Respect and Responsibility

Our district has a HUGE push this year for teaching core values. We will focus on 2 values each 9 weeks, beginning with Respect and Responsibility (R&R). The teachers are actually responsible for teaching 3 core value lessons every 3 weeks. I LOVE this! Since I cannot be in the rooms every week for guidance, I think it is great that students will get regular reminders and lessons on these important character traits.

Here are some ways we are building up the core values of R&R at our campus:

• A Day of R&R- teachers will do a lesson on R&R appropriate for their grade level (and already created for them by a team at the district level!). We have an icon for each 9 weeks and this one happened to be a chain link, which we recreated for a school wide activity.

• Daily quotes and challenges on the morning announcements
• R&R brags, which ties into our Rachel's Challenge initiative (more on that later). These brags are written on links and added to our chain link that will span the halls of the school. The brags are also read aloud at our bi-weekly pep rally! 
• We also video students sharing what R&R means to them and post them, along with pictures, on our campus FB page. 
• A bulletin with R&R quotes!

I wish you could see the details on this, because there is lots of fun sparkle! 

One of the quotes. Check out my TPT store for the rest of the chalkboard quotes on R&R.

Newbies...

Two Newbies...

First, a picture of the "newbies" at my campus. My principal, myself, and 3 first year teachers joined the team this year!

 Second, a newbie product in my TPT store. And it's free! A fun way to check in with students as they come into the counseling office. (Of course I made it to match my office color theme!)

The "After" Pictures...

Drum roll please...

Looking in from the door. 

 

Art area.

Rules of Confidentiality

 Happy reminders for me.

 The art area, play therapy wall, rules of confidentiality, and table.

 I plan on adding a couple more posters on this wall. But I'm not entirely sure what I want to do with it yet. The little cubby holds all my art therapy, guidance, and group supplies.

 Our school expectations.

It's still not completely organized the way I want it, but I feel like I've come a long way! : )

On another note, the first day of school is Monday!!! We had Meet the Teacher (New Principal and New Counselor) last night and I am so excited and energized after meeting all the great students and families that I will have the honor of serving this year!

THE "Before"...

Here is a glimpse into my office that caused me many-a-sleepless nights...

This panoramic is a little dark and blurry... I'm sure you're feeling your blood pressure rise and anxiety take over just by looking at it.

 I'd say about 1/5 of the stuff in these pictures belonged to me. The rest is what the previous counselor left.

I went through about 3 piles of binders, books and files this size. I found quite a few things from the early 90s!! (Don't mind the shoe in the bottom picture, I had to get serious about this cleaning/organizing.)

I am happy to announce that there are "after" pictures coming soon, and that my anxiety level has finally leveled. I almost needed counseling myself after the 5 days I spent getting things in order!

Moving In...

I officially have keys to my new office! I started to move in last week, and wow, do I have A LOT of work to do! The counselor before me retired and left everything. I mean, everything. Including her Chapstick. There is a lot of great stuff in there, but also a lot of outdated items. I need at least one good day just to go through it all.

Overall, it's a great space and I have lots of decorating ideas going through my brain on how to make it my own. There will be lots of blues, kraft paper, and gold! I plan on posting some very scary 'before' pictures, and hopefully, some cheery 'after' pictures very soon. Stay tuned!

Until then, I did create some confidentiality posters to hang up. They're my first official counseling item in my TPT store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cranberry . So go and check them out! : )

Introduction

Hi, I'm Jaimee Granberry and I will be starting my first year as a school counselor on July 31st! I am so excited to blog/journal about my experience. I will be working at a K-4 Title I campus in Texas and am beyond excited to begin the new school year and meet the amazing kids and families I will be working with. I feel so blessed that I am able to pursue my passion of counseling.

I have been in education for the last 9 years, teaching in 3rd-6th classrooms (two years bilingual), and most recently as an Instructional Coach working with K-6th teachers in all subject areas. I received my masters from the BEST counseling program at The University of North Texas.

Bear with me as I get things just the way I want here on the blog!

Thanks for following along!

A picture of my family.