Counselors

Vaughan Math Mentors

The Vaughan Math Mentors is a program in which selected 5th grade students are paired with 3rd grade students to help them in math. The 5th grade mentors were trained by the counselors in leadership skills and mentoring skills before starting the program. The 5th grade mentors meet with their student 2X a week from 7:30-7:50 am to work on standards based math skills. They do this through math games and activities to help build up the 3rd graders math fluency and knowledge.

Mean Behavior or Bullying?

Brian is running out to play soccer with is friends at recess when he passes by Steven, how yells out, "You run like a girl!", and then laughs. Is this bullying or just an isolated case of mean behavior? Well, the truth of the matter is, it depends.

Through guidance lessons a Vaughan, we have taught our students that true bullying usually has to meet 3 criteria to be considered bullying. Students can remember the criteria by using the acronym R.I.P.:

1) Repeated- Is the person who is bothering you doing it over and over again?

2) Intentional- Is the person who is bothering you trying to hurt or humiliate you on purpose or are they unaware of how hurtful their actions ar? Do they think they are participating in fun teasing that you both think is funny?

3) Power-Based- Does the person who is bothering you have more physical or social power than you have?

If the behavior meets these 3 criteria, it is probably bullying behavior. In the above scenario, if Brian is continuously teased by Steven, feels Steven is trying to humiliate him in front of other children, and thinks he can't do anything to stop Steven, then it is bullying. However, if Brian doesn't feel humiliated or threatened by Steven, it may just be an annoying or mean isolated incident.

Mean and annoying behavior can sometimes just be ignored or the student can stand up to the person being mean and use words to solve the problem. At Vaughan, we learn many of these TOOLS to deal with problems in Kindergarten.

However, bullying cannot be ignored. True bullying can lead to fear, anxiety, and school phobia because a victim is trying to avoid the bully at all costs. We have taught the students that the bystanders are usually the most effective way to stop bullying behavior. Bystanders are anyone who is witnessing the bullying behavior. We teach the students that if they are a bystander, we want them to help. Helping can be anything from not being an audience to the bully, asking the victim to play with you and your friends, or reporting the behavior to a trusted adult. Bystanders or victims of bullying behavior can fill out a BULLYING REPORT form, which can be found in the counselors area. All reports are confidential and we investigate each reported incident, using care to protect the identity of the bystanders.

To learn more about bullying and what to do about it visit http://www.cobbk12.org/preventionintervention/bully_prevention_resources.htm

Back to school tears

Welcome Back students and parents! We are so excited to start the 2010-2011 school year with you! The beginning of the school year is always exciting, but as exciting as new friends and teachers can be, many of us are left longing to be home again.

It is perfectly normal to have a great first day or great couple of days and to cry or be really nervous after that. Many young ones are happy at first, but as the week goes on, they are more tired and that can lead to break-downs. To help avoid this, please make sure your child is going to bed early. The first 2 weeks of school are exhausting for everyone, and many of us are more emotional when we are tired.

If your child has started crying in the mornings, the best thing you can do is send them on the bus. If that isn't a option, try to carpool with a neighbor or send them with dad. If your child is crying or clinging to you in the morning, please feel free to wave one of us down and we'd be happy to help you out. Please remember that once you are out of the building and your child knows you will not be back until dismissal, they calm right down. It can be really difficult to leave a crying child, but the tears and carrying on are for your benefit and an attempt to go home. The quicker they figure out that won't happen, the quicker they adjust to coming to school.

Kids are so amazing, we often don't give them enough credit. Have faith in your child that they will have a great day. Your positivity and belief in them is contagious! We are going to have a great year here at Vaughan Elemnetary :)

Middle School Transition Packet

Download Middle School Packet 2011

 

Middle School Survey

Upcoming Middle School Activities:

Lost Mountain Counselors and Students visit Vaughan 3/7/11

Vaughan Students visit Lost Mountain Middle School 3/31/11

Each 5th grade sends 1 representative "Shadow Student" to Lost Mountain 4/25/11

Career Centers

During the month of February, all classes will visit the Career Centers we have set up for hands on exploration. At the elementary level, our goal is to explore various careers each year and for the students to understand that it is important to match their future careers to their talents and interests. This year the students are exploring being a meterologist, pharmacist, paleontologist, interior designer, fashion designer, postal worker, veteranarian, and FBI agent.

Our essential questions for all careers are:

Why would I want to become a _____________?

What is the salay and job outlook?

What does a _____________ do?

What education is required and what subjects are required?

Where can a ________________work?

Lost Mountain Middle School Field Trip

The Vaughan 5th graders will be going to visit Lost Mountain Middle School on Friday, March 13th. All students must have a signed permission slip to attend. We will visit in the morning for about an hour. Our visit will include meeting the principal; perforances by the band, orchestra, and chorus; and a tour of the building.

Rocketeers Needed

The Rocketeers for the February 23-April 17 session should attend a morning meeting in the cafeteria on Monday, February 23rd, where they will receive their badges. More applicants are needed for buses A, B, C, F, G, H, J, K, and L. Please fill out an application and turn it in to your counselor asap. It must be signed by a parent/guardian and your bus driver.

 

Download APPLICATION

Vaughan Counselors Statement of Philosophy

The counselors at Vaughan Elementary believe:

• All students can achieve to their highest potential

• All students have the right and opportunity to participate in the school counseling program that supports academic, career, and personal/social growth

• All students have the right to a quality and rigorous education

• All students have the right to a safe and supprtive learning environment

And that a comprehensive school counseling program should:

• Reach every student

• Be preventative in nature

• Be an integral part of the total educational program for student success

• Utilize the Georgia Power Standards as the foundation for guidance curriculum that supports academic, career, and personal/social development

• Be implemented by credentialed school counselors and conducted in collaboration with other educators, families, and community

• Use data to drive intentional guidance activities and to advocate for systems change

• Seek improvement each year based on results data

• Be evaluated by a building administrator annually on performance assessment instrument specifically for school counselors

And that all school counselors will:

• Abide by the professional school counseling ethics as advocated by the American School Counselors Association
• Participate in professional development activities essential to maintaining a quality school counseling program

Mission Statement

The mission of the Vaughan Elementary Counseling Program is to assist all students in achieving educational success by providing guidance in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social development; counseling to help students overcome challenges that interfere with learning; and advocacy for an environment that supports high academic achievement for all students. Through the school counseling program, students become successful learners, responsible citizens, and productive members of the global economy.

Contact the Counselors

Please feel free to contact your child's counselor.

For the 2010-2011 school year:

Sina Pickles is the counselor for 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades sina.pickles@cobbk12.org

Teresa Sirmans is the counselor for Kdg, 2nd, and 4th grades teresa.sirman@cobbk12.org

Call at 678-594-8301 ext. 1 for Mrs. Sirmans, ext. 2 for Sina Pickles

We "loop" with our students each year, meaning that you will have the same counselor for your 6 years at Vaughan. We enjoy getting to know our students and their families over our years together :)