School Counselors

Catrisa Bicknell- Gr. 6

Keleigh Kongkraphun- Gr. 8

Deborah Franklin- Gr. 7, Dept. Chair

The School Guidance and Counseling Program is an important part of Sudbrook’s total educational program for all students, focusing on the three goal areas of school success, career awareness and decision-making skills, and personal and interpersonal competencies. Services are delivered to students through a combination of developmental classroom guidance lessons, individual guidance and counseling sessions, and small group counseling. Consultations are conducted with parents, school faculty, and community agencies. Guidance activities are coordinated to promote student awareness pertinent to the three goal areas.

Guidance lessons for our sixth graders will focus on the transition to middle school, organizational skills, and identifying personal learning styles. Seventh graders will participate in CollegeEd , which is a course designed to encourage middle school students to consider careers of interest, future goals, and the possibilities and options pertinent to higher education. High school planning is an area of concentration for our eighth graders. Some topics of discussion will be high school graduation requirements, magnet programs and the application process, and the zoned high school registration process and completer programs.

The Role of the School Counselors

The school counselors serve as support persons for students. The counselors focus on helping students make positive decisions that will promote academic achievement in all subject areas, in order to encourage lifelong learning. Also, students participate in activities designed to strengthen citizenship skills and enhance personal development. School counselors help students succeed in school by providing assistance with:

• Academic Performance
• Personal Concerns
• Setting Goals
• Career Exploration
• Peer Relationships
• Organizational/ Study Skills
• High School Planning

Guidance and Counseling Services

• Classroom Guidance Lessons
• Individual Counseling
• Small Group Counseling
• Academic Support
• Student Service Learning Information
• Career Awareness Information
• Leadership/ Citizenship Training (i.e.- Peer Helping)

How Students Meet with a School Counselor

• Students may fill out a guidance request form devised by the guidance office. A guidance pass is given to students indicating an appointment time to meet with a counselor.
• Parents/ guardians, teachers, and administrators may refer students to see a counselor.
• Parents/ guardians are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a counselor, as the

counselors are conducting programming activities in various capacities with students daily.

SUDBROOK MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL

Ms. Linda Osborne, Guidance Office Secretary

Telephone- 410.887.1254

Email Addresses:

Ms. Bicknell- cbicknell@bcps.org – Grade 6

Ms. Franklin- dfranklin@bcps.org – Grade 7, Dept. Chair

Ms. Kongkraphun- kkongkraphun@bcps.org – Grade 8

Please notify the guidance office secretary if any change in address, telephone number, and/ or emergency contacts should occur during the school year. Documentation (proof of residency) must be submitted in order to complete an address change in our computer system.

Skill-Building/ Organization Strategies

The Agenda Book

The Agenda Book is an important tool that assists students in being academically successful. It is similar to a day reminder book, which is used for remembering appointment dates, family events, and other activities. Without the day reminder book, scheduled activities may be forgotten. Writing down assignments in a notebook (composition or spiral) helps students remember what assignments they are required to complete and when the assignments are to be turned in to the teachers. Students will be better prepared for daily learning and will be able to participate fully during instruction.

Reasons for Using an Agenda Book

• Students will be able to keep track of all assignments and due dates.
• Parents will be able to monitor the completion of their child’s assignments.
• Students will be able to heighten their level of responsibility and school success, and parents will be able to praise their child’s consistent efforts.

Using an Agenda Book Daily

Important Points:

• Students should bring the agenda book to school and to all classes daily.
• Students should accurately write down all assignments and due dates.
• Parents should review the agenda book and discuss assignments with their child.
• Parents should hold their child accountable for using the agenda book.
• Teachers give students time during class to write down assignments.
• Teachers expect students to write down all assignments, complete them in a thorough manner, and turn them in on time.

Suggestions for Notebook Binder Maintenance and Organization

Students are able to go to their locker 3 times each day to retrieve required supplies for classes:

• Each morning before period 1
• Before lunch
• At dismissal time

When using binders, students should insert dividers to separate subjects with a section for homework, reference sheets, and class work. Some students may benefit by having a folder for homework assignments instead of placing completed assignments in a particular section. Try to figure out what works best for your child. The keys to maintaining the binder(s) for organization are to date all papers and place them in designated sections, and allocate time at home to clean it out weekly.

I. Use one notebook binder during the entire school day. Some students may be able to fit all subjects into one binder. For each subject include the following sections: homework, drill, and reference. A homework folder may be placed at the beginning of each subject to keep track of assignments.

II. Use two notebook binders - one for classes before lunch (A.M.) and another for classes after lunch (P.M.).

On the few days when schools are scheduled to be in session for only a ½ day, students should carry both binders.

Daily Work Habits and Academic Achievement

Through classroom guidance lessons, small group sessions, and one-to-one interactions, the school counselors assist students in understanding the connection between daily work habits and academic achievement. School success is definitely affected by whether or not a student is able to set and achieve goalsand his/her concern about developing good organizational skills.

Setting goals gives students direction and purpose, similar to that of a map, which helps us find a particular destination. The five key steps for setting and achieving goals are:

1. Identify a goal that you have the interest and ability to achieve.

2. Write it down in a clear sentence.

3. Write down the things that you need to do (daily) to reach your goal (specific steps).

4. Identify a specific date/ timeframe to achieve the goal.

5. Commit to reaching the goal(s) by monitoring and reviewing your written goal statement.

Good organizational skills are a must for effective learning and for obtaining desirable grades in all subject areas. Students are consistently encouraged to write all assignments in the agenda planner, keep their notebook binders, book bags, and lockers organized, and to be prepared for instruction by bringing all needed supplies and thoroughly completed assignments to school. At home, students should do the following:

1. Plan a definite time and place for studying each day.
2. Check off completed assignments in the agenda planner.
3. Use the monthly calendar in the agenda planner for posting test dates, quizzes, projects, etc.
4. Review! Review! Review! It can help students retain the information they need to know.
5. Study for a while and take short breaks.
6. Do not cram for hours the night before a test. Study in small increments each day.

High School Information

Eighth grade students and parents will be will be deliberating over and finalizing decisions regarding high school selection. The following activities will occur during the school year, with specific details forthcoming:

• Magnet High School Presentations

Interested 8 th graders will have an opportunity to attend magnet high school presentations during a designated school day, at Sudbrook. An invitational letter requesting parental permission for participation will be sent home with students. The Baltimore County Public Schools website- www.bcps.org has detailed information about the application process and the deadline date, descriptions of all programs, and open house dates.

• Zoned High School Registration

In January 2010, high school representatives will register students for their neighborhood (zoned) school. Information about curricula courses and extracurricular activities will be presented to students. Toward the end of January or the beginning of February, students will be directed to take their registration form home for parental review and signature. All students are involved in this standard process.

Take the time to talk with your child about the opportunities that magnet schools provide. More information about the BCPS magnet programs is available at www.bcps.org/offices/omp or by calling the Office of Magnet Programs at 410-887-4127.

Student Service Learning

COORDINATOR- Deborah Franklin

STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING – FAQ’s  

What is Student Service Learning?

All Baltimore County Public School students are required to participate in activities which promote learning about people and communities. The purpose of these activities is to show students the importance of helping and appreciating different people. Students are eligible to begin earning service learning volunteer hours entering into grade 6 (as of July 1 st). Sixth graders will receive information about Student Service Learning through a lesson conducted by the grade level counselor.

What are the requirements?

All students are required to:

• Earn a minimum of 75 hours of student service (students cannot receive pay for their service hours).
• Complete the hours before graduating from high school.

How do students earn the required hours?

Students may earn hours by:

• Participating in activities in a community setting, such as volunteering at a local library, serving as a youth summer camp counselor, and tutoring young children at a school or community center. These activities are called Independent projects.
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• Participating in lessons instructed during the school day, at Sudbrook Magnet Middle, in designated subject areas. This type of Service Learning is called Infusion.

How do students find service learning activities in which to participate?

The following resources are available to students:

• Parents/friends/relative may know of a place in the community to earn service hours.
• Teachers/counselors may offer opportunities for students to earn service hours.
• A Student Resource Directory is available in Sudbrook’s Guidance Office, which identifies places in the Baltimore metropolitan area to earn service hours. The hours may be competed in any state.

What are students required to do to receive credit for their Independent student service hours?

Students are required to:

• Fill out three (3) forms:

1. Pre-Approval form - the Student Application to Participate in a Student Service Activity. To receive service hours, a proposed activity must meet Baltimore County guidelines.

2. Hours of Service Verification form.

3. Reflection form - Provide a report telling about the action phase and what was learned during the experience (i.e.: respond to questions on the Reflection form, write a letter to the principal, maintain a journal, pictorial display, etc....)

• The Pre-Approval form has to be turned in to the Guidance Office at Sudbrook Magnet Middle School before the service (Action Phase) begins. The Verification of Hours and the Reflection forms have to be turned in at the end of the service experience, in order to receive credit for the hours.

The hours earned by students will be printed on the report card.

For assistance, please contact the Guidance Office at (410) 887-1254.

Resources

Guidance and Counseling Center Resources

• Listing of Individual and Family Counseling Services, and other types of assistance in the Baltimore County Area

• Student Service Learning Directory of Locations to Complete Service Hours

• Booklets and other information for parents and students on topics such as study skills, transitioning to middle school, goal setting, work habits, and peer interactions

• Websites

Student Service Learning – www.bcps.org , www.mssa.sailorsite.net

High School Information- www.bcps.org (click on schools or offices for magnet high

school programs)

Career Awareness- www.collegeboard.com , http://mapping-your-future.org/planning , www.wiredscholar.com , http://jobstar.org , www.careernet.org

College Information- www.gocollege.com , www.collegeispossible.org , www.thinkcollegeearly.org , www.ed.gov/thinkcollege