Well, here we go! Whether it be virtual or blended or full speed ahead, it is almost time for the new school year. I hope that everyone is ready for new adventures in learning and getting along. I will be available to parents by phone or email between now and the start of school. Feel free to contact me in whatever manner works for you.
252-247-2448, Ext 1132
I will begin the year making myself and my position known to our littlest ones (PK and K) and checking in with the older students. I will have a google classroom where students will find tips on pertinent topics, parents will find important links and lessons can be posted for students in the virtual setting.
I learned a lot about what not to do during our virtual time last spring. I plan to use what I have learned to make our school counseling program better than ever for our students and their families.
I will no longer be promoting the WatchDogs program or our Volunteer Training. It seems that we have some limits on visitors to the building, so WatchDogs is suspended for now. I plan to offer all of the regular lessons that I have had in the past, with any necessary small group sessions hosted virtually, in order to maintain the appropriate social distance. I will begin training volunteers again when the Covid restrictions allow more visitors to our campus.
Again, feel free to contact me if I can help your family in any way. I am excited to see what 2020-2021 will teach us! #BestSchoolOnEarth
What a strange time we are living in at the moment. I haven't heard from a lot of parents, so my conclusion is that we are all coping in our own spaces and getting by. There are many side effects to this stay - at - home time that affect us all: financial distress, family conflicts, loneliness, job loss, lack of friendship and social interaction.
For me, work has become easier, more routine. The longing to be around children has become much greater! I am enjoying the routines and being at home with my elderly dad, even while missing the children so much and worrying about their schooling. I am sure many of us have conflicting feelings and responses to this. One unusual side effect for many is difficulty sleeping, either excessive dreaming or problems falling asleep and staying asleep.
I am sharing a link to some very soothing music (along with a number of other calming items). The music track plays up to 12 hours and has the deep tones required to ease your mind into sleep.
https://www.district196.org/about/calm-room
Please feel free to contact me if I can help you or your student in any way. I look forward to when we will meet again in person.
252-247-2448 Ext 322138
Please feel free to contact me if I can help.
Letter, School Closing, March, 2020
During this time at home, we will not be able to serve your students in person. Please feel free to contact us at any time if parents OR students need to speak with us.
joann.norman@carteretk12.org - Counselor
susan.wainwright@carteretk12.org - Nurse
Jodi.lewis@carteretk12.org - School Social Worker
Counselor and Nurse Susan have webpages on the school website. There is a form linked on the counselor page that you can complete to request a phone call or some help from another agency or school employee.
Suggestions for this time at home include keeping to a schedule. Meals, chores and sleep at normal times will help your child stay in the "school year" frame of mind. Lots of sunshine and fresh air are recommended by the CDC, and active play is always necessary for children. Boardgames and outdoor play are great family activities. Playdates and sleep overs are not recommended because they do not fit the guidelines for social distance. The Nurse's webpage will have updates on healthy living strategies during this time. We would encourage you help you child stay in touch with good friends and family through digital means: phones / skype / FaceTime / email.
Classroom teachers will provide lessons and work in whatever way our district authorizes. The counselor will also be in touch with her lessons and information.
Jo Ann Norman, School Counselor, MaEd, NCE, NBCT
Susan Wainwright,
Nurse
Jodi Lewis, School Social Worker
If you feel I can help during this time, please click this link and complete the form.
Carta, cierre de la, marzo de 2020
Durante este tiempo en casa, no podremos atender a sus estudiantes en persona. No dude en contactarnos en cualquier momento si los padres O los estudiantes necesitan hablar con nosotros.
joann.norman@carteretk12.org - Consejera
susan.wainwright@carteretk12.org - Enfermera
Jodi.lewis@carteretk12.org - LaTrabajadora Social de la Escuela
Consejera y la Enfermera Susan tienen páginas web en el sitio web de la escuela. Hay un formulario vinculado en la página del consejero que puede completar para solicitar una llamada telefónica o alguna ayuda de otra agencia o empleado de la escuela.
Las sugerencias para este tiempo en casa incluyen mantener un horario. Las comidas, los quehaceres y el sueño en horarios normales ayudarán a su hijo a mantenerse en el estado de ánimo del "año escolar". Los CDC recomiendan mucho sol y aire fresco, y el juego activo siempre es necesario para los niños. Los juegos de mesa y los juegos al aire libre son excelentes actividades familiares. No se recomiendan las fechas para jugar y dormir porque no se ajustan a las pautas de distancia social. La página web de la enfermera tendrá actualizaciones sobre estrategias de vida saludable durante este tiempo. Le recomendamos que ayude a su hijo a mantenerse en contacto con buenos amigos y familiares a través de medios digitales: teléfonos / skype / FaceTime / correo electrónico.
Los maestros de aula proporcionarán lecciones y trabajarán de cualquier manera que nuestro distrito autorice. El consejero también estará en contacto con sus lecciones e información.
Jo Ann Norman, consejera escolar, MaEd, NCE, NBCT
Susan Wainwright, enfermera
Jodi Lewis, trabajadora social escolar
You or your student can email me, using their student email or your email if needed -
As the district makes plans for serving children during this difficult time, I will post more about how I can be available to any student who needs me or who is accustomed to seeing me regularly.
We would like to pair approved volunteers with students who would enjoy a mentor-mentee relationship. The volunteer's commitment would be a minimum of 30 mins per week, to read with a child, eat lunch with them or even enjoy some playground time if you would like. This kind of mentoring relationship requires a commitment to be reliable and a prior approval as a Carteret County Schools Volunteer.
If you or a family member would like to explore this opportunity, please contact me, with any questions or to sign up. I may be reached at 252-247-2448 ext 1138 or by email at joann.norman@carteretk12.orgip
2020 begins my 32nd year and 4th decade of public education. I started in 1988 at Coastal Carolina Community College. Oh! The changes are nearly innumerable. What hasn't changed is the love that teachers and parents feel for the children in their lives. I continue to enjoy being around kids and to be amazed at how bright and curious most children are in the school setting. If you are struggling to encourage your own child, or if you are experiencing parental concerns, please feel free to contact me at 247-2448 ext 1138 or by email at joann.norman@carteretk12.org. I can help you address family or academic concerns and can refer you to outside professionals as needed. I can also lend a listening ear for any parental woes that are pulling at you. Feet free to contact me anytime.
My January Counselor's Calendar
I am concentrating on the meaning of responsibility this month. Students are learning about their role in their on education. I encourage all parents to help students focus on understanding that hard work and facing challenges leads to maturity and success. Primarily, my conversations are centered around a book and then relating that content to the child's life.
Kindergarten students are reading Lazy Ozzie by Michael Coleman
First graders are reading You Think It's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt
Second Graders are enjoying Pigsty and The Secret Shortcut by Mark Teague
and completing a goal-setting worksheet
Third Graders are reading The Boy of the Three-Year Nap
by Dianne Snyder
In February, we will be addressing Body Safety and The Touching Rules for Kindergarten students, while
we address Kindness and Friendship with other grade.
Feel free to contact me at 247-2448 X #1138 or by email, joann.norman@carteretk12.org if you feel there is a way we might help your family. We can help direct you to agencies that donate food, help with clothing such as winter coats, holiday dinners, Christmas gifts, etc. We work to match our truly needy families with some of those donations. Please understand that any information shared would be kept as confidential as you request. We would love to help if possible.
Jo Ann Norman
Book Trailer video with part of Luba's story
Nightline Video about Luba - WARNING - contains images of concentration camp victims/death
(I did not show this to the students, but you may wish to preview it
and consider it for family discussion.)
There is something exciting about a brand new year. This one will be particularly special to me. I am grateful to be here for another school year. After last year's health scare, I plan to make this coming school year the best ever!
A few activities that I have planned for this year are continued Lunch Bunch times with 3rd graders, new ways to engage our WatchDogs as volunteers, a heightened focus on information about careers, and a project for our 3rd graders to help give a virtual tour of our school.
This year, we will also introduce our Buddy Benches. Buddy Benches are seats on the play spaces where a student can sit for a minute, alerting others that that she needs a playmate. I will be training all of our students on how to use the Buddy Benches, later in September.
I am the Volunteer Coordinator and have planned a training for August 28 at 6:00 pm, in conjunction with the first PTO meeting. ALL volunteers must be trained and complete an application. Background checks will be completed before a parent can volunteer (these take more than 2 weeks to complete). The only exceptions are parents with a current NC Law Enforcement license.
I am excited about the coming year and look forward to working with you and your children.
Wow, what a beginning for a new school year! I am sure all of us had some worries and problems following Hurricane Florence, with some suffering far more than others. I have seen great resilience in the students, however, as they returned to school and routines following the storm. What little troopers they have been! They picked right up where they were and got to work. As I type, Hurricane Michael is swirling around the Gulf and threatening to treat Florida as Florence did us. One point to remember is that young children's emotions and worries generally follow those of their parents and guardians. If you have expressed your stress, they pick up on it. If you can present calm and confidence, they will follow your lead.
If your child has had continued worries following the storm, or if you need resources on how to discuss natural disasters and the fallout from those, please do not hesitate to contact me. I have experience from the 1990's storms, which included the Floyd Flood, as well as the tornadoes that hit Raleigh after Hugo. As winter approaches and the housing crisis continues, there may be other storm-related concerns. I am here for you and for your children, to help and encourage your family in any way feasible. The many financial worries resulting from Florence will not be quick to go away. If you are struggling, do not hesitate to share with me confidentially, as I may know of some local resources.
Here's to a great year, one that will likely race by after such a stressful and slow beginning!
Wishing you and your family well,
Mrs. Norman
There is no doubt that most parents feel a tiny clinch in the belly every day when they separate from their children. I still do, and my two are adults. That anxiety and worry is made all the worse for parents of young children and educators by the horrific reality of school violence and school shootings. While we may have differing opinions about how to solve the deadly problem, we have one thing in common: we have to know how to talk with the children.
In my experience, it is not necessary to discuss the matter with very young childre who can be protected from the constant stream of news media and talking heads. If your student is not curious about news and does not sit down to watch it, it is your duty as a parent to shield your child from the constant exposure to this information. Knowing about these shootings as a 7 year old is only going to result in fear and worry. No small child has the skills to understand, react to or process such evil. If your child is a middle school or high school, even an older elementary student, it is likely that the child will bring it up to you. I recommend answering questions honestly, saying you don't know or don't understand when that is a true answer and never promising a child that "it won't happen here" or "you don't have to worry about that". While the likelihood is slim and we wish we could confidently say we live in a safe community, you do not want to add betrayal to the feelings a child may have if there is an incident at your child's school.
Tamping down your own anxiety and limiting the heated conversations and reactions in your home can help to quell the nerves of everyone. Teaching your small child about safety, staying near you in public and how to remain safe at home are the best steps you can take. Addressing the practical aspects of school violence with older children could be talking with your student about how he would react? Where could she hide? What are his fears? What spots in the school building seem vulnerable to the student? Discuss these things but make sure your student understands that even adults are overcome in traumatic events and sometimes cannot make decisions about safety. Always point to the good in situations, reminding students that teachers are trained and school staff place student safety above all else.
It may be surreal to adults to believe that this problem has become so prevalent. I know I sometimes have a feeling of stepping back and feeling astonished that mass school violence even exists. If you are unable to address this with an older child who has questions, feel free to seek the help of professional, such as school staff, private counselors or your child's medical provider.
October in elementary school...this is when it gets interesting. Nine week conferences are taking place, so if you have academic concerns, be sure to conference with your child's teacher. Behaviors have either settled down or really ramped up! If you need help with a behavioral matter, please feel free to contact your child's teacher or me. We can sit down with you and look for strategies for both home and school. Ms. Litzenberg and I have included some students in some small groups, which are going well. WatchDogs are trained and ready, so we hope to have some dads and role models scheduling dates SOON!
Teachers are busy readying rooms and preparing bulletin boards for the new school year. I am 1 for 2 on the bulletin boards! I have been working hard on forming two 3rd grade student groups: The Helper Squad and the Newcomers Team. Helper Squad members will assist me with several weekly tasks. Newcomers Team will build, maintain and give virtual...
I am not sure how your family is feeling about the structure of the school year and how this one is going, but I am loving it! The counseling office at MCPS is busy, busy, with classes, children to visit, programs to plan, lessons to teach and parents to help. Thank goodness, we avoided any missed days for Irma and so far, for Jose. Fingers crossed!
With International Dot Day coming on September 15, we decided to do a coin collection for our Hurricane Harvey Relief project. We are collecting "dots" (coins) until the morning of 9/15, because "Many dots make a splash!". We are excited to donate to a benevolent fund at Garfield Elementary School in Southeastern Houston.
In September's class lessons, Kindergarten students learned about the counselors job by adding body parts to Ms. Potato Head. Her eyes are for seeing students who need help, her feet are for walking to anyone in the school who needs her, her ears are for listening, her mouth is for kind words and her arms and hands are to help and hug. Older students are getting a chance to meet with the counselor by class and are completing some "how my summer went" types of activities.
WatchDOGS kicks off on 9/26, at 6:00 pm, with our Pizza Night. this year will be fun; PE teachers will share some of the students' favorites with dads and other potential WatchDOGS. Be sure to RSVP if you are attending.