Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Elementary Counselor
Well, we’ve come to the close of yet another fantastic year! Hopefully, your kids are armed with conflict resolution skills and emotional regulation tools that will last their whole lives…or at least through the dog days of the summer ;)
Continue to use the school counseling page as needed. It is filled with tons of resources for students and parents. The one thing that I hope I’ve instilled in each kiddo this year is that I believe in them. When there are competing voices in their lives, and when they doubt their own abilities, it’s so important that our kiddos know who’s on their side. I know I’m not the only one on their side, so don’t forget to remind them of how awesome they are even on the days that you wish school was back in session already!
Next year will look significantly different with new teachers, new classrooms, and new challenges. Change is good and always brings growth and perspective. Happy summer everyone!
School Nurse News
Reminder: Pre-K and Kindergarteners are required to have Dtap, polio, MMR, and varicella shots completed before starting school in the fall and 7th graders are required to have a tetanus booster (Tdap) before the school year starts. There are other vaccines that are recommended in the teenage years also. Please call your doctor to make an appointment for this summer to have these done and have a copy for the school if they don’t go on the state registry.
Summer is also a great time for a check-up for your child of any age. It is very common for parents to skip checkups for kids between kindergarten and doing sports in middle or high school that require physicals. Preventative checkups can help pick up on health issues before they become serious.
Below are some links to important information on summer safety, sunscreen, bug spray, and ticks from healthychildren.org.
We’ve had a lot of teenagers coming in asking for a granola bar because they didn’t eat breakfast. This year, we were lucky to have breakfast for free for all students, so kids deciding to talk with friends instead of getting to the cafeteria to eat food is a little disheartening.
Teenage boys, especially, need breakfast, and snacks in mid-morning since they don’t eat lunch until noon or 12:20 PM, and afternoon, especially if they are in after school activities. They are growing so fast, that the calorie intake they require at these ages is amazing! Finding snacks that can be carried in their backpack are great for quick, easy eating. Trail mix, granola or protein bars, fruit leathers/bars, beef jerky, fruit sauce pouches, and cereal bars can be great.
Evidence shows that eating breakfast is the way to go: kids who don’t eat breakfast are less able to learn at school, get less iron (an important nutrient) in their diets, and are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI), which is a sign they may be overweight.
On the other hand, kids who eat breakfast do better in school, are more likely to participate in physical activities and eat healthier overall. So tomorrow morning, don’t run out the door on an empty stomach. Fuel up with a healthy breakfast!
Check out our previous newsletters that are archived on the elementary counselor page of the school website: whitehallschools.org.
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