Guidance News
We have learned so much in guidance class this year! Students have had a wonderful time building skills that support their social, emotional, and academic growth. Through engaging lessons, meaningful conversations, and hands-on activities, students across all grade levels have been developing the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond.
Kindergarten
Our kindergarten students focused on foundational “skills for learning,” including listening, focusing, following directions, using positive self-talk to stay on task, and being assertive. They also explored important empathy skills, such as understanding and identifying feelings, recognizing anger, noticing similarities and differences, responding to accidents, showing care for others, and helping. In addition, students learned about making safe and responsible choices in everyday situations.
First & Second Grade
First and second graders built upon the Kindergarten Second Step curriculum by deepening their understanding and application of social-emotional skills. They strengthened learning behaviors such as listening, focusing, following directions, self-talk, and assertiveness, while continuing to grow in empathy by understanding emotions, recognizing anger, showing care for others, helping others, and making safe choices. A strong emphasis was placed on using strategies in real-life situations, including breathing techniques, positive self-talk, naming feelings, and calming strategies such as counting to ten. Students are becoming more confident in choosing healthy responses to big emotions.
Third & Fourth Grade
Third and fourth-grade students engaged in meaningful social skills instruction through resources such as Julia Cook’s social stories, The Energy Bus, and Character Libraries. Lessons focused on building strong character and leadership skills, including perseverance, goal-setting, growth mindset, tattling vs. reporting, understanding what they can and cannot control, and being an upstander in bullying situations. Students also learned the importance of respect, trustworthiness, sincerity, cooperation, and taking initiative—skills that help them become positive leaders in their classrooms and community.
It has been a joy watching our students grow in confidence, compassion, and character this year. We are so proud of the progress they’ve made and the skills they are developing to become kind, capable, and responsible individuals.
