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Counselor's Corner / Eva Christu, Counselor

Note from : Athina Smalios Dear Parents and Guardians: During this time of economic challenges many of us are under more stress than ever. Families are working hard, busy schedules, and less time for downtime. As many of us know, stress is a normal and necessary part of life. Stress can be positive or negative depending on how someone may handle the situation and/ or what resources that they have available to them. Without the appropriate resources or support stress can have a huge impact on the individual and the family. I would like to extend my support and assistance as your school social worker. I am available to provide support to your child as well as the entire family. I can connect you with outside resources that may assist you with financial assistance, counseling services, and other supports. I am at Sunset Hills on Mondays and Tuesdays and can be reached at 943-5523. Please feel free to contact me for assistance or support. Sincerely, Athina Smalios, LCSW School Social Worker From the Desk of Eva Christu Counselor’s Corner Eva Christu, School Counselor Dear Parents, The information listed below is a continuing effort to provide you with the latest resources available in the community to assist your children and family. If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Christu at 727-943-5523. • Walgreen’s Take-Care Clinic – free healthcare for those who have lost jobs; www.takecarehealth.com/recoveryplan/ • SafeLink Wireless Service – free cell phones if certain criteria is met; www.safelinkwireless.com or 1-800-977-3768 • 2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares, Inc. Social Networking – health and human services information; www.211tampabay.org • Sensory-Friendly Films – AMC Woodlands Square 20, Oldsmar will show “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” on Saturday, May 23rd for children with sensory issues; sensory-sensitive light and sound provided. This will be a monthly event. Tickets available at the box office the day of the event. • University of South Florida reading programs offered this summer in New Port Richey; 1-800-978-9596 for information • Showcase Youth Community Theatre Summer Camp – classes and a production of “Peter Pan” located at Tarpon Springs High School; for registration form visit www.Showcaseyouth.com • Seminole Family Aquatic Center – swim lessons for children with disabilities; call 727-397-6085 • A comprehensive list of summer activities and programs is provided in the St. Petersburg Times, usually in May. Be on the look-out for this valuable guide! Also, summer programs will be offered by local facilities such as the Tarpon Springs Library, Tarpon Springs Recreation Department, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, and some of the area churches. *Please note that none of the resources listed here are neither endorsed or recommended by Sunset Hills Elementary, but are merely provided as a guide and service to parents. IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT Attendance Policy Florida Law requires that schools monitor student attendance. This includes tardies as well as absences, There is a process in place, through the state attorney's office, that addresses concerns in this area. This process is called the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP). I am the TIP Coordinator for Sunset Hills. Our school social worker, Athina Smalios, and I periodically review class attendance folders to identify students with 5 or more excused and/or unexcused absences, and/or tardies. The law also requires that the school notify parents at this point in order to establish a communication that will address these concerns, This part ot the process has recently been completed and Letters have been mailed. Please understand that these letters are meant to identify and alert us all to potential problems that can be resolved through simple interventions. Please call me if you have any questions or concerns regarding this process. CODE OF CONDUCT This CODE has been written so students and family members know what behavior is expected and prohibited at school or at school activities. It is helpful if parents are aware of school rules so they can help support them from home. PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES: School staff and parents must work together in order to maximize a student’s success at school. We commit to working with and supporting families, and we need parents to work with and support us. As a parent you should: 1. Get to know the people at your child’s school by going to teacher conferences and school-parent activities like PTA meetings and the School Advisory Council meetings (SAC). 2. Each year give your child’s school your current telephone number, home address, work telephone number and emergency contact number. 3. Understand and support the rules in this Code of Student Conduct and talk to your child about them. 4. Teach your child to dress neatly and appropriately for school since, it is a place to work and learn. 5. Make sure your child arrives at school on time every day. Parents should be aware that if they live within two (2) miles of their child's school and the district has established safe walk pathways in that area, school district transportation would not be provided. 6. Not leave your child at school more than thirty minutes before the start of the school day or pick your child up more than thirty minutes after the school day unless you have made special arrangements with a teacher, administrator or a before/after school care program. Supervision will not be provided beyond that time. This also includes school activities outside the regular school day such as clubs, dances, carnivals, practices and games. 7. Contact the school within 48 hours after your child is absent to tell them the reason for that absence. Some schools require notes. 8. Tell the school principal if you move, even if you think you are still in the school’s attendance area. You must tell the principal within five days of your move. If the school discovers that you moved and you have not told them, your child could be considered to be “found out of that school's attendance area.” This could mean an immediate change of school for your child and your child could be deemed ineligible for athletics and other activities. 9. Work with school staff members to solve any discipline or problems. You should let the school know if something has happened at home that could affect how your child does in school. 10. Be aware that when parents are divorced or separated, both parents have full rights to participate in the child’s school activities and know what is happening at school unless there is a court document limiting that access. If such a paper exists then the principal must have a certified copy. The nonresidential parent will not be allowed to remove the child from school without the permission of the residential parent unless there is a certified copy of a court order saying that the non-residential parent can remove the child from school. A non-residential parent has access to student records and information unless a court order prohibits such access. 11. Give the school written permission if you want a stepparent who is not the legal guardian of the child to have information about the child or sign forms related to the child. Permission must be submitted to the school every year. STUDENT EXPECTATIONS Student Expectations "THE PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS' STUDENT EXPECTATIONS" identify what students should know and be able to do at the pre-K through 12 grade level in nine subject areas: Language Arts, Social Studies, World Languages Mathematics, Art, Health, Science, Music, Physical Education ************************************************************ The Pinellas County Schools' Student Expectations describe the essential content knowledge, reasoning, performance or skill that each student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade level. Pinellas County educators developed these expectations based on Florida's Sunshine State Standards, supported by national standards and current research. PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS Go to Pinellas County Social Worker Page The Mission of School Social Work is to work collaboratively with home, school and community to enhance highest student achievement in a safe environment. Each Pinellas County school has a trained, professional, masters degree level social worker assigned part or full time to offer services to include, but not limited to: Counseling for students and families; Crisis Intervention; Agency referrals for services; Staff Consultation; Attendance; Group Counseling; Home visits to obtain developmental social history information; Child abuse awareness, prevention and reporting; Interventions and Accommodations for students in the classroom; and Training in parenting skills, parent conferencing, cooperative discipline and conflict resolution.