Counselor’s
Corner
Fall, 2015
http://m ontg
omeryschoolsmd.org/upl oade dImage s/school s/ssims/department s/cou nseli ng/counceling%20staff.jpg http://mont gomeryschool smd. org/u ploa dedIma ges/schools/ssim s/de partments/counseling/cou nceling%20 staff.jpg
WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION OF THE
COUNSELING CORNER FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL
YEAR. THIS QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER WILL BE
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY TO REMAIN APPRISED OF THE
ACTIVITIES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
will be mailed out the week of
Counselors Visit
January 18, 2016.
Classrooms
Student Ambassadors Help
In October, Counselors conducted
in Different Ways
classroom guidance lessons through
science classes. Grades 6 and 7 got
to know their counselor, learned
about how to access their counselor
and discussed various ways that
counselors can help students.
Students also enjoyed seeing their
pictures of their counselors during
their middle school years.
Students in 8th grade were exposed
to the important decisions related to
the High School Choice Process. Ms.
Baker explained the process of
selecting a high school, as well as
highlighting the various programs in
the Downcounty Consortium,
Northeast Consortium and the
county wide application based
magnet programs. By this point,
High school Choice forms have been
turned in and students are awaiting
the results of their lottery
choices. The DCC and the NEC
Round 1 assignment notifications
The SSIMS Student Ambassadors
have been busy helping the many
new students at SSIMS acclimate to
our school. They also have been
earning SSL hours by volunteering to
help our families at Back to School
Night, the Autumn Showcase and
Parent Conferences. Some of the
Ambassadors have also gone above
and beyond by helping new students
to feel at ease, by speaking to them
in Spanish or Amharic. When new
students land at Silver Spring
International Middle School, and are
welcomed by someone their age,
who speaks their language, they
immediately feel welcome, and get
the message that they will adapt to
this new environment.
Fall 2015
Outside Groups Working to
Assist Students
Truancy Prevention Program:
SSIMS has partnered with the
State’s Attorney’s Office of
Montgomery County to make an
impact with students who have been
identified as having chronic
problems with attendance. A team
consisting of MCPS staff and staff
from the State’s Attorney’s Office
hold weekly meetings with students
to track attendance and academic
progress, and to focus on solutions
to barriers to regular attendance.
Students in the program received
alarm clocks along with other small
incentives.
Community Bridges:
Community Bridges is an after
school program for middle school
girls from traditionally
disadvantaged backgrounds. So far
this year, the participants have gone
on several field trips, and they look
forward to going ice skating before
the end of the year.
Street Outreach Network
Two dynamic facilitators from the
Montgomery County Department of
Health come in to work with SSIMS
girls to focus on issues of selfesteem, leadership development,
human trafficking and health issues.
The students have the opportunity
to meet openly discuss areas of
concern, conduct art projects and
keep journals.
How to Get Extra Help
Many resources are available for
students who may benefit from
some extra help. At SSIMS, there is
are homework clubs on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday. Ms.
Cordeiro, the counseling secretary
can provide the details on room
numbers and hours. At multiple
MCPS High Schools, including
Montgomery Blair HS, the George B
Thomas Learning Academy provides
help to students on Saturday
mornings
http://www.saturdayschool.org/.
PBIS Schools
You may have heard that SSIMS
participates in a program called
Positive Behavior Interventions and
Supports. Students can earn
coupons for doing positive things in
the school and the coupons can be
redeemed for items from the school
store. There is a pizza party for
students who have earned 20 or
more coupons scheduled for Friday,
November 6.