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Hello Creekside Families!
Small Groups One way I support student development here at Creekside is through small groups. Groups provide students with the opportunity to build their self-esteem, develop effective communication skills, identify positive characteristics and make positive peer connections. Groups are a safe environment to openly discuss and practice social skills and strategies. Friendship Group I’m currently offering friendship groups for 1st and 2nd graders. Friendship groups take place weekly during lunchtime. All students in these grades will have the opportunity to join this group for a session during the next couple months. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like your student to participate. New Student Lunch Group This group meets monthly and is open to any students that are new to Creekside this school year. The group meets every first Tuesday or Wednesday of the month on the stage during lunch. Here are the upcoming dates we will be meeting:
De-Stress this Season This time of year can often be busy and stressful. It is important to find time to rest, relax and have fun. Even finding 5 minutes to read a book, take a break or do a mindfulness activity can go a long way towards decreasing our stress. This year I have been teaching all students about mindfulness. Students are practicing a mindfulness technique each week during our Monday morning announcements. Click on the links below to view my mindfulness videos at home. These videos can also be found on my website. As always, please feel free to reach out if your student or family needs support. Take care, Lauren Hopp, M.Ed (she/her/hers) Counselor Creekside Elementary Call: 425-837-5208 HoppL@issaquah.wednet.edu Hello Creekside Families!
It’s hard to believe it’s already mid-November. This time of year is a great opportunity to show children the joy and importance of giving back. Volunteering with family and friends is a great way to connect with each other, and a great way to stay connected to our community. Giving back often gives us a sense of purpose and increases our happiness. If you're looking for a way to give back or get involved in our community the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank and Eastridge Church provide holiday programs for families in need. HOLIDAY GIFT BARN REGISTRATION Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank will provide shopping gift cards from a variety of retailers this year, thanks to the generosity of our community! Gift cards will be distributed the week of November 29 - a specific day and pick up time will be assigned prior via email. REGISTER NOW Questions about eligibility? Please email registration@issaquahfoodbank.org. Click HERE for more information on how to donate/volunteer TURKEY GIVE AWAY FOR FAMILIES IN NEED Eastridge Church: Turkey Give Away Nov 20, 2021 Open 9am 1,500 turkeys between Issaquah & West Seattle. Click HERE for more information on how to donate/volunteer Lesson Schedule for November: Students are out of practice when it comes to problem solving. I’ll be teaching the Kelso’s Choices curriculum to all grades to help them identify and solve their small problems. Please reinforce these problem-solving techniques at home. Click Students are learning how to:
October is Disability Awareness and Bully Prevention Month
This month we want to celebrate the unique needs and strengths of our students. It is important to talk about disabilities and learning differences with students. These discussions normalize the use of tools and accommodations in the classroom and remind students that we all have different needs when it comes to learning. At Creekside, we believe in treating people who are different than ourselves with respect and kindness!
Bully Prevention Lessons – Second Step I will be teaching the Second Step Bully Prevention Unit to all classrooms throughout the next few months. In these lessons, students will learn how to:
Lesson Schedule for October: In addition to the bullying lessons, I’ll be teaching the following lessons in classrooms this month: Kinder & 1st grades: Problem Solving Students are learning how to:
2nd-5th grades: Stress & Coping Skills Students are learning how to:
Motivation & Incentives for Students
Motivation to complete schoolwork while at home can be difficult for many students. If your child is having a hard time completing tasks or staying motivated, consider creating a motivation system to help reduce nagging and multiple reminders. This can be done by encouraging/praising what you want to see more of by “catching” children doing the expected tasks. Here is one way to do it:
Mrs. Lehr and Mrs. Wright (PBSES Coaches) and Ms. Hopp (school counselor) will be sharing resources each week and are available to help parents as needed. If you are struggling with being at home, need ideas for a schedule, or just want to ‘talk’ over email, please reach out to Mrs. Lehr and Mrs. Wright and/or Ms. Hopp Structure & Routines Daily structure will look very different from family to family during this time based on varying needs, challenges and personality styles. What is helpful though is having a structure that is realistic and best for your family based on everyone’s input. This way children will have ownership and buy-in and will be less likely to ignore the structure. Below are a few key elements about three common types of schedules: Type of Schedule Key Elements Style of Learner Specific Schedule Very detailed, start times listed, completed in order, similar schedule each day. Students who thrive on or needs tight structure & routine to stay on task. Daily Checklist Tasks to be completed are listed, can be done in any order, due by certain time of day, different tasks are added often for variety. Students who like variety, choice and control. May be motivated to complete work for “free time” when finished. Work System Tasks organized in container or folder. Visual cue used to show what comes next. Designated workspace. Clear instructions for knowing when task is done. Reward/break when each task is finished. Student who needs help knowing what, where, when & how to do work each day. Needs help knowing what comes after work completion. Can get easily distracted by environment.
Calming Resources Learn to draw expressions with author/illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka then talk with your child about what emotions they are feeling. This is an important time to help your child process emotions. Integrating art and story is a wonderful way to do this. The end of this video shows a fun interactive drawing game – try it out with your child!
Social distancing does not mean social isolation Children need quality time with their caregivers and other important people in their lives. Social connectedness improves children’s chances of showing resilience to adversity. Creative approaches to staying connected are important. Here are some ideas to try: Idea #1: Arrange video ‘play dates’ (options: FaceTime or Zoom) with your children’s friends. You can make it a surprise call with a friend or family member. Idea #2: Have your kids send letters/pictures to family members, friends, neighbors or nursing homes. This is a great opportunity for them to practice writing or typing, and kindness. Idea #3: Host a virtual game night or dinner with your family friends. Line up a few friends/family members and break out a trivia game or dinner. Idea #4: Connect with neighbors. Bring lunch or dinner to the bottom of their driveway, porch, deck or other location that is safe distance away. Here are a couple articles with more great ideas: Why relational connection is so important during the coronavirus pandemic 40 ways to maintain social ties during the coronavirus quarantine Resources Mrs. Lehr and Mrs. Wright (PBSES behavior coaches) and Ms. Hopp (school counselor) have a list of resources and can help parents. If you are struggling with being at home, need ideas for a schedule, or just want to ‘talk’ over email, please reach out to Mrs. Lehr and Mrs. Wright and/or Ms. Hopp They will be available on email to offer parents help with whatever they need throughout this time that we are not in school. Daily Home Learning Ideas to Create Structure #Success Many students will thrive on structure and routine to help them predict what’s coming next during this unpredictable time and the ideas listed below to help reduce the school-work battles. Check out these seven ideas, which include:
During this uncertain time, we need to make sure we take care of ourselves. One way we can take care of ourselves is by offering support and kindness to others. An act of kindness benefits the giver and the receiver. Check out Character Strong’s 30-day Kindness Challenge:
Resources  News from the School Counselor
September 2019 Dear Creekside Families, Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! I am excited to begin my second year as the School Counselor at Creekside. I send monthly newsletters through E-news with updates about the Counseling program, class lessons and resources. Here is a little bit about my role at Creekside: Resources Are your kids having challenges adjusting to the new school year? Click HERE Here are some book ideas that can help with some of the Anxiety around starting a new school year: 1. Second Grade Holdout by Audrey Vernick 2. I Don’t Want to Go to School by Nancy Pando & Kathy Voerg 3. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst & Geoff Stevenson 4. Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook 5. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn 6. Don’t be Afraid to Drop by Julia Cook 7. A New School Year; Stories in Six Voices by Sally Derby New Student Program This year new students at Creekside will be invited to a monthly new student lunch with myself and our PBSES Coaches Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Lehr. New students will also have the opportunity to complete a new student passport that will help them meet our friendly staff and tour our school. Counselor Lessons During the school year, I go into classrooms to teach lessons including Bully Prevention from the Second Step curriculum. During the month of September, I go into all classrooms to introduce myself and my role to the students. Parenting Websites:
Sincerely, Ms. Hopp School Counselor 425-837-5208 HoppL@issaquah.wednet.edu Website |
