Middle School Newsletter - February 15, 2023

Based on some good questions I’ve received from parents recently, I want to better highlight and clarify our middle school social-emotional learning and counseling support. Working with young adolescents, we must be proactive in a way that meets their developmental needs and reactive to the range of emotional and social issues that are common (and frequent!) during this period of life.

Advisory — Following the principles of Developmental Designs, we lead students through daily lessons designed to build community and learn and practice the set of personal/social skills they need to be successful socially and academically.

Counseling Staff — We are fortunate to have Middle School Counselor and Associate Director of Counseling John Magner in our building every day as a resource for students. Our middle schoolers have benefited from his expertise and care for over 20 years, and they keep his days busy! We also have access to the three Upper School Counselors, next door, as well as to Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion and Interim Director of Counseling Mia Burton. Any student who wishes to meet with one of these other counselors should email John Magner, Mia Burton or me, and we will make arrangements.

Wellness Programming — We supplement our advisory curriculum with specific programming on a range of topics. Here are the ones coming up this spring:

• Eighth Grade Human Sexuality — Lottie Walker, an AASECT-certified sexuality educator, will teach this unit during science classes, March 3-9. The material will include a brief review of the physiological changes of puberty and the human reproductive system; an overview of sexually transmitted diseases; an in-depth discussion of consent and healthy communication; an examination of terminology used to differentiate sexuality from gender; and an introduction to the topic of abstinence and pregnancy prevention. There will also be an emphasis on exploring family and individual values and relating them to healthy interpersonal relationships and decision making. For additional information on the topics covered, please refer to this unit overview. On Thursday, March 2, at 9:00 a.m., Lottie will host a virtual parent session to preview the unit and discuss strategies for parents to engage in these conversations with their child. The link to the virtual session will be provided in an upcoming newsletter.
• Seventh Grade Substance Abuse — John Magner will teach this unit during science classes, March 3-9. Following the model of the Project ALERT program, this unit focuses on: motivating nonuse; identifying pressures to use drugs, learning to resist those pressures, and practicing resistance skills; providing accurate information on substances; and modeling using videos of older teens demonstrating effective ways to say “no” and role playing their own ways of saying “no.”

• ​​Eighth Grade Alcohol and Drug Awareness — Drug and Alcohol Educator Brenda Conlan will teach this unit during history classes, April 3-7. These lessons will be delivered in a developmentally appropriate manner. Parents will be invited to join Brenda for a presentation on the adolescent brain, vaping, and the importance of delaying drug and alcohol usage. For more information on Brenda Conlan, please go to her website.

• Upper School - Behind the Scenes — As a new addition to our program, we are creating informal discussion groups led by Upper School students and facilitated by Mia Burton, focusing on topics related to the transition to ninth grade. The interactive panel discussions are designed to highlight different features of the Upper School experience. The meetings also provide a space to make connections with Upper School community members before the next school year begins. Sessions will be advertised to students and run during afternoon Advisory Study Hall time.

Please reach out to John Magner, Mia Burton or me if you have any questions or wish to discuss our programs.