Elementary to Middle School What to expect and

Elementary to Middle School –What to expect and how to support your child Presented by – Cynthia Jones, Edwina Townsend and Lisa Ingalls

Making the move to Middle School You play a key role in your child’s success, you can help your child cope with: ● Tougher academic challenges ● Changes in friendships and socializing ● Changes in body, mind and sense of self ● Making decisions

Friendships and social changes Middle school age children have a strong desire to fit in. Social issues may be your child’s biggest concern: ❖ Be sensitive to these changes, talk to your child. ❖ Encourage child to stay in touch with old friends and enjoy making new friends ❖ Teach your child to report bullying in person or online. ❖ Help your child solve problems. ❖ Encourage your child to be a true friend.

Friendship Help your child understand: ● Being a good friend means respecting each other’s uniqueness. ● The best way to make a friend, is to be a friend. ● Friendships may change in middle school. ● Be yourself, real friends will like you for who you are.

Phrases that kids ignore ● ● ● ● ● “If you would have just listened to me!” “How many times do I have to tell you? ? ” “You will not…” “You always…… you never…. !!” “You just…. . ” “You have nothing to be stressed about!” “When I was a kid…. . ” “It’s my way or the highway” “As long as you’re under my roof…”

Protective Factors for strong families Parent Resilience Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development Social and Emotional Competence of children Support system for parents and children

Today’s youth live in a different culture ● A culture of disposability ● A culture of immediacy ● A culture of networking ● A culture of being driven, yet sedentary

Boundaries State clear specific boundaries, what is not permitted, exceptions and the consequences. ● ● ● Homework and chores Use of phones, technology, internet and TV Where and when friends can be in your home Bedtime Language used

How to talk about bullying ● Bullying is aggressive imbalance of power. ● Bullying is severe, persistent and pervasive. ● Bullying can be verbal, written, or physical. ● Cyber-bullying occurs online, gaming, social media and text/email. Help your child learn what bullying is. . . and what it is not.

Let your child know. . . ● Encourage your child to report bullying immediately to teacher, counselor, or principal. Most LISD middle schools will require written notification. ● Talk about how to stand up to bullying: humor, standing up for themselves, confidently or walking away. If these don’t work, report! ● Urge your child to stand up for others who are bullied. ● Keep lines of communication open. ● Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.

Coping Skills ● Calm down - Relaxation techniques: deep breathing, meditation, exercise, yoga, etc. . . ● Talk it out, let your child vent. ● Don’t try to fix it. Let your child learn to experience disappointment, failure, consequences and other upsetting events.

Drug Trends: How to talk to your kids * Det. Kyle Koiner, The Colony, PD (morning) * Former DEA agent Michelle Deaver (evening)

Drug Trends presented by: Morning session Detective Kyle Koiner has been the SRO at The Colony High School for three years and a Detective at the same time. He is currently on The Colony Police Department’s Tactical Team and Explorer Post Advisor. Detective Koiner has been at The Colony Police Department since 2006. He also worked at Wichita Falls Police Department prior to TCPD.

Drug trends presented by: Evening session Michelle Deaver is a fulltime teacher, a mother of two, a wife and a retired Special Agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration. During the 27 years with the DEA, Michelle worked undercover narcotic cases, arrested defendants, served search warrants and testified in court. She was transferred to 5 different states and finally ended her career with DEA in Dallas where she retired as a supervisor. Michelle has been active in the community as a speaker and offering presentations to parents about current drug trends. After her very brief retirement, Michelle obtained her teaching credential and started the law enforcement program at the Career Center East where she teaches high school students who come from all 5 high schools throughout LISD. This is Michelle’s fifth year of teaching.

Academics Goals for Middle School Students: ●Developing organization & time management ●Independence to be able to manage daily school life ●Exploration of activities / career interests ●Developing friendships ●Developing academic readiness for high school courses

Academics: How parents help Organization and Time Management: ➔ Use of a planner or calendar is CRITICAL! ➔ School supplies available ➔ Utilize “teachable moments” early to avoid crisis later ➔ Watch for over-scheduling out of school activities ➔ Have a routine for doing school work ➔ Check teacher websites regularly, ie: Edmodo ➔ Teach how to open a combination lock

Academics: How parents help Independence for daily life: ➔ Encourage your child to communicate with their teacher regarding: ◆ makeup work when absent ◆ when they don’t understand something ◆ Attend tutorials - practice roleplaying what to say ➔ Email works great! CC: Mom and Dad ➔ Private message on Edmodo works too ➔ Develop a “go to” person when they need help

Academics: How parents help Summer Activities: ● Teach list making - daily! ● Practice finding answers by self: look it up! ● Use the summer to explore new activities and interests ● Practice speaking to unfamiliar adults ○ child orders food and pays for it himself ○ when shopping, child asks a clerk a question ○ asks librarian where to find a book

Academics: How parents help Regarding the rigor: ➔ Schedule appropriately into PAP courses- (it’s not for everyone) ➔ Encourage tutorials; it’s not just for when you are failing! ➔ Schedule effective study time ➔ Please do not focus just on the “A”

Academics: PAP Classes ● Requires students to think more abstractly, learn more quickly, and develop critical thinking skills. ● Expectations of better than average skills STAAR scores ○ grades ○ responsibility ○ organization ○ More info at LISD. net Education Planning Guide for Middle School

Tips for Success: Who to call Email usually works best to contact teachers, counselors and principals. Failing = teacher Stress= teacher or counselor Absent = attendance clerk and teacher Persistent peer conflict = principal When you contact the teacher: ➔ To give unique info about your child ➔ gathering info vs accusing ➔ Remember: we are all wanting the same thingsuccess for your child!

Tips for Success: Gather resources! ➔ Specific Apps for class ◆ ◆ ◆ pdf reader Nearpod QR reader Kahoot Show. Me ➔ Edmodo or Google Classroom ➔ Skyward ◆ set alerts ◆ dig deep into the grades

● Screen Time - anything with a screen ○ Limits ■ Technology curfew ■ Family technology rules ■ Contracts/agreements ○ Balance ■ Downtime ● Modeling good technology practices ○ “Mom put the phone down!” ● Technology together ○ Make time to participate with your child ● District issued i. Pads but parents’ rules! Technology/i. Pads

Technology/i. Pads Tips to protect: ● Use info on LISD 1: X website o Parental security code o restrictions on buying Apps ● Charge electronics out of bedrooms ● Watch social sites, especially KIK and Ask. FM ● Watch the addiction of games

Tips for Success: Activities Almost all campuses have beginning of the year activities to help 6 th graders, as well as other new students, get used to the campus. ● camp - a Saturday or the first day or two of school ● schoolwide socials- meet the teacher nights ● schedule pickup day: find locker, walk schedule, meet teachers ● PTA events - JOIN and get on the email list

Contact Information Edwina Townsend, M. Ed. , LPC-S - Ethridge Elementary townsendej@lisd. net Ms. Townsend obtained her BA in Psychology and her Master’s in Counseling at Texas Tech University. Edwina has been a school counselor for 24 years and has been the counselor at Ethridge for 9 years. She has also worked in a variety of settings: counselor in private practice, therapist for foster children, crisis counselor for a residential treatment center and an adjunct professor at DBU. Cynthia Jones, MAC, CSC- Prairie Trail Elementary Jonescj@lisd. net Cynthia Jones graduated with a Masters in Counseling as well as received her school counseling certification from Dallas Baptist University. She has been in public education for 20 years with the last 14 as a elementary counselor. Cynthia has worked with the CHOICES ADAPT program for 7 years and will take the National Board of Certified Counseling exam in the fall. Her beautiful blended family allows her to love a Marcus High 9 th grader and a Permian High 11 th grader.

Contact Information Lisa Ingalls M. Ed. , CSC Killian Middle School Counselor Ingallsl@lisd. net Lisa Ingalls has been a counselor in LISD for 15 years, helping to open both Creek Valley and Killian Middle Schools as new campuses. Prior to coming to LISD, she was a high school counselor for 12 years. In addition to her campus responsibilities, she is also the Lead Counselor for the East Zone Middle Schools. She is married, with two children. Her daughter graduated from Hebron High School and is a proud Aggie. Her son is a junior at Hebron.

Resources www. whyismarko. com www. empoweringparents. com www. aap. org www. childwelfare. gov www. stopbullying. gov www. lisd. net