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McGalliard Guidance Program

McGalliard Guidance Program

Six Pillars of Character

Trustworthiness: Believe, expect and conduct oneself in an honest and truthful way. 

Respect: Conduct oneself with the willful concern for the rights of others and the desire to protect and preserve the values of all things – living and nonliving. 

Responsibility: Choosing to act with self-control and consideration for others because it is the right thing to do, whether or not one is rewarded for such actions. 

Fairness: Determining that fairness is often a subjective conclusion and that absolute equality is not always viable. One must judge an action wholly by its intent as well as its outcome. One must understand that circumstances change and expectations cannot always be fulfilled. 

Caring: Best demonstrated through acts of kindness, compassion, and understanding, sharing and helping. Caring for loved ones, living and nonliving things empowers children as well as gives children a sense of being needed and appreciated. 

Citizenship: Recognizing that one is a citizen of many groups such as the classroom, school, family, community, country and world. Learning to embrace the responsibilities that come along with being a part of said groups.

Services Provided:

Individual Counseling

Personal, social, and emotional difficulties. 

Classroom guidance instruction: 

Related to bullying prevention

Respect

Win-Win guidelines

Disability awareness

Career awareness

and many other lessons!

Group Counseling:

Social Skills Group Friendship

Kids Issues in Divorce and Seperation (KIDS)

Worry Warriors Group

Zen Kids

Additional groups as needed

When To See Mrs. Tandy

Is anxious about attending school, or completing school work 

Having trouble making friends

Having a problem with family or friends 

Experiencing the loss of a loved friend, relative, or a pet 

Experiencing a divorce, marriage, new sibling, or other change in the family.

Just feel the need to talk!

Please note that school counseling is provided less frequently and is less intense than counseling provided by a counselor outside of the school system. If you need help finding a counselor or other mental health care provider for your child or family, please contact Mrs. Tandy

Special Programs and Assemblies

Kids on the Block -a puppet show presented each year, usually in November, to First and Third Grade students about child abuse.   

Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) -a presentation for Second Grade students about staying safe from strangers.  

Camp Fire USA - The "Count on Me Kids" program is presented to First Grade students and the "Caution Without Fear" program is presented to Fourth Grade students each year. For more information, you can go to Campfire's website. First grade students participated in "Count on Me Kids" sessions from January to March.

Big Brother, Big Sister - This program provides one-on-one interactions with a college student who was selected to be a Big brother or Big sister to an elementary school student. They will help the students with any issues they may be having, help them with homework, or play games while they visit the little brother or little sister at school. 

PALS - is a peer leadership training program for selected fifth graders at McGalliard School. The PALS program teachers students to help others within their school setting. Through PALS training, students will improve their communication and listening skills, gain leadership strategies, learn how to peacefully solve conflicts, assist with the academic skills of younger students, and promote good character throughout the student body.

Students may apply to become a PAL at the end of fourth grade, and will be required to complete a written application and participate in a two part interview process. Acceptance into the program is based on numerous criteria.

HIB

Tips For Parents

Validate your child's feelings. It is normal for your child to feel hurt, sad, and angry. 

Encourage your child to report any bullying incidents to you and help to educate your child know the difference between bullying and bothering.

Ask your child how he/she has tried to stop the bullying. Asking questions is a wonderful way to have your child do the thinking. 

Ask how is he/she going to solve this. We want the child to do the thinking before we jump in. See how many options he can come up with. 

Coach your child in alternatives. Ideally the best solution is having your child solve this without anyone interfering. Most of the time unfortunately, this isn't possible. Share these strategies: avoidance is often an excellent strategy, playing in a different place, play a different game, stay near a supervisor, look for new friends, join social activities outside of school. 

Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure they are aware of what is going on. 

Encourage your child to seek help from other school personnel. 

Volunteer to help supervise activities at school. 

Do not ignore your child's reports. Ignoring them sends the wrong message. 

Do not confront the bully or the bullies' family. 

Teach your child how to defend him or herself. 

Teach self-respect. 

Give numerous positive comments to your child. 

Avoid labeling or name-calling. 

Let your child know it is okay to express their anger. There are positive and negative ways to express anger, we want to teach and model the positive ways. 

Let your children stand up to you now and then. It makes it more likely they will stand up to a bully. 

Stress the importance of body language. 

Teach your child to use 'I' statements. 

Teach positive self-talk. 

Teach how to use humor, 'out crazy' them. For example, if the bully says to Keith, "Hey, boy you're ugly." Keith can respond in a couple different ways: 

- "Thanks for sharing" 

- "Yes, I know, I always have been" 

- "Yes, today's lunch was disgusting" then walk away.