Yeah! We hit the print button today and 360 schedules rolled across the printer. I have worked 18 days this summer so far and I still have 2 to go. Most years I am still working on the final touches of the master schedule. Tweeking study halls, making sure all teachers have the right amount of classes and duties, adding AIS, making adjustments due to special requests. Right now, I feel good about all of this; even despite the fact that on Friday I lost everything. I stared at a blank screen. All of my hand scheduling, all of my adjustments, all of my "perfection" was lost when I had to move one last class. My advice to everyone who has anything to do with schedules, is to save all your notes, until school is well underway. My notes saved me from countless hours of work. Even with all the worry and sadness that I was experencing on Friday, I was able to recreate, without much pain, all the work that took the previous 17 summer work days.
So at 10:20 this morning, we hit print. But, now what?
One of the first things I wanted to do was get a Back To School Newsletter out and in the mail with the schedules. It is important to inform everyone what your plans are for the year. Since most of my newsletters are 4 pages long, I didn't have enought material to cover that many pages. I decided on a 2 page, or front and back, newletter.
I tried to focus on several things:
- Something for students--Four Things To Do To Get Ready For School
- Something for parents--Coffee With The Counselor
- Something for our community--Fall Clothing Swap
- Something about my program--LMS Guidance Projects
- Something about our school--Dates To Know and Welcome Back Students!
The last 2 days of work, will focus more on what my program will look like over the course of the school year. If you are a counselor, you really need to plan out your year. While my year is not 100% planned, I did gather many of the materials I will need to sketch it out before our school year begins. I will post again when my year is planned, but here is what I have gathered together to map it all out:
- 10 month calendar
- schedule of all know meetings--faculty meetings, known RtI meetings, Crisis Team meetings, department meetings, upcoming CSE dates, etc
- school year calendar
- upcoming trainings and conferences
- testing dates
- report card marking periods
- list of personal accomplishments
- list of groups
- list of individual and group counseling needs
- list of counseling projects I want to accomplish
- special days--like Mix It Up Day, Spirit Week, National School Counseling Week, etc
- themes I would like to incorporate into my program
So, what do you put into your calendar? How do you plan out your year? What are your special projects that you build into your program?
Let me know. Add your comment below or join in the conversation with The Middle School Counselor by one of the ways below:
I L-O-V-E your newsletter! Can I "borrow" it so I don't have to re-create the wheel/template? Is it possible to email it to me at RachelSAndrews@gmail.com? Thanks in advance if you can. Sorry to hear about losing all the schedules. Yikes I think I would be a bit freaked out, but it looks like you kept your calm. :) Nice job!
ReplyDelete
Delete- Tư Đồ…
Vương Lâm yên lặng thật lâu. Sau đó bước một bước rời khỏi nơi này xuất hiện ở phía Đông của Thiên Nghịch không gian.
Nơi này còn có một Nguyên Anh.
Chẳng qua Nguyên Anh này, hai mắt nhắm nghiền đang trong ngủ say. Toàn thân của nó được bao phủ trong vô số linh dịch. Những linh dịch này không ngừng dung nhập vào trong Nguyên Anh, làm dịu thân thể của nó.
dong tam mu lậu cho thuê nhà trọ cho thuê nhà trọ nhạc sàn cực mạnh tư vấn pháp luật qua điện thoại công ty luật ở hà nội số điện thoại tư vấn pháp luật thành lập công ty
- Uyển nhi. Nàng đợi ta ba trăm năm. Vương Lâm ta chẳng có cách nào báo đáp nàng, đành thủ hộ nàng cho đến khi nàng thức tỉnh, cho đến khi ta hồn phi phách tán mới thôi.
Vương Lâm nhìn Nguyên Anh của Lý Mộ Uyển, rất lâu… Rất lâu…
- Nếu như tất cả những điều này có thể đổi được một kỳ tích, ta sẽ chờ, ta sẽ thủ hộ, một năm, mười năm, trăm năm, ngàn năm… Đến hết cuộc đời này.
Nhu tình trong mắt Vương Lâm từ đầu đến cuối đều đặt trên Nguyên
Carol,
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and really appreciate your willingness to share all of the cool things that you do!! I also love your newsletter and was just wondering what you used to create it? Is it a word document or some sort of app? I'd love to do this for the website that I have to keep up for the school :-) Wishing you a smooth start to your school year!
Megan Newman
Your newletter is exactly what I have been looking for to use this year. I would greatly appreciate the template to create my own if possible. Can you send it to smoots@kingston.k12.mi.us? Thank you in advance. I love your blog and appreciate all that you share!
ReplyDeleteShelly
Thanks everyone! If you left me your email, I sent you a copy of my newsletter. Actually, it is a microsoft Publisher template. Very easy to use.
ReplyDeleteCarol
I would love a copy! cflint12@my.whitworth.edu Thanks for all that you share!
ReplyDeleteChristina
I too would love a copy of your newsletter template.
ReplyDeletemy email is kellie.sandidge@larue.kyschools.us
thanks! Love your blog and the ideas I find here.
I would love a copy too! saraa30@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for sharing all of your great ideas! You help so many people to become better, more creative and wise counselors.
Carol- I would be so grateful if you would send me a copy too! I would love to use some of your great ideas! Also, I lost all of my student requests I had spent 4 days in the Spring having them enter! It was a nightmare and I still haven't recovered! UGHHHH!!! sarah.hernandez@vernonisd.org
ReplyDeleteThank you! Sarah
I Love this newsletter!! So many great suggestions! May I have a copy please? courtneyowens2012@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance! Awesome job!
Courtney
I would LOVE a copy of your newsletter! I love your ideas, and your motivation drives me to want to incorporate new and differnt things on my campus. It's tough sometimes when I get resistance from others....but I will come out ahead. We are in this for the kids! My email is elizabeth.mintobauer@hcisd.org
ReplyDeleteThanks soooo much! You brighten my day!!
I have taught in the classroom for 33 years, this is my first year as Middle School/Grade school counselor. I'm not sure what a "normal" counselor does. My duties include: 504's, ELL, ELS, Testing, Title 1, Gifted and talented, classroom guidance (atngrade school), backpack program for elementary, and anything else (scheduling at MS), do you or anyone else have any of these duties? Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Sue
Hi! This is my 2nd year as a School Counselor, so I need your website, Thank you. Can I get a copy of your Newsletter Template? Michele1az@coz.net
ReplyDeleteI just love your newsletter! I would be so grateful if you could send me a copy as well, abbyjmcdonald@gmail.com. Thank you for all that you share- your blog is amazing!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind sending me the template for this newsletter? I would appreciate it so much! I am also interested in creating a SMORES flyer. You are such an inspiration.. thank you!
ReplyDeletelaraliz17@gmail.com
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThis newsletter is great! I'm a school counseling intern and looking to create a parent newsletter for our department and I love this template! Could you please send me this template so I can adapt it? THANK YOU!!!!!! You did an amazing job on this.
hailey.trucchi@yahoo.com
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI am currently looking for my first school counseling job. I have been a classroom teacher for 15 years. I am trying to build resources for when I am lucky enough to find a job. Would you mind sending me your template for the newsletter? I would be so grateful.
cdavenport1@charter.net
Hi! Best operate you’ve completed, this web site is basically awesome with amazing astrological schoolconselor. Thanks. spiritual counselor Maricarda is a professional astrologer who does horoscope chart wheel astrology readings based on birth time, personal astrological consultations.
ReplyDeleteMay I also get a copy of the newsletter?? Shayrl@staffordschools.net
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
Hi Carol~
ReplyDeleteI reference your blog frequently to be inspired by all that you're doing in your school and with your students. I am often overwhelmed with everything I don't know or not doing with my students, and realize I have a lot that I want (and need) to learn to better support my students. I am putting a newsletter together for our Counseling department and would very much appreciate it if you would send a copy of your newsletter to: asmith@achievementcharter.com to help in my process of putting something together. Thank you so much!
Carol, I will be starting my first middle school guidance counselor job this school year 2015-2016. I find your website extremely helpful and referenced your ideas for assignments in my grad. classes and will continue to follow you on Facebook and Pinterest. I was wondering if you could send me a copy of the above newsletter template to rondamcdaniel@usd409.net
ReplyDeleteHi, could you also send me a copy? Its fantastic! tinaboops@aol.com. Thank you x
ReplyDelete