Counselor's Corner
Counselor’s Corner
Kohala Middle School
Aloha Kohala Middle School Ohana,
Welcome back to KMS for the 2017-2018 school year. I am so happy to see all the students back at school. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of our school counseling programs at KMS:
Hawk of the Month Awards
Each month, a student in each grade is nominated by teachers to receive the following awards:
Pono Award: For being a role model, doing the right thing, and encouraging a respectful and safe school environment
Grit Award: To an exceptional student who displays resiliency, perseverance, dedication and determination in the face of challenges
Academic Awards
To honor KMS students for their academic achievements, we present the following academic awards every quarter:
Principal’s List (4.0 GPA)
Honor Roll (3.5-3.9 GPA)
Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum
In collaboration with Ms. Shelor’s health class, I will be teaching Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons for grades 6-8.
Topics include emotion regulation, self-care, coping skills, anger management, healthy relationships, and prevention of harassment and assault.
Lessons are adopted from the research-based “Second Step” curriculum.
SEL lessons are critical in adolescence to promote healthy social-emotional development and to prepare students for future success.
Parent/Family Meetings (RTI)
Every Wednesday afternoon, we hold family meetings (RTI meetings) with students and their parents or guardians to discuss how the child is doing in school, their strengths and challenges, and what we can do to work together as a team to support the student.
Peer Mediation
Peer Mediation is a program in which trained students (mediators) help their fellow students resolve conflict.
Peer Mediators are expected to be leaders and role models on campus.
The goal of Peer Mediation is to promote peace and reduce violence on campus through healthy communication and conflict resolution skills.
Peer Mediators also work to reduce bullying on campus through student projects that promote kind and pono behavior.
Restorative Practices
At KMS, we are starting a new program based on “Restorative Justice”
This program includes students circling in homeroom every morning and as a school community every Monday morning and Friday afternoon
Restorative Justice also involves bringing students and families together in a restorative process, similar to ho’oponopono, to address behavior issues.
Pono Cards
To encourage and reward pono behavior, teachers give students “pono cards” for exemplary behavior and academics.
Students can then bring their pono cards to me to receive a prize.
Pono cards are totaled every month for house points toward our Advisory program.
Individual and Group Counseling
Please contact me if you are interested in these services for your child.
It is an honor to work with the youth and families of Kohala. Please let me know how I can support you and your child.
Mahalo for your support of the KMS School Counseling programs,
Lauren Canton, M.Ed.
School Counselor, Kohala Middle School
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The following suggests what constitutes healthy habits that contribute to a loving, safe, and enjoyable relationship.
Equality: of the same value; having the same rights, ability, power; mutual respect for one another.
Respect: to feel or show honor or consideration for
Respect and consideration are intentional. They are to be given to the self as well as others.
Does your behavior have a positive or negative effect on others?
More Info on Healthy Relationships
Check out these online resources for tips, clues, warning signs, tests, apps, support, and help if you think you or someone you know is or has been in an abusive relationship:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Once you click on any one of the following links, you will leave this website. Please note that we are not responsible for any content posted on these websites or the design of these websites.
That’s Not Cool-Decreasing Teen Dating Violence- resources for teens and adults
Love is Respect- Promoting Healthy Relationships-resources for teens and adults:
Break the Cycle- Empowering Youth to End Domestic Violence:
Know Your IX- Empowering Students to Stop Sexual Violence:
Teen Central- A place for teens to share and learn:
Stay Teen- Information and advice about relationships and health:
Amaze- Information about everything adolescent:
Check out these help lines if you need someone to talk to, have questions about abusive situations, or want to know what to do next after an assault:
Calling:
YWCA SASS 24 HR Crisis Helpline 935-0677
Texting:
LOVEIS to 22522
ALOHA to 741741
Online Chatting:
loveisrespect.org
thehotline.org