Bristow Run School Counseling Program
Mission Statement
"The mission of the Bristow Run Elementary
School Counseling Program is to promote students' personal, academic, social, and career success in a safe, respectful,
and motivating school environment through a collaborative partnership of school staff, parents, and the community
with the purpose of preparing all students for lifelong learning and productive citizenship."
"Keeping students on track...for the long run."
Click on this link to review slide show about the
Counseling Program
Click Here for "Quick Tips for Parents"
Our
school counseling program has been officially recognized by the American School Counselor Association for delivering
a comprehensive, developmental program that is aligned with the National Model ® and is organized to ensure
accountability. Our counselors are educators who are specially trained in childhood development and collaborate
with parents, teachers, administrators, and support staff to help ensure success for every student. Data is obtained
from needs assessments, pre and post tests, and surveys. Programs are analyzed for effectiveness and decisions
are made on how best to provide students with knowledge and skills in the areas of career, academic, and personal/social
development. At
Bristow Run, the school counseling program is an integral component of the academic mission of the school.
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Mrs. Vaneman is a full time counselor who has been at Bristow Run for the past nine years.
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September 11 - Olweus Bully Prevention Program Kick off Assembly
October 22-26 - Character Counts Week
Nov. 12-16 - Heritage Week
(Nov. 15 - Family Heritage Night)
Jan. 21-25 - No Name-Calling Week
(Jan. 25 - Class Compliment Day)
February 4-8 - National School Counseling Week
Mar. 31- April 4 - Career Week
(April 4 - Career Dress Up Day)
May 12- 16 - "I Can" Week
(May 13 - SOL Test Rally)
Special Schoolwide Emphasis:
September
- Respect
October - Responsibility
November
- Citizenship
December - Caring
January
- Fairness
February
- Trustworthiness
March -
No Putdowns
April -
Positive Difference
May - School
Rules
SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS AND OBJECTIVES BY GRADE LEVEL
PRE-K/K:
· KA.1: Recognize responsibilities of being a student worker in school.
· KC.1: Identify areas of interest.
· KC.2: Develop awareness of careers in the community.
· KP.1: Recognize and appreciate one s unique abilities.
· KP.2: Identify and understand the meaning of various feeling words.
· KP.3: Develop awareness of empathy.
· KP.4: Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior in school.
· KP.5: Use appropriate communication skills to ask for help when needed.
GRADE 1:
· 1A.1: Develop skills and positive work habits (including task completion) to successfully meet school
requirements.
· 1A.2: Understand that mistakes are essential to the learning process.
· 1A.3: Understand the importance of goal setting.
· 1C.1: Develop an understanding of roles and contributions of workers in school, home, and community.
· 1C.2: Identify personal skills, abilities, and interests in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social development.
· 1P.1: Describe how to express feelings in constructive ways (i.e. I statements. ).
· 1P.2: Develop an awareness of the importance of personal safety (i.e. Know telephone number, home address, emergency contact information, Stranger Danger).
· 1P.3: Identify situations requiring adult professional help.
GRADE 2:
· 2A.1: Develop awareness of goal-setting steps.
· 2A.2: Recognize the relationship between goal setting and accomplishing work.
· 2A.3: Work independently to achieve academic success.
· 2A.4: Identify and utilize test-taking skills.
· 2C.1: Learn about the variety of traditional and non-traditional occupations in a changing work place.
· 2C.2: Identify resource people in the school and community and understand how to seek their help.
· 2P.1: Identify forms of communication (e.g., listening, speaking, body language, etc.).
· 2P.2: Develop awareness of individual differences.
· 2P.3: Define friend and describe what is meant by friendship.
· 2P.4: Recognize how personal behavior affects group dynamics.
· 2P.5: Recognize peer pressure and bullying situations.
· 2P.6: Recognize different coping strategies to deal with situations.
GRADE 3:
· 3A.1: Set realistic short-term goals.
· 3A.2: Recognize the relationship between learning/achievement and personal effort.
· 3A.3: Identify and utilize study, organizational, and test-taking skills.
· 3A.4: Display a positive work ethic (persistence, self-motivation, punctuality, etc.).
· 3A.5: Identify how group participation contributes to learning.
· 3C.1: Demonstrate how a positive outlook regarding self, education and work enhances potential and increases productivity.
· 3C.2: Recognize that skills, abilities, and interests are considerations in the choice of careers.
· 3C.3: Understand that jobs with similar characteristics may be grouped as job families or career clusters.
· 3P.1: Identify different modes of interpersonal communication (verbal, non-verbal).
· 3P.2: Positively communicate thoughts, feelings, and needs to others in a variety of situations.
· 3P.3: Demonstrate and accept responsibility for individual behavior and how it affects others.
· 3P.4: Demonstrate self-control.
· 3P.5: Demonstrate how to communicate positively in a conflict situation.
· 3P.6: Explain the skills needed to function effectively in groups.
GRADE 4:
· 4A.1: Identify and describe how decision-making, problem-solving, and coping skills support or interfere
with academic achievement.
· 4A.2: Identify and utilize effective test-taking skills.
· 4A.3: Demonstrate time management and organizational skills.
· 4A.4: Understand how personal learning styles can impact school achievement.
· 4A.5: Explain the importance of lifelong learning.
· 4C.1: Identify hobbies and interests.
· 4C.2: Relate each step of the decision-making/problem-solving process to career development (awareness, exploration, and preparation).
· 4P.1: Evaluate methods of expressing feelings.
· 4P.2: Identify and describe the steps in a decision-making/problem-solving process.
· 4P.3: Identify factors that influence personal decisions.
· 4P.4: Generate alternative solutions to problems and consider/evaluate consequences.
· 4P.5: Demonstrate the decision-making process.
· 4P.6: Recognize that different group members may have different opinions.
· 4P.7: Demonstrate different coping strategies for various situations and life changes.
· 4P.8: Identify factors that impact personal safety and well-being (i.e. substance abuse, etc.).
· 4P.9: Demonstrate self-reliance.
GRADE 5:
· 5A.1: Set realistic long-term goals.
· 5A.2: Apply personal learning style.
· 5A.3: Recognize the benefits of individual initiative and teamwork.
· 5C.1: Compile a list of personal abilities.
· 5C.2: Describe how personal strengths in school work affect future goals and career options.
· 5C.3: Understand that the changing workplace requires lifelong learning and acquiring new skills.
· 5C.4: Acquire employability skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and organization.
· 5C.5: Identify career choices through various means of exploration.
· 5C.6: Describe changes as inevitable and necessary to adapt to new situations, (e.g., middle school).
· 5P.1: Describe how verbal and non-verbal behavior influence interpersonal relationships.
· 5P.2: Demonstrate how to communicate with others.
· 5P.3: Demonstrate appreciation and respect for similarities and differences in opinions.
· 5P.4: Describe strategies for getting along with others.
· 5P.5: Demonstrate how to disagree with others without provoking them.
· 5P.6: Demonstrate appropriate responses to ease a conflict situation.
· 5P.7: Demonstrate effective responses to peer pressure and bullying situations.
· 5P.8: Identify and analyze group dynamics in a variety of situations.
Classroom Guidance will be taught
in all grades as three units. The "KIND" unit will focus on empathy and No-Putdowns, cooperating as a
class, respect for differences, a whole school emphasis on eliminating Bully Behavior.
The "WORK" unit will feature the Prince William County Guidance objectives centering on grade level work
habits and career education. The "BEST" unit will incorporate test-taking skills, and the remaining Prince
William County Guidance objectives on a grade level basis. (Other lessons, outside of these units, will be conducted
as needed).
Students may be referred for counseling in
different ways:
* by their parent (call 703-753-7741)
* by their teacher
* by the administration and/or Child Study Committee
* by themselves
(Each classroom has a supply of self-referral forms
which students may complete and deposit in one of
two designated mailboxes).
Parental permission is required for students to see
the counselor on an on-going basis for the same issue.
Written permission is required for
participation in small group counseling sessions.
This year, two students from each class (Grades 1-5) will be selected to serve
as "First Friends" to any new students who enter their class during the
school year. These ambassadors will be trained to provide the new students
with a special orientation to Bristow Run and help make them feel more comfortable.
The Olweus Bully Prevention Program (pronounced "Ol - vay- us") is a research-based
multi-component program designed to prevent or reduce bullying by focusing on
rewarding kind behavior and enforcing consequences for unkind behavior. Our Bristow
Run Pledge now incorporates school rules against bullying. Every class will hold
weekly class meetings in order to help build a community of caring. Watch the Panther
Press for more information on how parents can prevent bullying at home.
Parent Library
The Bristow Run parent library is just beginning. Parents may browse the designated shelf in our library and check out books and videos on various parenting topics. This special library of materials is funded by the PTA. If you have a suggestion for a type of book or video, please leave a message in the office (703-753-7741).Adding materials will be an ongoing process.
This website will list titles as they become available. At the present time, we have the following:
BOOKS
The Family Contractby Howard I. Leftin, MD
How To Talk To Your Kids About Really Important Things by Schaefer and DiGeronimo
When “NO” Gets You Nowhere by Mark L. Brenner
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
Chores Without Wars by Lynn Lott and Riki Intner
When Someone Dies by Sharon Greenlee
Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell A. Barkley, PhD.
The Bristow Run community has embraced the
six "pillars" of character in the Character Counts program: RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, CARING, TRUSTWORTHINESS,
FAIRNESS, and CITIZENSHIP.
On October 23rd at 9:15 am., our quarterly the Parent Tea features the school counselors
sharing information on how to build "Character Education at Home".
Parents can also check the Panther Press for tips.
Click here to return to main Guidance page.