Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!
“He who would learn to y one day must rst learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot y into ying.” –Friedrich Nietzsche (Philosopher)
A new school year brings lots of excitement and energy It has been so wonderful to welcome back returning students and get to know our new students over these past few weeks As we are now o cially “Back to School”, it is critical to kick off the year with an emphasis on the importance of overall health and wellness This includes a focus on returning to a daily routine; including eating habits, sleep hygiene, movement, technology usage, balancing time, stress reductions, and many other topics It can feel overwhelming! Please know that I feel blessed to be in a community where we are all working together for the good of our students and supporting them as they continue their transition into the new school year and their overall growth in middle school!
MS CounselingTeam
For the 2024-2025 school year, the Middle School students will receive support from two Counselors – Mrs. Ashley Giljum and Mrs Catie Tyler Mrs. Giljum will continue to
Book Recommendation
If you have not yet done so, I strongly encourage you to read the new book “TheAnxious Generation: HowtheGreat RewiringofChildhoodIs CausinganEpidemicofMental
Counseling Lessons & Programs
Sixth Graders – All sixth graders are currently participating in Study Skills class for the rst quarter This class meets during MS Class 8
work with the Middle School students as in the past. Mrs. Tyler will work in the Middle School every afternoon and will primarily be responsible for teaching classroom lessons and helping with special projects Mrs Tyler will spend her mornings in the Lower School as the comprehensive counselor for students ages Toddler – Grade 5. We are excited to work with your students and your families. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. We can be reached at agiljum@vizstl.org or ctyler@vizstl org
Illness”by
Jonathan Haidt
This book shares research as to why our teens (especially young women) experience such high rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide The author suggests four main harms associated with a phone-based childhood which include – social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction. He suggests four reforms which include – no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone free schools, and far more unsupervised play. Additional recommendations are included for parents as well.
and focuses on a variety of topics including transitioning into Middle School, organization, time management, collaboration, long-term planning, and strategies for studying Sixth graders will also participate in quarterly counseling lessons (using the Girls on Board approach and various researched lessons) with Mrs Giljum. The Girl Talk program –a National program where Upper School Leaders/Mentors work alongside the sixth graders – will begin in midSeptember
Seventh Graders – All seventh graders will participate in Counseling Lessons (using the Owning Up Curriculum, Girls on Board approach, and various researched lessons) with Mrs. Tyler Lessons will begin in September and cover topics such as stress/coping strategies, friendship, empathy, and con ict resolution
Eighth Graders – All eighth graders will participate in Counseling Lessons (using the Owning Up Curriculum, Girls on Board approach, and various researched lessons) with Mrs Tyler. Lessons will begin in September and cover topics such as stress/anxiety/coping strategies, media and selfimage, advertising, body image, and eating disorders
Additional programming includes –
CHADS (Communities Healing Adolescent Depression and Suicide) will present the Signs of Suicide (SOS) presentation to our Middle School students during the months of October and November Additional details to come in advance of the presentations
· Study Skills Club – This optional after school club will meet on Thursdays from 3:003:45pm in September/October. This opportunity is for any interested 7th graders or new 8th graders
MS Wellness Club – This optional before school club will meet on Thursdays from 7:30-7:55am twice per month during the school year Our focus will be to bring wellness to our MS Community
8th Grade Cotillion – This optional opportunity is for our 8th grade students in partnership with the 8th graders from Chaminade Five lessons will be conducted by Etiquette St Louis at Visitation Academy during late September-October. This program culminates with a formal Dinner/Dance at the MAC Downtown on November 7. Additional details located on the MS News Resource Board of the Portal.
(with MS Counselors - Mrs Giljum and Mrs Tyler)
Thursday, September 26 at 6:00 p m
DeChantal (Please enter at the Circle Drive by the Buder Gym entrance)
(Note - All Middle School parents are invited, parents new to Middle School are strongly encouraged to attend)
Real-time information is shared during this presentation. We ask students and parents to please complete brief surveys as a way for us to gather pertinent data Students will be emailed a survey link. Parents/Guardians, we ask that you please take a moment to complete the survey below by Friday, September 6 -
6th Grade Parents/Guardians - https://forms o ce com/r/xmgZxSWzBJ
7th Grade Parents/Guardians - https://forms o ce com/r/N5f2sFPeaY
8th Grade Parents/Guardians - https://forms o ce com/r/b3fz04KZXP
Upcoming Dates - for Middle School Students
Optional Study Skills Club for ALL Grade 7/NEW Grade 8 Students – September 5, 12, 19, 26, and October 3, 17, and 24 (3:00-3:45 p.m.) (Note - will skip October 10 due to ERB Testing)
Girl Talk and Quarterly Counseling Lessons (Sixth Grade) – begins in September
Counseling Lessons (Seventh Grade) – begins in September
Counseling Lessons (Eighth Grade) – begins in September
8th Grade Cotillion – Lessons on September 24 and October 1, 8, 15, 29 (3:30-5:00 p m at Viz) and Dinner/Dance on November 7 (6:00-9:00 p.m. at the MAC Downtown)
MS Parent Resource Night – September 26 (6:00 p.m. in DeChantal)
Standardized Testing (ERB) required for all MS students–October 8 (8:00-10:10 a m during the regular school day)
October 9 (9:30-10:15 a.m. during the regular school day)
October 10 (8:00-11:30 a m with an 11:30 a m dismissal - no lunch nor extended day)
(Additional details to come. We ask that your daughter please be present on these assessment days If your daughter misses any of the ERB testing, she must make up testing at a time to be determined outside of the school day.)
Resources
Article – “3 Things Smart Parents Do to Set Their Kid Up for Success at Back-to-School Time, according to a Family Therapist” (CNBC News - Ashton Jackson – August 2023) https://www cnbc com/2023/08/11/smart-back-to-school-parenting-tips-from-family-therapist html
Article – “Helping Kids Back Into the School Routine” (by Lianna Wilson, MA and Sarah Strauss, MS - Child Mind Institute) https://childmind org/article/helping-kids-back-school-routine/
Article – “Day and Night: The Back-to-School Routine” (by Martha Swann-Quinn – Parents) https://www parents com/day-and-night-the-back-to-school-routine-7511704
Article – “Seven Ways to Help your Child Return to School After Summer Break” (by Elizabeth Ernest – The Center for Mindfulness and CBT) https://mindfulstl com/7-ways-to-help-your-childreturn-to-school-after-summer-break/
Ashley Giljum
Mrs. Ashley Giljum, MSW
Middle School Counselor Grades 6-8
Email: agiljum@vizstl.org
Website: www visitationacademy org Phone: (314) 625-9225
Ashley is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters