This test does not define you!

Helping Your Child with Test-Taking 

Parents, it's that time of year again.  Students will start preparing, discussing, and perhaps, worrying about, testing.  They will soon be taking finals, standardized tests, end of course, AP tests, or other types of assessments.  This is the time their brains will truly be exercised from all the material they have learned throughout the year. As their parents, you can be a great help to your child if you will observe these do's and don'ts about tests and testing:

• Do talk to your child about testing. It's helpful for children to understand why schools give tests and to know the different kinds of tests they will take.
• Explain that tests are yardsticks that teachers, schools, school districts and even states use to measure what and how they teach and how well students are learning what is taught. Most tests are designed and given by teachers to measure students' progress in a course. These tests are associated with the grades on report cards. The results tell the teacher and students whether they are keeping up with the class, need extra help or are ahead of other students.
• The results of some tests tell schools that they need to strengthen courses or change teaching methods. Still other tests compare students by schools, school districts or cities. All tests determine how well a child is doing in the areas measured by the tests.
• Tell your child that occasionally, he will take "standardized" tests. Explain that these tests use the same standards to measure student performance across the state or even across the country. Every student takes the same test according to the same rules. This makes it possible to measure each student's performance against that of others.
• Do encourage your child. Praise her for the things that she does well. If your child feels good about herself, she will do her best on a test. Children who are afraid of failing are more likely to become anxious when taking tests and more likely to make mistakes.
• Do meet with your child's teacher as often as possible to discuss his progress. Ask the teacher to suggest activities for you and your child to do at home to help prepare for tests and to improve your child's understanding of schoolwork.
• Do make sure that your child attends school regularly. Remember, tests reflect children's overall achievement. The more effort and energy your child puts into learning, the more likely it is that he will do well on tests.
• Do provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home and make sure that your child is well rested on school days and especially on the day of a test. Children who are tired are less able to pay attention in class or to handle the demands of a test.
• Do provide books and magazines for your child to read at home. By reading new materials, a child will learn new words that might appear on a test. Ask your child's teacher for lists of books for outside reading or get suggestions from your local library.
• Don't get upset because of a single test score. Many things can influence how your child does on a test. She might not have felt well on test day or she might have been too nervous to concentrate. She might have had an argument with a friend before the test or she might have been late to school because the school bus got caught in traffic. Remember, one test is simply one test.
• Don't place so much emphasis on your child's test scores that you lose sight of her well being. Too much pressure can affect her test performance. In addition, she may come to think that you will only love her if she does well on tests.
• Do help your child avoid test anxiety. It's good for your child to be concerned about taking a test. It's not good for him to develop "test anxiety." Test anxiety is worrying too much about doing well on a test. It can mean disaster for your child. Students with test anxiety can worry about success in school and about their future success. They can become very self-critical and lose confidence in their abilities. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. If your child worries too much about taking tests, you can help to reduce the anxiety by encouraging the child to do the following things.
  • Plan ahead. Start studying for the test well in advance. Make sure that you understand what material the test will cover. Try to make connections about what will be on the test and what you already know. Review the material more than once.
  • Don't "cram" the night before. This will likely increase your anxiety, which will interfere with clear thinking. Get a good night's sleep.
  • When you get the test, read the directions carefully before you begin work. If you don't understand how to do something, ask the teacher to explain.
  • Look quickly at the entire text to see what types of questions are on it (multiple choice, matching, true/false, essay). See if different questions are worth different numbers of points. This will help you to determine how much time to spend on each part of the test.
  • If you don't know the answer to a question, skip it and go on. Don't waste time worrying about one question. Mark it and, if you have time at the end of the test, return to it and try again.

After the Test

Your child can learn a great deal from reviewing a graded exam paper. Reviewing will show him where he had difficulty and, perhaps, why. This is especially important for classes in which the material builds from one section to the next, as in math. Students who have not mastered the basics of math are not likely to be able to work with fractions, square roots, beginning algebra and so on.

Discuss the wrong answers with your child and find out why he chose the answers. Sometimes a child didn't understand or misread a question. Or, he may have known the correct answer but failed to make his answer clear.

You and your child should read and discuss all comments that the teacher writes on a returned test. If any comments aren't clear, tell your child to ask the teacher to explain them.

http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/succeed/partx.html

In addition, there is a great video on YouTube that I would encourage you and your student to check out called, "This Test Does Not Define You" by Kumar Sathy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFMjbs3hoiU

Children need models rather than critics." 

  — Joseph Joubert, French moralist

Promoting a Healthy Body Image

Body image is how we feel about our bodies. Whatever their size or weight, children can develop either a positive or negative view of their bodies. And, body image disturbances can begin as early as preschool, so parents and other adult role models need to play a pivotal role in promoting a positive body image for children.

Why? Young people with a positive image of themselves feel more comfortable and confident in their ability to succeed. They don't obsess about calories, food or weight. And, they have the energy they need to enjoy physical activity.

On the other hand, kids with a negative body image feel more self-conscious, anxious and isolated. They are at greater risk for excessive weight gain and for eating disorders.

Here are five ways you can give your child the gift of positive body image and help to prevent these problems.

Check Out Your Own Body Image Issues

Parental body image has a powerful influence on how kids feel about their bodies. If you talk about your thighs, your latest diet or your punishing workouts, your children will naturally absorb these negative messages. They will begin to worry about the size of their thighs and think they should be dieting.

Focus on Health ... Not Weight

For your kid's sake (and your own sanity), shift your focus from weight to health. Stop obsessing about numbers on the scale and concentrate on delicious nutrition and fun physical activity. Children don't need to work out; they need to play with family and friends. Children shouldn't be counting calories or restricting their intake; they need to enjoy regular meals and learn how to make smart, tasty snack choices.

Nutrition and fitness are great goals because they give us energy to do all things that we want to do. Whatever our age or size, we feel better when we take care of our bodies.

Find Physical Activities That Fit

Feeling fit, strong and capable is one aspect of positive body image. All children need regular physical activities that they enjoy. Some kids are natural athletes and love all sports they try. Other kids do better at individual activities, such as walking or riding a bike. Some may find their niche in yoga, karate or a hip-hop dance class. It doesn't matter what kids do for physical fitness; it just matters that they do something.

Watch Out for Bullies

Weight-related teasing is a major basis for bullying. Encourage your school to address the issue and to support nutrition and physical education that promotes health at every size. If you believe your child is being bullied about his or her weight or for any other reason, discuss your concerns directly with the school counselor or administrator.

Myth-Busting the "Perfect Body"

Help your child become a savvy media critic by talking about what they see on television, in magazines and online. Help them understand that the pictures of models they see in ads may have been retouched or otherwise manipulated to appear "perfect."

http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/your-health-and-your-weight/promoting-positive-body-image-in-kids

Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded."
  — Jess Lair, author

The Effects of Pushing Your Child Too Far

Whether it's potty training, involvement in sports, or academic excellence, parents sometimes struggle to find a delicate balance between setting high standards and pushing their children too far. For the past decade, Daryl Capuano, educator and founder of The Learning Consultants in New Haven, Conn., has been counseling parents on understanding key igniters in motivating children and the harmful effects of nagging.
"As a parent, you need to be in charge of inspiring your child," says Capuano. "However, if by 'inspiring' you mean 'nagging' or 'criticizing,' you should know that nagging is not effective in the long term, even though it is sometimes the most efficient way to get a result in the short term." There are potential pitfalls when you push your child too far.

Avoidance
When a child hears a message repeatedly, she starts to view it as a big negative. If you often tell your child, "You are not going to get into college if you don't study harder," she might avoid studying or any discussion of college. She could begin to slack off on homework or even skip school. This pressure creates a significant motivation deflation, warns Capuano. Even a very young child will lose interest in playing baseball if he fears he's not measuring up to his parents' expectations. Be supportive and praise accomplishments, but don't lose track of your purpose.

Stress
"It is only through accomplishing things that children develop earned self-esteem," says Dr. Eric Herman, a clinical psychologist at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. When a parent pushes too much, the result is an overwhelmed child who is too stressed out to get things done. Your child needs to relax and have fun. It will help him recharge his batteries, just as relaxation helps you recharge your batteries for work.

Illness
When kids are pushed and suffer stress, they also experience anxiety and depression, which can surface as physical symptoms like headaches and stomach pain, says psychotherapist Mary Jo Rapini, author of "Parents Ask," a monthly advice column for "Houston Family" magazine.
If your 12-year-old son is having trouble in math, he may be so overwhelmed and afraid that he feels sick each Friday before his math test. First, take him to the doctor to rule out any physical issues. Talk to your son when there is no stress. He needs to know that both you and his father are supportive and believe in him. Assure him that there's a solution. You can provide love and support that will help him get through this difficult time and teach him coping and problem-solving skills for life, says Rapini.

Broken Spirit
Loni Coombs, author of "You're Perfect ... and Other Lies Parents Tell," has a unique perspective on parenting in today's world. As a former prosecutor for the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, she saw family after family face the reality that their children weren't perfect. In her book, she relays a story of a mother saying to her young daughter, "If you don't mind me right now, Santa Claus won't come." Initially, the threat worked and resulted in instant obedience. The mother repeated the phrase for weeks until one day her daughter simply replied in a quiet, defeated voice, "I don't care anymore if Santa comes or not."
Coombs advises parents to "be open and communicative with your child about your reasons for wanting her to do what you are asking." Don't just use a "Because I said so!" attitude.

Misbehavior
Some children inwardly suppress sadness and depression, while others display outward signs of anger. They may act out at home or in school. "For the antiauthoritarian child, rebelling against authority is the only way to secure freedom," says Capuano. "When such children are constantly being barked at by their parents, their resolve to rebel will only increase." Use a calm and caring approach with your child.

Altered Parental Relationship
A parent-child relationship can transform from unconditional-love-giver-to-child to one that more resembles boss-to-employee, says Capuano. This might be the most significant and saddest effect of all. A child who only a few years ago was happy to play with mommy now wants to avoid mommy, much the way a worker wants to avoid his boss. If a child becomes conditioned to work only when nagged, he remains outer-directed. If he doesn't transition into being self-directed, he inevitably will flounder when his parents are not around to direct him.

by Karen LoBello
http://mom.me/parenting/5262-effects-pushing-your-kids-too-far/

There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
  — Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa

Helping Your Child Cope with the Holiday Blues

 

The weeks leading up to New Year’s can be magical for a child, with all the holiday celebrations and family memories. But it’s a time that can also bring feelings of disappointment, sadness and loss — the holiday blues — just like for some adults each year.

Unfortunately, parents may not realize how to help kids of all ages, even preschoolers, deal with holiday stress. But by managing expectations, monitoring emotions and making sure to notice signs of exhaustion and anxiety, experts say, parents can be key in helping children cope

Triggers for the “holiday blues” in kids aren’t that different from those that make many adults feel down this time of year, including grief, fatigue and ramped-up expectations. The general happiness of the season — music, decorations, lights, caroling — can intensify a sad or stressful event that a child has experienced during the past year, such as the death of a family member or the loss of a parent’s job.

Don’t just try to cheer a kid up 

Dr. Drew Ramsey, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, who specializes in anxiety and depression, distinguishes the holiday blues from depressive disorders, which according to the National Institute of Mental Health, affect about 11 percent of children by age 18. But he cautions parents that “holiday blues” can be contagious. “If you are feeling down or depressed and don’t do a great job of managing [your adult] emotions, a child is certainly more likely to feel that way too,” said Dr. Ramsey. He advises parents to take an active role and acknowledge a child’s “holiday blues” instead of trying to cheer a kid up or talk him or her out of feeling sad.
“It’s OK to tell kids, ‘I’m really down because Grandma died this year, too. It’s a harder holiday for all of us,’” he explained. “Parents can say it’s not always going to be a great season for everyone every year.”

Feeling different from peers can also be particularly sensitive for children and teens during the holidays, when there is so much focus on family traditions, especially now that the festivities are documented on Facebook and Instagram.

Adults should confront issues ranging from financial adversity and holiday budgets to family customs head-on, especially with adolescents, who may be dreading the post-Christmas calls from friends comparing gifts or the social media onslaught of ski and beach vacations. “Be open and reassuring,” Ramsey advised. “Tell them yes, it’s been financially difficult this year, and maybe it’s not going to be a great holiday season in terms of material gifts. Or our family doesn’t do this or that for Christmas. But if you discuss it, they will feel less stress leading up to the holiday.”

Help children in divorced families balance parent time 

The holidays focus heavily on family, and children are often bombarded with “picture perfect scenes” in Christmas ads and movies. So the season can be a painful reminder for children in divorced families of what they don’t have and cause them to feel some increased sadness, according to Christina McGhee, divorce coach and author of “Parenting Apart: How Separated and Divorced Parents Can Raise Happy and Secure Kids.”
“There’s a lot of hustle and bustle, financial pressures for a lot of families, traveling, all the things that come up normally,” said McGhee. “Now throw divorce into the mix, and it puts a new spin on things.” 

Her advice to parents: Never place a child in the middle of the holiday decision-making and ask them how much time they want to spend at either parent’s house. “Putting your kid in the driver’s seat during the holidays draws them into adult issues and raises their stress level,” she explained.
Most of all, McGhee encourages parents to include one other: “Send a text picture to the other parent from a school holiday party or Skype them while you are decorating the tree,” she suggested, “so children don’t feel sad about leaving one parent out.”

Focus on sleep and structure 

Experts agree that children, like adults, suffer more irritability and holiday blues the more exhausted they become. The biggest mistake that parents of young children make during Christmas is overscheduling everybody, said Alanna McGinn, certified sleep consultant and founder of Good Night Sleep Site.

McGinn recommends an 80/20 rule to her clients: For 80 percent of the time before the holidays, try to protect a child’s bedtime and nap routine. The other 20 percent can be more unstructured and a child can give up a normal sleep schedule. For adolescents, however, she says, the opposite is true: plan holiday activities later in the afternoon or evenings, not in the morning, so that teenagers have time to sleep later, as their circadian rhythms shift and they have difficulty falling asleep earlier at night.

The American Academy of Pediatrics lists holiday mental health tips, including: 
1. Stick to a child’s normal sleep and mealtime schedule when you can. 
2. Don’t feel pressured to overspend on gifts. 
3. Teach kids the skills they need for the holidays, so if you plan to have a formal, sit-down dinner, for example, they aren’t stressed about behavior expectations.

Know signs of a more serious problem 

“Kids can certainly feel sadder when it’s colder and darker out and there’s less physical activity,” said NBC contributor and child psychologist, Michele Borba, “And while the holidays are supposed to be this joyous, happy affair, kids can feel down or stressed out or irritable just like adults.”

But how do you know when a child is experiencing something more serious than holiday blues and needs medical help? Borba suggests parents gauge the “too index.” 
Does the moodiness or sadness or exhaustion last too long? Is it spilling over to your kid’s school or social life? Every kid is going to have a down day, but are you hearing about your kid's “blues” from other people? Is your child’s teacher or friend’s parent noticing a change? 

In most cases, the first step is to try to get your child to verbalize why he or she is sad. “If you can figure out the cause, why they are feeling the holiday blues this year,” she explained, “you can usually help brainstorm a solution.” 

Jacoba Urist is a journalist in NYC, who covers health, education, culture and gender issues. She also writes for The Atlantic.

http://www.today.com/parents/how-help-your-kid-beat-holiday-blues-1D80379074

"Don't let yourself get so concerned with raising a good kid that you forget you already have one."
                                                                                        -Glennon Melton

 

How Stress Affects Our Children

Stress is defined as "a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances."  Our students use the term loosely to describe how they are feeling on any given day regarding school and homework, social demands, parents' expectations, work responsibilities, and friendship issues.  We certainly want to assist our children in reducing the amount of stress they experience.  However, some degree of stress is therapeutic and an appropriate amount of stress is what helps us become strong.  The hard part is what is appropriate.  We know that the more we try to mitigate all the stress in our children's life the less resilient the child becomes and they feel hopeless about their own future. 

Here are some current statistics about students and stress: 

* Teen stress level is higher than adult level much of the year
* Teen girls report higher stress and more symptoms than boys
* 27% say they experience "extreme stress" during the school year vs. 13% in the summer
* As a result of stress, 40% of teens report feeling irritable or angry; 36% nervous or anxious; 33% say stress makes them feel overwhelmed, depressed, or sad
* 59% report that managing their time to balance all activities is a somewhat or very significant stressor
* 40% say they neglected responsibilities at home because of stress; 21% say they neglected work or school because of stress
* 32% say they experience headaches because of stress; 26% report changes in sleeping habits
* 26% report snapping at or being short with classmates or teammates when under stress
* 37% of teens exercise or walk to manage stress; 28% play sports while 46% play video games and 43% spend time online
* Stress levels dipping in the summer suggests how important summer is to kids' mental health

When children and teens were asked about what makes them feel stressed, they stated the following were their top stressors:

* Parents expecting me to be perfect
* Parents expecting me to have perfect friends
* The pressure of grades
* The loss of a friend
* Parents who fight
* Parents who constantly expect me to outdo previous achievements
* Having a depressed friend
* Having too much to do
* Teachers expecting too much
* Getting in fights with people
* Feeling like I have to compete, do better than my friends
* Lack of common interests with others
* People saying "dumb" (hurtful) things
* Not being able to talk (communicate) with other people
* Kids getting angry with me for knowing the answers
* Brothers and sisters who get on my nerves
* Teachers who embarrass me

 

The symptoms of stress can affect us in a variety of ways, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and behaviorally.  If you or your child start experiencing any of the following symptoms, you might need to find another way to manage your stress or seek help from a professional:

Emotional:  easily agitated, frustrated, moody, feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control or need to take control, trouble relaxing, low self-esteem, lonely, worthless, depressed
Physical:  low energy, headaches, upset stomach, nausea, aches, pains, tense muscles, chest pain, insomnia, dry mouth, clenched jaw, cold or sweaty hands and feet
Cognitive:  constant worrying, forgetfulness, racing thoughts, inability to focus, poor judgment, being pessimistic or only seeing the negative side
Behavioral:  changes in appetite, procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities, exhibiting more nervous behaviors such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing

To keep stress at a manageable level, there are things parents can do to assist their child:

1.  Limit extra-curricular activities to one or two things they truly enjoy so they can have more downtime and can avoid over-scheduling
2.  Try to eat at least one meal a day with them and have family discussions
3.  Get them off technology for a couple of hours each week for family time, household chores, or discussion
4.  Make sure they have physical as well as intellectual stimulation every day.  A brilliant mind can't do much without a healthy body
5.  Pay attention to warning signs of suicide or depression
6.  Let them be kids and have fun once in a while without an agenda.  Everything does not have to be a learning project
7.  Help them learn stress-reducing techniques such as yoga or meditation
8.  Reward them for making a true effort, not only for good grades
9.  Be active in their school
10.Don't push your own agenda and dreams upon them.  Let them decide what they want to do in life
11.Act like a parent more than a friend.  Your role is to teach, guide, and support


 "Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."
  — Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady of the United States

 

Social Media and Our Children

Happy Fall!  It is hard to believe we are entering our 7th week of school.  Students have (hopefully) adjusted to their schedules, had the opportunity to learn about their teachers' expectations, identified clubs or extracurricular activities that fit for them, and found a social group in which they feel comfortable. 

While our children are juggling all these activities, the majority are also participating in social media, texting, and internet activities.  As parents, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with all of the new social media apps and ways to communicate with one another.  It is also important to know that electronic devices and social media are being used more and more in the educational setting.  It is not uncommon for teachers to assign homework on various websites.  Many educators use the internet to convey their class information to parents and students.  Technology is not something that will eventually go away.  We should not only encourage our children to use these various forms of communication responsibly but we need them too.  More and more colleges and universities will be examining your child's "digital footprint." Employers are already "googling" potential candidates.
Therefore, we must teach them responsibility and accountability in this digital age.

I found a great article online that offers some tips on how to help your child be safe and savvy on the internet:

Talking to Your Kids About Social Media Safety

by



Tricia C. Bailey

 



“It's our responsibility as parents to educate our children as digital citizens," says Janell Burley Hofmann, author of iRules: What Every Tech-Healthy Family Needs to Know About Selfies, Sexting, Gaming and Growing Up. “It's also our job to protect them and teach our values, which may vary from family to family."

Here are some tools and tips from Hofmann and other social media experts on how to make these conversations go smoothly.

Dos and Don'ts for Discussing Social Media Safety

• DO foster a culture of conversation in your family from the beginning.
• DON'T make social media a forbidden fruit.
• DO keep the conversation age-appropriate.
• DO make your teen the expert.
• DON'T belittle your teen's interest in social media.
• DO talk about your own social media use, if applicable.
• DO be transparent about monitoring.
• DO remind your kids that the Internet is not private.

For School-Age Children

Don't make things forbidden. “When you tell a young child 'Don't touch the stove,' what's the first thing they want to do? Touch the stove," says Josh Ochs, whose website, Safe, Smart & Social, trains children, teens, and parents in online safety and social media usage. “So try a different approach: 'Hey, let's learn how to cook today.' In other words, show your kids how to use social media in fun and safe ways."
Start small. For younger children, keep rules simple. Hofmann suggests strategies such as an “Ask Mom and Dad first" rule or one stating “If we haven't played this game/used this app at our house, we can't do it away from home." As children get older and understand more of the issues, you can adapt your rules and discussions to their maturity level.
Don't give too much information. “Keeping it simple, not scary, is the key," Hoffman says. “We don't tell our very young children to wear their seat belts because they might fly through the windshield. We tell them it's safe, it's the rules, it's the way it is. And kids trust that!"

For Teens

Make your teen the expert. “Parents' biggest issue right now is their fear that they can't keep up; they think they need to be experts," Ochs says. “Instead, ask your teen to teach you how to use different social media platforms. When kids feel like they're the experts, they let down a lot of their barriers." Hofmann agrees that this works especially well for potentially awkward issues like sexting. “Put the conversation in their court," she says. “Try saying something like 'Fill me in on sexting. Is it common? Is it exaggerated in statistics & the media?'"
Don't belittle your teen's interest. Even if the thought of Instagram leaves you cold and you think tweeting is for the birds, don't say so. According to Hofmann, “The more open and accepting we are of technology as adults, the less it is used in isolation or secretly, and the more control and understanding and ultimately success we can all have with it."

For All Ages

Talk about your own social media use. If you use platforms like Facebook or Twitter yourself, either for work or personally, share a little bit of that online life with your kids. This helps to facilitate a two-way conversation about online habits.
Be transparent about monitoring. It's a good idea to create a strategy to monitor your kids' social media use. That could include making sure they add you to their contact or “friends" lists and checking text and chat logs periodically. But don't keep the monitoring secret: Let your kids know that you're doing so and when.
Remind your kids that the Internet is not private. Information or photos shared on even the most locked-down social media profile is at risk of being exposed at some point. Discuss the concept of good judgment—tailoring the conversation to your children's ages—and discourage them from social media to bully or gossip about others. “Think twice, post once" is always a good policy.

A Culture of Conversation

As Hofmann points out, talking to your children about important safety topics is easier if the conversation is a regular part of your family life. “Talk about the little things from a very young age. Get used to asking questions and letting questions be asked of you," she says. “A family that is used to talking—even about minor things like who didn't want to sit with whom on the school bus today—is better suited to have more meaningful and productive conversations about the big stuff."

https://identity.utexas.edu/id-perspectives/talking-to-your-kids-about-social-media-safety

"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
  — Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist

Meet Your New District Support Counselor!

 

 

Welcome to my blog!  My name is Tonya Allen and I am the new district support counselor for Carroll ISD.  I am so excited to be a part of the Southlake Carroll community as well as a new resident of the state of Texas. 

First, I'd like to give you a little bit of my background.  I was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I graduated from high school.  After college and graduate school,  I obtained my LPC.  For 12 years, I worked as a therapist for a therapeutic foster care agency, both in Tulsa and in Oklahoma City.  When I moved to Oklahoma City, I decided I wanted to be a school counselor and got an endorsement on my teaching certificate. For 4 years, I worked as a middle school counselor.  The last 3 years I spent as an elementary school counselor, serving primarily pre-k through second grade.  As much as I loved my job, I knew I was ready for a move and had always considered moving to Texas.  When the job as district support counselor became available, I knew it would be a perfect fit for my background and education.  My 14-year old daughter just started her freshman year and absolutely loves the high school, the people, and the environment. 

As the district support counselor, I hope to assist students, faculty and staff, parents, families, and the Southlake Community.  In addition to helping students in crisis, I will maintain my monthly blog, identify resources, plan and organize parent meetings, facilitate various student groups and clubs, support the district counselors, provide assistance for students new to the district, and participate in administrative meetings.

In my blogs, I hope to educate and inform about topics of interest to parents and students.  Next month, I will be addressing the importance of using social media responsibly and effectively.  It is essential for students to not only be aware of safety issues but also understand how social media can help them in their education and future endeavors. 

As I become more acquainted with the community, I would appreciate it if you would provide me with feedback about my blog or anything else that might help me to better serve you.  In addition, if there are certain "hot topics" you would like to see in upcoming blogs or in scheduling guest speakers, please let me know.  Finally, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me at tonya.allen@southlakecarroll.edu. 

 

Have a wonderful year!

 

Tonya Allen, M.S., LPC

District Support Counselor

Carroll ISD

 

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."

  — Stacia Tauscher, dancer and artist