Character Council is an organization is a service organization that
facilitates various types of service projects and leadership projects
throughout the school, such as teaching character lessons to the
younger grades. They meet one time in the six day cycyle to plan the
projects that will be done throughout the year. The first service project
will be a rose sale benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. This project
will be coordinated with the Kiwanis Club of Dallas.
Friendship Groups are a fun way for kids in the same grade level to
make new friends and practice social skills in a safe, small group
setting. Children are invited to participate in friendship groups for a
variety of reasons. We usually meet over the child's lunch time
New Student Groups assist students in adjusting to a new school. We
also help students talk about feelings they might have leaving and old
school and coming to a new one. It is also an opportunity for students
to meet other new students who might share similar feelings.
Peer Mediation is a new program this school year. Mediators are
trained character council members, with adult supervision, mediate
disputes between fellow students. As a result of their training,
mediators are known to be fair, reliable, and good communicators.
They become peacemakers. Conflicts between students are a part of
daily life in schools. Common conflicts include namecalling, rumors,
threats, and friendships gone amiss. Mediation is a conflict resolution
approach in which disputants have the chance to sit face-to-face and
talk, uninterrupted, so each side of the dispute is heard. After the
problem is defined, solutions are created and then evaluated. When an
agreement is reached, it is ratified by the disputants.
The trained peer mediator is the outside third person who leads this
process. The mediator does not take sides and keeps all information
confidential. Mediation is a skill that involves good communication,
problem solving, and critical thinking.
We have 45 peer mediators trained at Dallas Elementary School who
will be available on a rotation schedule to help fellow classmates. They
will also be available at recess for various peer relationship issues.
Please encourage your child to utilize this new resource.
Classroom Guidance Lessons
Within the guidance curriculum, six to eight lessons are presented each
school year at every grade level k-4. Topics for these lessons address
the following program components:
*self-knowledge and acceptance
*interpersonal relationships
*decision-making
*school success
FISH group-This year I am adding a group designed for children whose parents
are divorced or separated. The purpose of the group is to provide support
for children and give them an opportunity to talk about their feelings.
Additional classroom presentations are offered at the request of
individual teachers.
