COUNSELOR'S CORNER



Mrs. Mary Brown
COUNSELOR
 
 

Welcome back, IWA Families!

As we prepare to begin the new school year,we are excited but at the same time there are so many things we are unsure about. What will the new teachers be like? Will there be new students in our child’s class? Will the subjects and lessons be more difficult? How can we our help our child do better in school? What if my child has a hard time making friends?
The anticipation and anxiety of a new school year is something that you can expect to happen every year of your child’s school life. What we must focus on is getting our child prepared to start his school year with a positive and confident attitude. Begin the school rituals and bedtime schedules the week before school starts. Make shopping for school supplies and their uniforms a fun day out. Think about their study areas at home and make sure they are conducive to homework study. This is also a good time for parents to communicate to their child their expectations and rules for the school year.
Communication between parents and the school is an important factor in your child having a successful school year. Please come by the school and meet our teachers and staff during orientation on August 19th for returning students and on August 20th for new students. Middle school students will attend orientation in the morning starting at 9:30 a.m. and elementary students will attend afternoon orientation starting at 1:30 p.m. This will be an opportunity for all your questions and concerns to be resolved.
As the school counselor I look forward to in teaming up with you for another school year. I will be happy to assist you should you have any concerns or information that will help us in facilitating your child’s school success.

Respectfully,

 

Internet Safety News

Tips to Help When Your Child is Bullied Online

by Christine Loftus

Are your children being bullied on the Internet and you don’t know what to do about it? You are not alone. One in four children in the United Kingdom was the victim of online bullying in 2001.1 And in the United States a popular site, www.schoolrumors.com, had to be closed down for technical reasons after receiving 70,000 visits in just a few weeks.2 Visitors to this site could "click on a particular high school and post their own insults of real students using a false name."3 Cyberbullying is yet another problem that parents and children are facing in this new Internet era.

Cyberbullying involves the use of information and technology such as e-mail, instant messaging, the publishing of defamatory personal web sites, and online personal polling web sites that are used to support conscious, willful, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by one or more people with the intent to harm others.4

According to one victim, the difference between being bullied at school and being bullied on the Internet is that you cannot get away from cyberbullying as easily. Cyberbullying follows you, even after you get home from school.5

There is hope. Here are some tips to help you protect your children against cyberbullying.

  • Make sure your children do not respond to rude and harassing e-mails, messages, and postings. Keep a record of them in case you need proof. Call law enforcement and inform your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if necessary.6
     
  • Use web sites that translate the lingo your children are sending or receiving so that you can understand the words that are being used in e-mails and chatrooms.7
     
  • If your children continue to receive harassing e-mails, have them delete their current accounts and open a new one. This new e-mail address should only be given to a few people they can trust with it.8
     
  • If your children are receiving harassing messages through instant messaging, help them make use of the “block” or “ban” feature. This feature can be used to block certain individuals from being able to reach your child.9 
     
  • If you have found that a cyberbully has set up a web site that is defaming or mocking your child, contact your ISP and, if necessary, also inform law enforcement to try to get that web site removed.10
     
  • Get your child’s school involved. Learn what the school’s policy on cyberbullying is, and urge the administrators to take a stance against all forms of bullying.11

1"1 in 4 Children Are the Victims of 'On-Line Bullying' Says Children's Charity." NCH Children's Charities. http://www.nch.org.uk/news/news5.asp?auto=194, Accessed September 9, 2003.
2Karen Peterson. "Kids spread hateful rumors online." USA TODAY. February 6, 2002,
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/2001-04-30-web-bully.htm.
3Ibid.
4Sarah Crosbie. “When Bullying Reaches Into Cyberspace.” The Kingston Whig-Standard. March 29, 2003, http://www.cyberbullying.ca/whig_standard.
5Ibid.
6Http://www.cyberbullying.ca. Accessed September 9, 2003.
7Sarah Crosbie. “When Bullying Reaches Into Cyberspace.” The Kingston Whig-Standard. March 29, 2003, http://www.cyberbullying.ca/whig_standard.
8Http://www.cyberbullying.ca. Accessed September 9, 2003.
9Ibid.
10Ibid.
11"1 in 4 Children Are the Victims of 'On-Line Bullying' Says Children's Charity." NCH Children's Charities. http://www.nch.org.uk/news/news5.asp?auto=194, Accessed September 9, 2003.

Christine Loftus is a research assistant/editor for the Parents & Educators component of the NetSmartz Workshop® at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®.

Home & School Connection Newsletter

 
WHAT IS THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM?
The counselor's primary role is to help students deal with everyday concerns so that they may concentrate on developing their academic potential. My unique role is to provide: methods of prevention, early intervention, wellness and empowerment. The counselor's goal is to help students become healthy citizens and productive adults.

WHAT DO SCHOOL COUNSELORS DO?
Counselors help students:
feel good about themselves, set successful goals, develop positive relationships, learn decision-making and problem-solving skills, improve academic progress, and become self-directive and responsible for their behavior.
Counselors help teachers:
create a positive learning environment, meet the individual needs of the student, and provide support in working with parents.
Counselors help parents:
understand their part in their child's learning experience, provide information about their child in the learning environment, and access services within the community.		  


PROJECT WISDOM
Project Wisdom is implemented during homeroom period. Teachers present the daily message and have their students discuss and share their feelings.
Through Project Wisdom we try to:
 • Build character by encouraging ethical thinking.
 • Build confidence by motivating students to do their best.
 • Build community by inspiring students to contribute to the 
    world around them.
 • Stress tolerance while honoring the diversity that makes
    our country great.

  
 


Counselor’s Schedule

Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
*By appointment before or after school

Students must bring teacher’s pass

Phone: 546-4486 Ext. 202

E-mail:
marybrown@iw-academy.org
 

244 Resaca Blvd.  ~  Brownsville, Texas 78520  ~  Ph. 956-546-4486 ~  Fax 956-504-3960