As a school or division, you can create a plan for school wide recognition and celebration of VA Kindness week through classroom meetings, visual displays, social media, lessons, or assemblies. Consider using this Kindness Week Flyer with families and community leaders to extend this important work outside the school building!

This padlet includes links to outside resources as well as Kindness Week Kick-Off Webinar Recordings and Slide Shows! https://padlet.com/sarah_bazemore1/VAKindnessWeek

Lesson plan template (google doc version) OR you can download the word version below.(This link will prompt you to make a copy of the file in your google drive)

Learn the difference between rock and clay worries. Then discover ways to find the good inside of difficult situations.

Making the Case for Kindness explains how kindness can help address some challenges schools are currently facing.

Use time-management, organizational study skills (ASCA B-LS3)Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning (ASCA B-LS4)Shared by Hatching Results

Transition Posters and Accessible Posters (Text) SeriesNavigating Through Life: Attending College or Technical SchoolsNavigating Through Life: Feeling OverwhelmedNavigating Through Life: Having Friends and Romantic RelationshipsNavigating Through Life: Learning How to BudgetNavigating Through Life: Moving Away from Home

This guide contains links to free resources that align with each of the SEL standards assigned to this gradeband. 

Strategy for emotional-wellness check-ins with students. Also, includes idea for staff wellness and professional development.

Tool for helping students learn to define a problem, determine its size and then develop a plan for working towards a solution/goal.Includes staff wellness/professional development ideas.

Choice board for elementary aged students with a variety of wellness and academic/career activities.

This shift in terminology is intentional and important as it denotes an evolution in the profession. With the rise in mental health and behavioral challenges facing Virginia students, the work school counselors do is more critical than ever. As mental health professionals, school counselors work alongside school staff, families, and community partners to create a school climate that leads to healthy learning, living, and growth.

This guide contains links to free resources that align with each of the SEL standards assigned to this gradeband. 

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development.  SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make  responsible and caring decisions.  Developing a clear understanding of a Growth Mindset supports a student's self-motivation and belief that they can succeed with dedication of their time, effort and energy.  Working on weaknesses while focusing on the process and not the outcome are instrumental to a student's self-confidence.  With time and practice individual's with a Growth Mindset believe they can achieve anything to which they set their mind.

Skills: Recognizing strengths that we already have and others we want to cultivate.Incorporates: Positive Psychology, Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Brief Counseling Materials: Strength CardsThis activity is typically best for upper elementary through high school. Elementary and middle school students may need some additional explanation around the strengths and what they mean in order to accurate reflect on their skills.When a person recognizes and uses their strengths, they tend to be happier and have higher self-esteem. For those who struggle to recognize their strengths, strength-spotting can be an effective treatment technique. Helping students learn to recognize and use the strengths they already have can lead to improved wellbeing.“If we hope to highlight student strengths, we must understand what a deficit mindset looks and sounds like and move away from it with intentionality. We must be willing to make a commitment to focus on what’s strong, not what’s wrong.” -Larry Ferlazzo

Schools are key settings for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Most children and youth spend most of their day in school where caring and trained adults are available to help them. Teachers, mental health providers, and all other school personnel who interact with students can play an important role in keeping them safe (VDH, 2019). School personnel have a legal and ethical responsibility to recognize and respond to suicidal thinking and behavior, as well as other indicators of concern. Although many suicidal children and adolescents do not self-refer, most show some warning signs. Never ignore these signs. Schools must have clear policies and procedures for suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, as well as trained school-employed mental health professionals and crisis response teams. Suicide prevention should be an integral component of a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, and multi-tiered system of mental health and safety supports (National Association of School Psychologists, 2019).

Webinar series and resources for school counselors. Includes a comprehension check to access certificate of completion!

The 7 Cups and VBCPS Growth PathsPersonalized Growth Paths contain activities made for those dealing with a certain situation. It helps a person understand what they are dealing with and self-heal with activities that are expertly compiled.There is also a “gamified” element to the Paths. Students complete “Steps” to fill their cups and move ahead on their chosen path.You can find slides, videos, PlayPosit playlist here or the Teen Being Growth Path on 7 Cups as well with a free membership.