Weathersfield Guidance Page
Make a Difference Guidance with Frank Treu Welcome to the 2006 - 2007 school year! Another school year begins and we are off to a fine start. Hello, I am Frank Treu, the Guidance Counselor for the Weathersfield Schools. I am pleased to be beginning my 19th year in Weathersfield. I divide my time between the Elementary School on Tuesday and Thursday, and the Middle School on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. My office is always open to anyone who would like to come in to talk, not just about difficult moments, but also about friendships, music and the arts, pets, their (or my) favorite sports teams, hobbies, and other subjects. One thing you can be sure of when you come to talk, you will always find a good listener who is interested in you and won’t send you away. Besides counseling individual students, I am also doing several small groups for social skills. Social skills are those things that we do to help us get along with others, and the things we do to help us solve difficult interpersonal situations, without serious conflict. This year marks the fifth year of teaching the Second Step program in the Elementary School, and the third year of teaching the Steps to Respect program in grades 4 – 6. I’d like to explain the goals of these outstanding programs. Second Step is a social-emotional learning program where children in Grades K – 3 learn how to understand and manage their feelings, how to make friends and be a friend, and how to solve social problems. Second Step helps us think about, develop, and practice positive social skills. It is divided into three units: Empathy Training; Impulse Control and Problem Solving/Anger Management. As part of the program, letters will frequently be posted on this page which reviews the skills we are learning and give suggestions on how to reinforce the skills at home. Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program is designed to decrease bullying at school and help students build more supportive relationships with each other. Students learn a variety of friendship skills, including strategies for making and keeping friends, and steps for joining a group activity. Steps to Respect also teaches children skills for coping with bullying, including recognizing bullying, using assertive behaviors to refuse bullying, and reporting bullying to adults. The program emphasizes that all members of our school community must take responsibility for decreasing bullying. Steps to Respect consists of three units, geared for grades 3-4, grades 4-5, and grades 5-6. The Steps to Respect program is being taught in grades 4, 5, and 6. Bullying behavior and student-to-student harassment have gained national attention, and in our home state of Vermont the legislature recently passed laws which require all schools to address these issues. Vermont schools are now required to incorporate language in their discipline policies which addresses both bullying and harassment. Fortunately we at Weathersfield Schools have recognized these problems for a number of years and are in the forefront of dealing appropriately with them. I am very happy to report that since we have begun the Second Step and Steps to Respect programs, numbers of teachers have reported seeing students using more respectful behavior towards each other, as well as seeing a reduction in bullying incidents, both in the Elementary School and the Middle School. In addition to these two exciting and superb programs, I will also be teaching the LifeSkills program in grades 6, 7, 8. LifeSkills is the Vermont State approved drug, alcohol, and tobacco prevention curriculum. This program focuses on decision making skills and healthy choices rather than simple refusal skills. Studies have shown that by emphasizing making healthy choices children have better chances of withstanding the pressures of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. I am confident that these three curricula combined will help make our children in Weathersfield stronger and healthier young adults, both physically and emotionally, and help to make the learning environment one which is safe for all students. In addition to my guidance duties, I am also the coordinator for the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted into law by the Federal Government in 1973 to ensure equal opportunity for all students, regardless of ability or disability. In conjunction with my chairmanship of the Educational Support Team (EST) at both schools, a small group of educators meet regularly to review individual students’ progress and offer an Educational Support Plan if necessary to give that student the means meet classroom expectations. In the event of a student with a recognized disability who does not qualify for Special Education Services, a more elaborate plan, a 504 Plan, can be written to meet the same ends. And finally, this year will be the second year since I have become the coordinator for the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP). The NECAP is a state testing program for students in grades 3 through 8. The New England Common Assessment Program is a series of custom-designed tests developed in collaboration with the Rhode Island and New Hampshire departments of education, to measure proficiency in reading, writing, and math Grade Level Expectations. The NECAP will be administered in October 2006 this school year. From time to time I will post letters to parents on this Website which explain current work in the classroom regarding one or more of the programs (Second Step; Steps to Respect; LifeSkills) or information necessary to you regarding current issues in our schools. Lets work together to make this school year the year of "Be Nice, Work Hard, Be Proud"! The Weathersfield Schools September 9, 2006 Dear Family: This is a busy time for children who are learning many new skills in school. They may be reading Chapter books, writing stories, using graphs, or learning new counting skills. These are all important skills for children to learn. Another area of learning that requires specific skills is social-emotional learning. These important skills are often overlooked. This is the area where children learn how to understand and manage their feelings, how to make friends and be a friend, and how to solve social problems. Learning takes place throughout the day - in the classroom, on the playground, and at home. Children learn by watching and listening to how teachers, family members, and friends interact with one another. We will be using a program called Second Step to help us think about, develop, and practice positive social skills. Research tells us that children who learn and use these skills are more likely to get along with others and do better in school. The Second Step Program is divided into three units: Unit 1: Empathy Training. Children learn about feelings and ways to show understanding and caring towards others. Unit 2: Impulse Control and Problem Solving. Children learn new ways to solve problems and practice skills such as calming down, apologizing, interrupting politely, and making new friends. Unit 3: Anger Management. Children learn to manage their anger in ways that do not hurt others. Incorporating photographs and videos of children in everyday situations, Second Step Lessons introduce and teach all the above skills. all students are given a chance to practice the skills they've learned through role-playing, an important part of Second Step lessons. Families play a crucial role in the success of the Second Step program. You may be receiving letters from time to time about what your child is learning at school and what you may do at home to help him or her understand and practice the new skills. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to come and observe one of our Second Step lessons, or if you have any questions. I would be delighted to hear from you. Sincerely, Frank Treu, Guidance Counselor
In general, simply listening and talking about feelings helps children be more understanding of others. It also helps create a more positive classroom environment. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about empathy skills or the Second Step program. Sincerely,
Frank Treu, Guidance Counselor
You can also help your child identify his or her feelings by asking how he or she feels about a specific situation. If your child is upset, you can let him or her know you are listening by restating what he or she has said and by asking questions. Often, children are not expecting you to “fix” their feelings. They simply want to be heard. Thank you again for your support and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Sincerely, Frank Treu, Guidance Counselor
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