Scheduling a Meeting with the Counselor

We want to empower our students to ask for what they need and know how to access their supports. Meeting with a school counselor is one way a student can get support at Old Bonhomme.  Students meet with a school counselor for a variety of reasons which may include going through a tough time, friendship problems, wanting strategies to deal with a problem or situation, practicing skills, and sometimes they just want to eat in a “private dining hall” (counseling office) with a few friends. 

You can click the Counselor Request button above to schedule a meeting. Another way to request a meeting with the counselor is by following these three steps.  

1. Go to the Old Bonhomme Dashboard              

         

 

2. Click on this Button

       

             

3. Complete Form 

 

The Old Bonhomme Dashboard can be found by clicking on the eagle on the Old Bonhomme website. A student, teacher, or parent can complete a request for a student or themselves.  It can be completed at home or school. At anytime feel free to call or email one of us at school. 

School Counseling Highlights by Hayley

Experience the World of Work

Below are a few pictures from Career Presentations in our classrooms this spring.  Click here to see more. 

Dr. Julia Partin a podatrist/surgeon presented to our Mrs. Schreiner's first grade class. 

Alan Mandel a lawyer presented to Ms. DeVries' third grade class. 

Sean Lloyd a police officer presented to Mrs. Crawford's third grade class. 

Friendship Troubles Book Club

Developmentally third grade is when friendships start to get complicated. We have found success using the book Friendship Troubles to help our girls deal with fights, being left out, and the whole popularity thing.

A Friendship Troubles book has been checked out to all third grade girls.  They have been asked to read a chapter a week and keep the book at home until we collect them on May 20. The classroom teachers will incorporate discussion about the book informally and formally through class meetings between now and the end of the school year.  Below we have provided some activities and discussion ideas for caregivers to incorporate at home.

Needs to be read by	Chapter	Activity & Discussion Ideas
April 12	All About Friends	Talk to your daughter about your friends and the great qualities they have that make them your friend. Discuss with your daughter the qualities they look for in a friend. Why are these qualities important to remember?
April 19	Friendship Hot Spots	Tell your daughter about some tough situations you have been in with friends. Discuss with your daughter how jealousy is like poison. What are other things hurt friendships?
April 26	Working It Out	Talk to your daughter about a time you solved a problem with a friend.  Why is knowing how to solve your own problems important?
May 3	Betrayal	Take the Secret Test (pg. 50) with your child and have a discussion about the questions.
May 10	Bullies & Rule Setters	Role play different ways to deal with someone who is displaying bullying behaviors.
May 17	All About You	Help your daughter brainstorm some quick fixes for when they get down. Look at pages 82 & 83 for guidance.
May 20	All books need to be returned to your classroom teacher.

A big thank you to the OB PTO for purchasing the books. 

Tourette Syndrome Presentation

Lynn Dunlap, from the Tourette Association of American, Missouri Chapter presented to our staff about Understanding Tourette Syndrome And Its Effects on Learning.

We had two different presentations one in the afternoon and one in the morning. 

Haim Ginotts statement was a great way to start the in-service. 

We ordered this book to help us further understand how to help our students. 

OB Community Weekly Resource Tip

Together we can learn from each other by sharing our tips and resources. Please consider sharing a tip or resource that has helped you be a better person, caregiver, and/or partner. We will feature the tip(s) and/or resource(s) in our weekly OB News. If you don't want your name mentioned in the newsletter you don't have to complete the name portion of the survey. Click here to submit your tip.  

I get up extra early each morning to run. I learned soon after we had our first of four daughters that I needed to take care of myself FIRST before I could take care of others. I never allow myself to feel guilty for leaving the girls for an hour+ in those wee hours ~ I know that I am a better and a happier mom/spouse/human when I take the time to take care of myself each and every day. 

Heather Huewe, OB Parent 

Safe Playce

Mrs. Hunt's first grade class saw a problem happening at recess and came up with a solution. The problem being sometimes students don't have anyone to play with and don't know what to do at recess. We have the Friendship Bench but often times students would sit their and no one would come ask them to play. During a class meeting, the class came up with the idea of Safe Playce.

What is Safe Playce?
Safe Playce provides an alternative activity and a place for students to play with someone at recess.

How does it work?
A few student volunteers from Mrs. Hunt's first grade class pick up the Safe Playce sign and tote with activity on their way out to recess from lunch. They set it up, look for people who might want to join them, clean it up, and bring it back. An adult recess supervisor is stationed at Safe Playce to help with troubleshooting. Activities vary each day and include playing with legos, play dough, drawing, jump roping, and more.

Career Presentations

A huge thank you to our parents and grandparents who came in and presented about their careers. Click here to check out what you children learned.  We have an amazing community! If you are interested, you can sign up for April classroom career presentations by clicking here. Remember all work matters and we want to hear about your story.

Pet Rock Party

The OBPTO Auction Site is open until March 1. Check out the classes section of the auction and consider signing your child up for the Pet Rock Party on April 4 or 11 from 4-4:45 P.M. 

How to Help Your Children Deal with Trauma

We have all been affected by trauma in some way or another. Whether it is watching a tragedy unfold in another part of the world, in the United States, Missouri, St. Louis, or your own home. Often these events make us feel uneasy and overwhelmed whether they have happened directly or indirectly to us.  The presentation How to Help Your Child Deal with Trauma aims to increase our knowledge about trauma and learn how to help our children.

NCADA, in Olivette (located by Mobile on the Run), has a wonderful meeting space and has offered to host the event on Monday, January 28 from 7:00-8:00 P.M.  The presenter Gail Knipsshild is from FamilyForward, an organization that utilizes a comprehensive and respectful approach to understanding child development and the impact of trauma. This approach recognizes that each child brings unique biological and genetic traits, relational experiences, and personality characteristics into every interaction with parents and other caregivers.

When you RSVP there is a space to ask questions in advance. Mrs. Knipshild will work the answers to submitted questions into her presentation. There will also be a 10-15 minute question and answer session at the end of the presentation.