Counselor’s Corner, October 2024

Dear St. John Families,

Welcome to October! This month is important as we recognize National Bullying Prevention Month. It’s a time for us to come together to create a safe and supportive environment for all students.

What is Bullying? Bullying is unwanted and aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. Understanding what bullying looks like is the first step in preventing it. Learn more about what bullying is here.

Why It Matters: Bullying can have serious effects on students’ mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being. By raising awareness, we can work towards reducing bullying in our school and community.

What We’re Doing This Month:

  • Jodee Blanco: On October 7, anti-bullying expert Jodee Blanco will visit our school to share invaluable information with our students, staff, and parent community. This is a unique opportunity to reinforce our school’s values and mission by learning common language and actions we can take to make our school a safe space for everyone. Parents/Guardians are invited to Jodee Blanco’s workshop on Monday, 10/7, at 7pm in St. John Church.

How You Can Help:

  1. Talk About It: Encourage your child to share their feelings and experiences. Open communication is key.
  2. Model Kindness: Model how to treat others with respect and kindness. Connect these values to our Catholic faith.
  3. Stay Informed: Learn about the signs of bullying and how to stop it. Read more here.

Thank you for your continued support in fostering a positive school environment! As always, feel free to contact me at cshaw@st-johnschool.org if you have any concerns about your child’s social or emotional well-being.

Warm regards,

Ms. Shaw

October Resources

  • The Surgeon General recently released an advisory titled Parents Under Pressure, detailing the unique stressors parents and caregivers face today. While much of the research is concerning, the report highlights how social connection can mitigate the negative effects of parental stress. Put simply, find your village and lean on your people! If you’re looking for community and connection, PEPS is a great resource with groups for parents of both young children and teens.
  • If you’re the parent of a teen or tween, I highly recommend Dr. Lisa Damour’s parenting podcast. Dr. Damour is the author of three best-selling parenting books, and her weekly podcast, “Ask Lisa,” tackles a variety of parenting hot topics.
  • Each October, Common Sense Media leads Digital Citizenship Week, an annual campaign to promote safe media and tech use. Their Family Engagement Resources offer excellent tools to support healthy media and tech habits at home. I particularly like the Family Tech Planners (for ages 2+), which help kids learn to make thoughtful tech choices!