Proud Panda Program

How Counselors Support Your Child at School

• Assist all students with transitioning into their new classrooms. 

• Classroom Character Education lessons to help build a cohesive community.  Some topics are: Yoga & Mindfulness, Conflict Resolution, Identifying & Expressing Feelings, Respect for All, The Zones of Regulation, Honesty, Resilience, etc.

• Supervise the Lunch & Recess program as Lunch Aides assist in ensuring that all children are engaged in play during lunch and recess.

• Host Lunch Bunches throughout the year where students engage in small groups and play to develop friendships 

* If you have ANY concerns about your child’s socialization, please contact your school’s counselor.  Working with our lunch aides, we can help foster friendships *

• Individual & Small Group Counseling

• Social & Emotional Support: We are an “extra friend” for every child

• Conflict Mediation & Peer Relationship Building

• Collaborate with Teachers & Parents

• School & Statewide Initiatives: Red Ribbon Week, Week of Respect, etc.

• Leadership Committees (Good Will Ambassadors, The Helping Hands Committee)

Tips To Support Your Child’s Social-Emotional Wellbeing at Home

Be Positive:  Reinforce the message that school is a fun place to be.  Laugh at yourself and reinforce the message that everyone makes mistakes.

Routine Routine Routine!  School-year routines, doing homework and having a consistent bedtime will always help your child feel confident and alert.  Below are some examples:

• Morning checklist behind plastic with a dry-erase marker (Brush Teeth, Get Dressed, Breakfast, etc).  

• After homework is complete, have a 5 minute check-in to see how it went and that it goes in your child's backpack.

• Backpack kept in the same location.

• Consistent bedtime (children need between 9-13 hours of sleep each day depending on their age).

Be on Time For School: This helps your child feel organized, ready and energetic!

Reach out to other parents: Schedule play dates (as your schedule allows)

Talk With Your Child to Practice Social Skills:

• At dinner or before bed do a round of “Highs & Lows” of your day or week

• Identify Feelings: “That person looks sad.”  “I feel happy.”  “What makes me angry?”

• Express Feelings: “I feel ____ because _____.  I wish _____.”

• Practice eye-contact while speaking with each other.

After-School Activities: Have your child join an after-school club or a sports team.  Lists of after-school clubs can be obtained from the PTA.  

If there are homework or academic concerns, reach out to your child’s teacher.

Collaborate with teachers and school staff if you have any personal or familial concerns that may affect your child.

Get Involved: Reach out to other parents. Join the PTA if you can.

Play board/card games together! 

• Uno, Chutes & Ladders, Go Fish, Cranium

• Jenga, Trouble, Spot It, Bingo 

• Cooperative Games from Peaceable Kingdom (Hoot Owl Hoot, Count Your Chickens) 

• Play-dough (or regular) Pictionary, 20 Questions

• Tell a Story using Rory’s Story Cubes, Picture Cards, etc.

Ways to Ask Your Kids, “How was school today?” 

without Asking Them, “How was school today?”

• What was the best thing that happened at school today?  (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)

• What was your "High, Low, Buffalo" of the day? (High = best part, Low = worst part, Buffalo = something interesting, funny, random)

• Tell me something that made you laugh today.

• If you could choose, who would you like to sit by in class?  

• Where is the coolest place in the school?

• Tell me an interesting word that you heard today.  

• If I called your teacher tonight, what would she tell me about you?

• How did you help somebody today?

• How did somebody help you today?

• Tell me one thing that you learned today.

• When were you the happiest today?

• When were you bored today?

• If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed up someone who would you want them to take?

• Who would you like to play with at recess that you’ve never played with before?

• Tell me something good that happened today.

• What word did your teacher say the most today?

• What do you want to do/learn more of at school?

• What do you think you should do/learn less of at school?

• Is there anyone in your class that you feel you could be nicer to?

• Where do you play the most at recess?

• Who is the funniest person in your class?  Why is he/she so funny?

• What was your favorite part of lunch?

• If you got to be the teacher tomorrow what would you do?

• If you could switch seats with anyone in the class who would you trade with?  Why?

• Tell me about three different times you used your pencil today at school.