Breakfast with the Counselors: Understanding our Sophomores.

Breakfast with the Counselors: Understanding our Sophomores.

Nipmuc School Counseling Center welcomed sophomore parents to “ Breakfast with the Counselors-Supporting Healthy Decisions.”  The School Counselors were joined by Kristen Birch, Clinical Coordinator of You Inc’s Day Treatment services as a guest speaker. We would like to thank Kristen and all the parents who participated in this event. Here are some highlights from our workshop.

Sophomore year poses many academic and social challenges for students of this age.  Parents and counselors highlighted numerous changes that occur as students transition between freshmen and sophomore year. Parents expressed feeling challenged as their students experienced more stress, faced more academic challenges, and on the home front, pushed boundaries, expressed more defiance, or exhibited more solitary or isolated behavior. Counselors noted that some of these challenges occur because of age appropriate drives towards autonomy and independence, but agreed that parent-child dynamics saw considerable changes.     

Sophomore year is an “in-between” year. Sophomores gain less attention than the freshmen, juniors and seniors who are experiencing major milestones and transitions, and yet so much growth and development happens during sophomore year.  Sophomores are just beginning to discover themselves as they start to drive, work outside the home and experience an expanded social world beyond their neighborhood or school. There is also a leap in intensity within the academic realm for sophomores and it is a high stakes testing year, which may add more stress and anxiety.  For parents,  counselors, and teachers, it is a major goal to support positive and healthy choices during this time.

Kristen Birch, our guest speaker, who works with substance abusing youth and their families at You Inc., discussed some of the changes that occur in teenagers at this time in their life, and provided some insights on how to foster positive choices for our students. One important factor to remember during this time is teenage brain development. Teenagers are largely driven by their amygdala, the emotional center of their brain, whereas their pre- frontal cortex, the “executive” branch of the brain,  is not yet fully developed. Teenagers experience intense emotions, but the part of their brain that helps them to manage impulses and problem solve is not yet working effectively. Of course, this is all happening at a  time that teenagers are looking more towards their peer group for affirmation and validation, and are distancing more from parents and caregivers.  

Keeping this in mind, counselors and parents discussed changes in parenting styles. Many parents talked about reflecting more on their parenting style and interactions with their teens to help cope with the changing dynamics within their household. Parents recognized the need to problem-solve less for their teens and listen more, as their teens pushed for more independence and  autonomy.  Parents and counselors discussed having  open conversations with teens in regards to the decisions they make, and allowing them to make their own choices based on these discussions. Parents were encouraged to embrace the idea of “planting the seed” with their teens and giving their teens time to process advice or ideas and make it their own. Parents and counselors acknowledged this was not always easy to do, but that fostering communication and connection was essential.  Effective communication between parents and kids, while not always easy, creates a bridge between adults and children and can open the door to successful choices.

Our guest presenter offered a final analogy, that parenting teens is like bowling with the bumpers up. You launch the ball, and the bumpers keep it heading down the line, it might go off course a bit, and the line is not always straight, but the bumpers are there to help that ball get to the end goal.

Follow the link to find the documents provided at the breakfast:
https://docs.google.com/a/mursd.org/file/d/0B16edQSQ2ZefYkc4NTM1R09RbG8/edit

If you could not make our breakfast feel free to contact the Nipmuc School Counseling Center with any questions or concerns. We also invite parents to send us ideas for future workshops.

Keeping Up with the Changing Times

Over the past couple of years, Nipmuc Regional High School has seen many changes.  We have a new 7-block schedule, a new 1:1 iPad program, and new courses to prepare students for their futures.  All of these changes took effect in order to meet the dynamic demands of a 21st century world.  

Well, the Nipmuc counselors also want to keep up with the changing times!  In the field of school counseling, one big step is changing our name from the Guidance Office to the School Counseling Center. This name change is also more reflective of the work of our school adjustment counselor, who focuses primarily on the social-emotional needs of students.  Although the School Adjustment Counselor will keep that job title, the Guidance Counselors will now be School Counselors.  We know it’s going to take some time for everyone (us included!) to get used to the change, but it’s an important change to make.

  

Here’s a little history to help you understand…

Counselors started appearing in school settings in the early 1900s and when they did, their main role was to assist students with occupational/vocational decisions and applying to college.  Very often counselors were teachers who had taken a couple of extra courses to earn the title “Guidance Counselor.”  In the 1920s and 1930s, school counseling and guidance saw a decline due to the Great Depression and concerns that only the fundamentals of education should be taught in schools.  In the 1940s, counselors in schools were mostly focused on testing to select, recruit, and train students for the military.  It wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s, in the face of social justice and civil rights movements in the U.S., that counselors in schools focused on more than vocational guidance, but the name really stuck.  Counselor education programs began to grow and in 1990s, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) published its National Standards for Students and School Counselor Competencies.

Today, school counselors have local and national organizations that provide professional and legislative support.  School counselors are required to have master’s degrees in counseling and must be licensed in their states.  At Nipmuc, we use the ASCA model in our practice as we focus on academic, social/emotional, and college/career development.  Yes, career guidance is part of what school counselors do, but it’s not all we do.  We work individually with students to help them navigate through their four years of high school, which encompasses development in every area of their lives.  By promoting collaborative relationships between students, staff, families, and the community, we work to empower students and foster their emotional health and well-being.  School counseling, as opposed to guidance counseling, gives a much better description of this role and incorporates all that goes on in our office.

Please help us to spread the word about our new name and visit our School Counseling Blog!

Nipmuc Regional High School Term 1 Honor Roll

 Below is the Term 1 Honor Roll for grades 9-12
(Please note information may not be visible on tablets or mobile devices)

Sign Up Today for the next ALL ACCESS Virtual College Fair!

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All Access Day December 11, 2014 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM EDT

Champlain College Young Writers' Conference

You are once again cordially invited to attend a weekend of writing workshops, craft sessions, and open mic at the Champlain College Young Writers' Conference, May 29-30. Now in our fifteenth year, our doors are open to high school students who wish to share their passion for story, drama, and song with their writerly brothers and sisters—and with celebrated New England authors. We offer three days of readings, improv, Moth storytelling, poetry slams, literary jazz/blues fusion, and extended friendship on the hillside campus of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

OUR 2015 KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AWARD-WINNING NOVELIST AND MEMOIRIST, DIANA ABU-JABER, is the author of Arabian Jazz, Crescent, The Language of Baklava, Origin, and Birds of Paradise. Reviewers have called her prose “gorgeous” and “bitingly humorous,” and her stories and editorials have appeared in Ploughshares, the North American Review, Kenyon Review, Ms., Salon, Vogue, The New York Times, The Nation, the Washington Post, and elsewhere. A frequent contributor to NPR, Diana is the daughter of a Jordanian immigrant whose passion for food and folktales exerted a “powerful influence” over her work. 
 

The postmark DEADLINE OF FEBRUARY 17 is fast approaching and the blue lights are flashing. If you have a tale to spin, or a story to share, please download an application (or cover letter & brochure) from the website: http://www.champlain.edu/write

School Spirit: Get Involved!

In the month of November, between championship games, pep rallies, and other FAST activities, school spirit at Nipmuc runs high. Walking through the halls, you'll see students in green Nipmuc shirts and banners congratulating fall sports teams. I recently read an interesting research study which looked at the social and academic benefits of school spirit at the high school level.

Source

At first glance, school spirit seems like it's just about cheering at soccer games and pep rallies. In reality, having spirit has a much deeper positive impact on students and school culture. School spirit creates a more unified, engaged student body. However, there are even more individual benefits that you might not be aware of.

Did you know....

Students with higher school spirit are more likely to:

- get mostly As and Bs in school
- eventually receive a 4-year college degree
- feel more invested in school
- have higher self-esteem
- attend school on a regular basis
- become a leader
- have lasting friendships
- be happier overall

So what's the takeaway here? Build your school spirit! Step out of your comfort zone and join that after-school club you've been eying. Engage your friends and peers to promote a positive school culture. Dress in your class colors for the FAST pep rally and practice your best cheering voice. Take the time to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of your fellow students.

The benefits of having strong school spirit within the school are clear. Take pride in Nipmuc and get involved!

Meet your school counselor!

So who are the school counselors at Nipmuc, anyway? Here's a little bit about us:

Katherine Larracey, MA, M.Ed.

Ms. Larracey is originally from Natick, MA and attended Salem State University where she earned a B.A. in education.  She taught school at Holy Name High School in Worcester, MA and  Millbury High School.  She continued her education at Assumption College where she received her M.A. in Psychology and Counseling; and later at Worcester State University where she received a M.Ed. in Leadership and Education.  Ms. Larracey has worked at Worcester State Hospital, Massachusetts State Prevention Agency and outside counseling agencies.  Ms. Larracey is the the AP and PSAT Coordinator and was the SADD advisor for many years.  Ms. Larracey enjoys spending time with her family, hiking and traveling.

Kerry Fagan, MSW, LICSW

Ms. Fagan grew up in New Jersey and attended college at the College of the Holy Cross.  After earning her B.A. in Psychology from Holy Cross, Ms. Fagan attended The University of Connecticut School of Social Work for her M.S.W.  Ms. Fagan worked for eight years at YOU, Inc. in Worcester in the outpatient Counseling Center before starting to work for the Central Massachusetts Special Education Collaborative in 1998.  Ms. Fagan worked for the Collaborative for 8 years providing intensive clinical services to students in the Worcester Public Schools, before joining the Nipmuc staff as School Adjustment Counselor on August of 2006.  Ms. Fagan enjoys the wide variety of opportunities to interact with students in all aspects of her job and is the co-Advisor for Peer Leadership and SADD.  When school is not in session, Ms. Fagan enjoys reading, spending time with her husband and three daughters, and pursuing outdoor activities like hiking, cross country skiing or snowshoeing.  

Allison McNamara, M.Ed.

Ms. McNamara grew up in Upstate NY, and went to Boston University for her B.A. in Psychology. She worked in the Boston University Undergraduate Admissions Office before deciding to get her degree in School Counseling from Suffolk University, and also has a College Admission Counseling Certificate. She’s the co-advisor of Nipmuc’s Peer Leadership group and the co-coordinator for work study opportunities. This is her 3rd year at Nipmuc. Outside of school, she enjoys going running, spending time with her fiance, and cheering for the Patriots.

Meredith Hefez, M.Ed.

Mrs. Hefez grew up in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and went to the University of Maryland - College Park for her B.A. in Psychology.  After working for a nonprofit organization in Boston for a few years, she attended Boston University for her Master’s degree in School Counseling.  Mrs. Hefez is the scholarship coordinator at Nipmuc and a co-coordinator for work study opportunities.  In her spare time, she likes to read for her book club, work on scrapbooking projects, and watch movies on Netflix.

Savannah Harvey, B.A.

Ms. Harvey grew up in Whitinsville, MA and went to Assumption College for her B.A in English. She has worked for a private investigator as an office administrator for the past two years. She is currently obtaining her Master’s in School Counseling and Adjustment Counseling from Assumption College. This year she is the Guidance and Adjustment Counselor intern at Nipmuc. In her spare time she likes to spend time with her two horses who she competes, reads, and is working on decorating her newly purchased house.

CollegeWeekLive Virtual College Fair Today - November 13!

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Savannah College of Art and Design Information Session

You are invited to attend a SCAD Information Session

Learn more about how students can transform their passion into a creative career at the world's most comprehensive art and design university - Attend a SCAD Information Session. At 10 a.m., attend an admission presentation to learn about SCAD's innovative academic programs, art and design career options, and admission requirements. At 11:30 a.m., attend a preview workshop led by a SCAD professor. Students also can participate in a Q-and-A session with admission representatives or meet representatives one-on-one. Register to attend. Saturday, Nov. 15  Baltimore, Md. Fort Worth, Texas Memphis, Tenn. Cleveland, Ohio Glen Allen, Va. Minneapolis, Minn. Columbus, Ohio La Jolla, Calif. New Brunswick, N.J. Denver, Colo. Macon, Ga. Providence, R.I. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Raleigh, N.C.