Guidance

Welcome to Guidance

Guidance is a school-wide resource and support service for students, parents, and fellow educators. Together, we as a school strive to promote student success through academic achievement, social and individual learning. As many of you know, middle school is an exciting, yet challenging time for students, their parents and teachers. It is during these transitional years from childhood to adolescence that students need to explore interests, search for their own unique identity as they begin to turn more to peers rather than parents for ideas and affirmation. Students experience extreme sensitivity to the comments of others, and are learning to connect their learning in the classroom to its practical application in life and work. All of this while experiencing high levels of activity with frequent fatigue due to rapid growth. It is no wonder these years can be so challenging.

It is the goal of Guidance to help address the social, emotional and developmental needs of students, by helping them to develop friendship skills, teaching them strategies to deal with peer pressure, assisting them in improving their self image and determining their values, as well as teaching them how to set goals and getting them to start thinking about their future education and career.

Although it is a lot, it can be done!

Resources

Academic Toolbox

Academic Planner :

Having trouble staying organized? Use this weekly planner to keep track of your homework assignments. Each class is listed and one space

is available for your elective.

Project Planner :

Large projects can be overwhelming. Use the project planner to break down projects into smaller pieces. Smaller pieces are more

manageable and make a project easier to complete.

Learning Styles :

Do you ever wonder why you learn better in certain classes? Check out this learning quiz and get some tips on how to study.

Reading Strategies :

What’s your reading strategy? Check out this form to find out the three main strategies for reading.

Academic Support

Monitoring Your Childs Progress Online

Teacher Help Times:

* Many of our teachers have hours before or after school that are dedicated to helping their students. Please contact your student’s teacher(s)

via e-mail or phone to find when they are available for tutoring.

Articles and Information for Parents and Caregivers

Empowering Parents

Classroom Guidance Curriculum

5th Grade

6th Grade

* Friendly Teasing vs. Mean Teasing

* Bullying and Harassment

* Assertive vs. Aggressive Communication

* Telling and Adult About Bullying is not Tattling

7th Grade

* Cross the Line: Diversity

* Bullying and Harassment

* Balancing Relationships

* Be An Active Bystander!

8th Grade

* Label Shirts, Not People

* Leave Me Alone! Harassment

* Rumors and Reputation

* Telling and Adult About Bullying is not Tattling

Social Emotional Support

If you are concerned about yourself or a friend, there is help. Please don’t keep it a secret!

You can also make an anonymous CALL FOR HELP. 1-800-273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service

Talking about School Violence

What Is Depression?

Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness. Many people with a depressive illness never seek treatment. But the majority, even those with the most severe depression, can get better with treatment. Medications, psychotherapies, and other methods can effectively treat people with depression. Learn more about depression here.

Suicide Prevention Resources

When someone takes their own life, people react differently. Those who did not know the person very well may not be affected, while close friends or family members may experience a great deal of sadness. If you observe any behavioral or emotional changes in your child following the death of a friend or family member, it may be an indication that he or she is having difficulty coping.

Click here for information on coping with suicide.
If you are concerned about yourself or a friend, there is help. Please don’t keep it a secret!
Click here for a checklist of symptoms, common signs and clues.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also lists the risk factors for suicide and frequently asked questions.

You can also make an anonymous CALL FOR HELP.

1-800-273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service
We Hear You (800) 843-5200

More Resources:

Youth_Suicide_Fact_Sheet Warning_signs-risk_factors SuicideInterventionGuide PreventingSuicide Non-VerbalClues GlossaryInterventionSkills CommonCluesToSuicide

Test Taking Strategies

Test Taking Tips and Strategies

Before the Test Multiple Choice Test Oral Test Tips Short Answer Test Tips

“The Test” Essay Test Quantitative-Math Test Tips

Post Test True-False Test Open Book

Information on Bullying

Dear Students,

Bullying makes life miserable. It can be found across all school campuses K-12. We can make a difference, however, here at Armand R.

Dupont. Bullying is like a three legged stool. Take away one of those legs and the stool falls. The three legs (components) of Bullying are:

1. The Bully

2. The Victim

3. The Silent Bystander

We can easily take away one of those legs and make a difference by doing the following:

1. If you see anything that looks like possible bullying, report it. All reporting is handled confidentially, please fill out a bullying report with

guidance or an administrator.

2. If you are a victim of bullying, report it. Bullying will not get worse if you report it. All reports are handled confidentially. We can’t help you if

we don’t know what is going on.

Please help make ARD a bully free campus. You can make a difference by reporting it. We are here to help you. Do it for yourself, do it for

others. Why???? ………..BECAUSE NICE MATTERS !!!!!

WHAT IS BULLYING ????

Sometimes it is difficult to know what is or is not bullying.

Often actions start out just being fun, but may at some point actually turn into bullying.

The examples below will help you understand just what bullying is…

Purposeful behavior with intent, repeated over time
Involves an imbalance of power or strength
Persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating behavior which makes the victim feel upset, threatened, humiliated or vulnerable.

Bullying Is Not…..

A short term argument
Friendships breaking up
Occasional teasing
A fight or quarrel between children of equal power or strength

Types of Bullying…..

Physical Intimidation (threat of violence to impose dominance)
Emotional Intimidation ( using verbal or written insults, gossip, taunting to impose dominance over another)
Resources Intimidation (the act of using material objects to impose dominance over another)
Relational Intimidation (the act of or threatening to withdraw or abandon someone or encouraging others to abandon someone in order to impose dominance over another)
Cyber Intimidation (the use of technology to facilitate all of the above or to allow for multiplebullies to attack anonymously to impose dominance over another.