Parent/Teacher Communication Survey!!!!

Filling this out will help me collect data to share with administration and staff on parent and teacher communication.   Please take a minute to answer this brief survey by cutting and pasting the link address below into your browser.

Results will be published on the blog at a later time to help facilitate discussion on ways to keep the communication rolling!!!

Any questions or comments, feel free to put them at the end of the survey or email me at MGeremia@east-haven.k12.ct.us

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V6PLYNK

Free Events around East Haven for December, January and February!!!

"There is nothing to do in this town."  
I hear this all the time from students.  Now there is no excuse!!!  I will be listing some free or low cost events around town that students of all ages can participate in!  I will list the contact information for each event if you have any more questions.

Happy Winter!




Free Kids Basketball!!!!!!!!

Every Tuesday 6 pm- 8 pm at Tuttle School.  Ages 6-12.  Learn skills and Fundamentals!!!!

Hagman Memorial Library, East Haven

December

• 3rd, 10th & 17th: Casual & Fun Yoga at the Library!

Learn a number of basic yoga postures and positions. Please bring an exercise or yoga mat with you. 6:30 p.m.—7:45 pm. Registration is required.   203-468-3890

• 5th, 12th & 19th: Come Join the Conversation! 

A Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven free English as a Second Language conversation class on Saturday mornings at Hagaman Library. This group is for students who want to improve their English communication skills. Please call 203.776.5899 for more information. 10:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m

• 9th Genealogy Club   

Free and open to anyone interested in researching their family history. Bring your favorite recipe to share at our December meeting! Get in the spirit at our December holiday party! 6:30 p.m. 

• 10th Film Night. 

Surviving Christmas (2004) starring Ben Affleck, Christina Applegate and James Gandolfini. Pizza and drinks are served. 5:00 p.m. (Pizza) 5:30 p.m. (Film)

January

• 27th  Author Event: Meet Bill Hall, author of The World's Most Haunted House: The True Story of The Bridgeport Poltergeist on Lindley Street. 

Bill will give a slide presentation, followed by a book signing. 6:30 p.m. SNOW DATE: Wed. February 7th at 6:30 pm.

• 28: Film Night: 

Winter's Tale (2014) starring Colin Farrell and Matt Bomer. Pizza and drinks are served. Registration Required. 5 p.m. 203-468-3890

February

• 5th: Make Your Own Valentine Card or Gift!

 A free workshop facilitated by local crafter Vanessa Fasanella 3:00 p.m.

TEEN CENTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Teen Center has relocated to 200 Tyler Street, the old East Haven High School and is now know as "The Spot". The Teen Center features the Lizard Lounge Juice Bar and we now have access to the gym for basketball, kickball and dodge ball.

Teen Center events are open to any East Haven teen regardless of where they attend school. It is a great place to socialize with friends, play games and participate in various programs. The Teen Center events are 7:00 – 10:00 with 6th grade only events from 7:00 – 9:00. Admission is $3 and includes snacks, pizza and water.

Call for dates of events: (203) 468-3396

Parent Teacher Conferences This Week!!!!!

I still have slots available for parent conferences in the afternoons from 12:45 to 2:30 on Wednesday December 2nd and Thursday December 3rd.  I also have slots available on Wednesday evening from 5:00-7:15.

Email is the easiest way to set up a conference because then I can email back with the times and rooms of your child's teachers.  You can set up conferences with all of their teachers or just specific ones.

Feel free to contact me to set up appointments!!!
MGeremia@East-Haven.k12.ct.us

Parent Teacher Conferences!!!!!
Sign Up Now!!!!

If you are interested in speaking to your child's teachers, please email or call me to set up appointments.   You can meet with as many of your child's teachers as needed.  Appointments will be set up individually with each teacher for approx. 5 minutes each.  If you let me know what day/time you would want to start conferences and which teachers you would like to meet with, I will email you back a schedule of rooms and times.

To schedule conferences, please email me at MGeremia@east-haven.k12.ct.us or call Guidance at 203-468-3225.

Extended Day Counseling Groups!!!!
Tuesday and Thursday 2:30-4:00                    Late Bus provided!!!!



Ms. Covington-Morales, our School Psychologist, and myself will be holding weekly counseling groups after school through the Extended Day Program.

The focus is going to be improving self esteem, learning how to reduce stress, managing your emotions, learning how to express yourself in a healthy way, and so much more!

My groups will focus on learning through art therapy. Art Therapy works well for students who have trouble expressing their feelings through words.

Counseling groups start this week on Tuesday and Thursday (Week of 11/9).  Please contact me if you would like to be a part of it or have your child be a part of it.  203-468-3225 or
MGeremia@east-haven.k12.ct.us.


 I will be letting the group know what the topic and activity for the next time is.  Students who choose to come do not have to come every session if they do not want to.  Students who choose to come can come to as many sessions as they want and stop any time.


It will be a great, stress free time!  Plus snacks!!!  Snacks make everyone happy!!!!

This is a great article I read online on Babble.com.  Middle School kids might not know who John Stamos is when you get to the end, but I will forever be a Full House fan.

DEAR GIRLS, LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR CRAPPY FRIENDS
ANNA LIND THOMAS

Dear lovely girls,

I have a secret. Being popular, liked and included by your peers is totally overrated. I can see your eyes are glazing over. Hold on, let me put on a One-Direction t-shirt so I can get your attention. OK, let’s try that again.

Tips on helping your child resolve student/teacher conflicts

 Over the past 10 years as a school counselor I have had many, many students want to change classes because "Their teacher doesn't like them."   Many times there is an underlying issue as to why they really want to change.  I have found that not having friends in the class, a personality clash with the teacher, a highly structured classroom or difficulty with the subject are some of the reasons students do not like the class or teacher. 

I found a great article on schoolfamily.com that discusses this issue about students thinking their teacher dislikes them.  Below are some suggestions for students and parents to help deal with this issue.

Here are some other ideas for helping your child deal with a teacher he doesn’t like:

• The best way to begin a conversation with a teacher about a problem is with “What can I do?” This approach shows the teacher that you want to work with the teacher to help your child. 
• Shift responsibility to your child by helping your child find ways to approach her teacher without alienating himself/herself.  For example, your child could say “I’m having a hard time concentrating because it’s too noisy. What can I do?”
• Remind your child that he’ll have many teachers, coworkers, and bosses in his lifetime and that not all of them will fit with his learning style or personality. 
• Recognize that teacher-child clashes often represent differences in personality style. Children who need structure and predictability may not get along with a freeform teacher who goes with the flow. And the free-spirited child may react negatively to a teacher who sets firm boundaries and adheres to a list of strict rules. Try to convince your child she can learn from someone who has a different style.
• When your child says her teacher doesn’t like her, ask for specific examples. Then you can determine whether she is exaggerating the conflict or whether a problem really exists.
• Work with the chain of command: First talk to the teacher, then the principal, then the superintendent, and then your elected board member. 

When your child hates their teacher and is convinced the teacher hates them, it can make for a long, miserable year for everyone. By working with your child to try to resolve the issue, you show them you care about her feelings and are truly in their corner, even when they are at school—and you help them gain valuable interpersonal skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

One of the Most Important skills to learn in Middle School!

Organization!
Organization!
Organization!

Keeping yourself organized really does make a different with school work, homework and studying.   Here are some tips to help:

1.  Have one place at home where all work is done.  Make sure it is away from any distractions ( Cell phone, TV, Video Games, etc.).  If you do all your work in one place, it lessens the chance you will misplace or lose papers around the house.

2. Many students use a different colored folder for each class. One side is for handouts and completed work.  The other side of the folder is for homework (To be done or completed work).  I have seen too many students waste time in class taking everything out of their bags and digging through crumpled papers for the homework.

3. Date EVERYTHING you are given. This was it can help you know whether or not you need it for a test or project.

4. Clean out you folders every 2 weeks.  Throw out anything that you do not need.  If there is anything you do want to keep, put it in a folder at home.  By May, I have seen some students with papers in their binders from September.

5. USE your planner.  It may seem simple, but this is the easiest thing you can do to help with organization.  It is hard for anyone to remember everything they have to do in their 7 classes.  By writing it down, you will know EXACTLY what the assignment is so you won't spend 20 minutes digging through your bag for that scrap of paper you wrote the homework on.


I use several of these simple things myself to help me remember everything I have to do.  Doing these things daily will help with your frustration level with classwork, homework and projects.