(Click on Mrs. Walsh's picture to learn about her.)

To access any information interesting to you below, please click on the words.

     When is it necessary to notify the school or guidance counselor?
Information about what a guidance counselor does is delineated below.

Individual Counseling

    Parents and teachers may refer a child for individual counseling. Some students are seen on a regular basis, others only once or twice depending on student need and availability of counselor time. Permission slips are required for all counseling services and can be obtained in the front office or the guidance office.

 Group Counseling

    Small groups are initiated to help children feel supported and to develop specific skills. They usually meet in groups of four to eight students, weekly for a half hour and may last from 5 weeks to 10 weeks. Examples include friendship groups to help children build social skills; anger management groups to help students learn how to deal with anger; self-esteem groups to help children feel positive about themselves; and loss groups to help children cope with the death of a loved one.   Groups offered this year will appear in this section.

The Children's Inter Agency Coordinating Council

The Children's Inter Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) is group of people from Behavioral Health, Child Protective Services and Education meeting once a month to promote, develop and enhance collaborative efforts to improve the well being of children in Ocean County.
                                                                                           CIACC brochure 6/5/09

Ocean County Personnel and Guidance Association 

The Counselor is a member of Ocean county Personnel and Guidance Association (OCPGA) and serves as an executive board member.
 

 CLICK ON THE  GROUP  BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE.

LUNCH BUNCHES

Classroom Guidance

    The counselor visits every classroom at least once during the school year to facilitate a lesson on an appropriate topic. Topics include feelings, friendships, and decision making. Teachers may request additional lessons as needed.

Parent Contact

    The counselor collaborates with parents to address the needs of students. A parent may contact the counselor by email to schedule a time to discuss his or her child or to inquire about counseling services.    Please feel free to contact me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.  I will be at North Dover every Tuesday.
 

HOOPER AVENUE PHONE NUMBER IS (732) 505-5856.

I will be at North Dover every Monday andTuesday.

NORTH DOVER PHONE NUMBER IS (732) 505-5860

Health Teacher

    The counselor teaches health to first grade classes throughout the year.  Topics include safety, nutrition, dental health and manners and cooperation.

I & RS Committee Coordinator

Resources Available in the Hooper Ave. Guidance Office

    Books and educational CD-roms are available to be checked out from the guidance office. If you would like to "borrow" a book or CD-rom, contact the guidance counselor via email.  (See actual titles below)

BOOKS

(If any of these books appeal to you and you would like to own them check out Barnes and Noble.com or Amazon.com.)

 1.     How to Handle a Hard to Handle Kid:  A parent's guide to understanding and changing problem behaviors
(Clinical psychologist and parent, C. Drew Edwards gives you tips, skills and information you need to identify, address and correct problem behaviors.  You'll learn specific strategies for handling every day problems - from morning madness to meal time struggles, public outbursts, homework wars and more.)

2.   Dealing with Disappointment: Helping Kids Cope When Things Don't Go Their Way by Elizabeth Crary  (This book offers tools and techniques to help children cope from toddlers through adolescence.)

3.  SOS Help For Parents:  A Practical Guide for Handling Common Everyday Behavioral Problems by Lynn Clark PhD.  ( SOS teaches you easy to learn methods for helping your children to improve their behavior and adjustment.)

4.  How to Help Your Child With Homework:  Every Caring Parent's Guide to Encouraging Good Study Habits and Ending the Homework Wars by M.C.Radencich PhD.  and J.S. Schumm PhD.

5.  Eating, Sleeping and Getting Up: How to Stop the Daily Battles With Your Child by Carolyn Crowder PhD.

6.  Our Dad Died: The True Story of Three Kids Whose Lives Changed  by Amy, Allie, and David Dennison ( This is  journal about what happened to the three children as told by them.)

7 Get Organized Without Losing It by Janet S. Fox You'll learn the secret to getting ready for school each day. This book includes useful tips to help put your stuff in order, manage your time, deal with distractions and more.

8.When Dinosaurs Die (a picture book that helps kids understand death)

9. What on Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? (question and answer book, especially good for those with specific questions)

10.When Families Grieve- a creation of Sesame workshop- includes a DVD, caregivers guide and children's story (for young children)

11.You Are Not Alone:  Teens Talk about life after the loss of a a parent - by Lynn Hughes the founder and diresctor of the nonprofit COMFORT ZONE CAMP which serves young people ages 7-17 year round.

    Pamphlets                            Videos (see me)
        available to take home

• About Single Parenting                                                             * I have a variety of videos on bullying and tolerance issues.

• Raising your Grandchild                                                           (They may take 2 weeks to obtain, so plan accordingly)

• Time Out Tips                                                                          *I have a variety of videos on character education too.

• Being there for your Child (for Fathers)

• Divorce: Making it easier on you and your kids

• Survival Guide for Parents 

• Get Ready to Read: A Parent's Handbook 

•  Helping Your Child with Homework (K-12) A Parent's Handbook

•  How to Encourage Your Child's Attendance and Success at School

•  Help Your child with Writing

•  At Home Activities to Help Your Child Learn

 CD-ROMS

The following items are available to be checked out and returned in a timely manner:

On CD-ROM (all include games and activities for kids):

• Sticks and Stones: an interactive CD-ROM on teasing
• Push and Shove: Bully/Victim (grades 3 and 4)
• From Mad to Worse: Anger Management (grades 3 and 4)
• Two Ears and One Mouth: an interactive CD-ROM on listening (grades K-2)
• Let’s Talk Divorce (grades 1-5)
• Saying Goodbye: Issues of Loss
• Conflict Resolution: Fun to Share

Lesson Plans for teachers

Many of these lessons can be adapted for different grade levels. They all have very easy lesson plans to follow. Keep in mind that they are all great for health lessons!

• Try Kindness (Lessons designed to help students learn and practice kind actions; grades 3-5)
• I’m Telling On You (Lessons for students dealing with tattling; grades 2-5)
• Facts About Friends (Lessons to help students understand the kinds of behaviors that promote friendships and the kinds of behaviors that discourage friendships; grades 1-4)
• Character Fun (Lessons for character building games and activities; grades 2-7)
• Nah! Nah! Nah! (Lessons to help students deal with teasing; grades 3-5)
• Stop, Relax & Think (Lessons to help in 8 areas: Organizing, Staying focused, Listening, Remaining Calm, Remembering to do what is expected of you, Engaging in quiet activities without disturbing others, Thinking about consequences before acting, Behaving appropriately; (grades 1-3)
• Jellybean Jamboree (Lifeskill lessons for young children including friendship, behavior, self concept, decision making, and emotional awareness; grades K-2)

Need help finding information on the web?  Click on the computer icon.

The Hoop's Web site

Home page.

Aspiring cartoonists can create strips. Choose a character, a mood, then add balloons and print or email to a friend. Click on the link below.
Create your own cartoon strip
 

To help improve math skills click here.

Attention Parents: Personalize Currency for household chores! Use these "Dad dollars" or "Mom Dollars" to reward your children for their chores or to motivate them. Children can use them to purchase rewards such as a movie night, sleepover, extra dessert, etc Click below for the website.

.Personalized money
    

 Please feel free to get lost in these informative and fun sites. I am sure you will find tons of information and useful ideas to use at home.
1. www.focusonthefamily.com (great advice!)
2. www.familyfun.com/magazine (great crafts, organizational and parenting ideas!)
3.  www.supernanny.co.uk/ (who doesn't admire Jo?)
4.  www.listen.family.org/familyminute  "Family minute: 60 seconds of positive parenting" 

 
 

  Email me with any questions or concerns by clicking on the link below.