at Horace W. Porter School. Other components to the counseling program include: the option of meeting in small groups, working one-on-one with students, and when necessary, helping students and families with specific concerns. Also, the comprehensive school counseling program includes a Future Planning Meeting with each student in the Middle School during his/her assigned classroom time. The Planning Meetings will focus on your child’s strengths, areas of interest, and goals for the future. It is also a great opportunity for me to get to know her/him better. These meetings help sort through concerns students may have about their middle school experience, give them an opportunity to think about the support they need from teachers and parents, set future goals, and possibly get ideas for extracurricular activities that might interest them. The overall purpose of these meetings is to ensure that each student is making an appropriate adjustment to school and to offer them support. Please do not hesitate to contact me by phone, (860) 228-9494 extension 120 or e-mail me at cguzman@hwporter.org if you have any questions or concerns about your son or daughter. I look forward to working with your Horace Porter student. Sincerely, Corey C. Guzman Horace Porter School School Counselor