School Counseling at George Marks Elementary

P.A.W.S.

School Board of Volusia County P.A.W.S. is the acronym for our school-wide behavioral expectations. Ask your child if they know what the letters in P.A.W.S. mean. Ask your Kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grader if they can show you our P.A.W.S. cheer.

Ms. Candace Lankford, Chairman

Mrs. Jeannie Maddox School Counselor

Mr. Stan Schmidt, Vice-Chairman Mrs. Diane Smith Mrs. Linda Costello Mrs. Ida D. Wright

P = Perform Personal Best = Doing your very best even if something is hard for you or you don't like it. A = Act Responsibly = Doing what you know is expected without having to be told or reminded. W = Work and Play Safely = Following the rules and procedures for wherever you are in so everyone stays safe.

Superintendent of Schools Margaret A. Smith, D.Ed

Deputy Superintendent for Instructional Services

Director of K-12 Curriculum Barbara Head

S = Show Respect = Treating others the way you would like to be treated.

District Guidance Specialist K-12 Amy L . Hall, Ph.D

These four behavioral expectations are not only effective in helping students with appropriate behavioral choices at school but could be easily incorporated into your home also. Contact Mrs. Maddox for more information on how we use PAWS at school and how you can use it at home too.

Phone 386-822-6986 ext. 21710

Jim Tager

Email: [email protected] Website: http/:schoolcounselingwithmrsmaddox. weebly.com Twitter: @mrsjmaddox Scan QR code to save contact information

Volusia County School Board DeLand Administrative Complex 200 N. Clara Avenue DeLand, Florida 32720 Phone: 386-734-7190 www.myvolusiaschools.org

School Counseling at GME Counseling Services Classroom Guidance Lessons Students receive classroom lessons during their special area time every other week. Mrs. Maddox helps students develop their academic, personal, and social skills by providing whole class lessons on a variety of topics such as identifying emotions, developing selfconfidence, resolving conflicts, personal safety, peer pressure and school success including listening, following directions and study skills.

Who is your School Counselor? Your School Counselor is a specially trained educator with a professional certification in counseling. Her purpose is to provide students with the academic, personal, social, and life skills to prepare them for a successful future while acting as a nurturing and caring resource at school. Mrs. Maddox is available to provide a hand, a shoulder, an ear, and a calming influence for students, parents, and teachers. While School Counselors are trained to counsel with children and adolescents, Mrs. Maddox is not a therapist and cannot provide the intense one-on-one therapy needed by families and children in some situations. As GME’s School Counselor, Mrs. Maddox is available to meet with you and your child to determine the level of need and to discuss ways to handle difficult situations typically experienced by elementary age children. If your child is struggling to deal with a significant life event that needs more attention than 2 or 3 meetings with the School Counselor, please call Mrs. Maddox at 386-822-6986 ext. 21710, email her at [email protected] or check out the RESOURCES tab of her website for referrals to therapists or agencies in our community.

Individual Counseling Students often ask to speak with Mrs. Maddox one-onone for help with friendship, bullying, school work, and family situations. All sessions are confidential and all students are encouraged to share with their family about their visit with Mrs. Maddox. In cases involving child safety or mental health, Mrs. Maddox will contact the family directly to discuss any concerns. Parent Conferences Parents sometimes have questions or concerns about family situations, behavioral or developmental issues related to their child. Mrs. Maddox is a resource and a sounding board for parents and can offer suggestions such as behavior plans/charts, community resources, books or websites, and academic intervention information.

PROBLEM SOLVING TEAM (PST) The goal of the Problem Solving Team, or PST is to assist teachers, students and their parents with any problems they feel may be preventing a student from being successful in school. Research based academic and behavioral strategies and interventions for individually targeted students are discussed and provided. The PST meets weekly on Thursdays from 2:15 -3:45 pm.

Family Skate Night Five times a year Mrs. Maddox and the 5th grade Leadership Club sponsor a family skate night at the Speedway Skating Center. These family skate nights are every 68 weeks on Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 pm. Admission for children is $5.00 each and parents are admitted FREE! Plan to come out and join the fun!

Attendance EVERYBODY, EVERY DAY ! Volusia County Schools expect families to ensure their children are in school and on time, every day, all day. Research shows a high positive correlation between a student's attendance and achievement. Regular school attendance is important for building strong academic and social foundations in your child's educational and personal development. A child who misses even one day a week is missing valuable classroom instruction and the daily experience and connection of being part of the class. Students who stay home have a hard time coming back to school because they feel lost as the instruction and classroom life as moved on without them. If a child is sick, has a fever or is throwing up, they should ,of course, stay at home until they are better. However, parents and students with late night routines who have a difficult time getting up in the morning or students who have emotional issues that make coming to school a challenge should contact Mrs. Maddox to discuss strategies for helping improve school attendance.