Willow earns a 3rd Program of Promise recognition for a Wisconsin School Counseling Program Accountability Report (WSCPAR)!!

I'm proud to share that for the 3rd consecutive year, our school counseling program at Willow has earned recognition at the state level!  Each year, school counselors can submit a Wisconsin School Counseling Program Accountability Report (WSCPAR) that includes data to demonstrate how the school counseling program has impacted school climate and student learning!
A huge thank you to Mrs. Osterhues for her leadership and support of our school counseling program as well as the amazing team of Willow teachers who continuously reinforce classroom lessons, small group skills, and collaboratively problem solve with me each and every day!  I'm proud to represent Willow River Elementary and get us on the map at the state level!
Select the link below to read this year's report!
Willow River Elementary 2018 WSCPAR

New BUDDY BENCH!!!

I am excited to announce that our upper playground will be getting a NEW Buddy Bench soon!  We had one 5 years ago that was made out of wood, but due to our Wisconsin weather, it just didn't stand the test of time.  On our Cinder Lot playground, we have a red Buddy Bench that students can use as well.  With our unique playground set up (how many kids get TWO playgrounds?!?!?) a second Buddy Bench is a treat!

Kindergarten and 1st grade students are learning how to use this tool, which was initially developed by a boy named Christian and included "rules" for using the bench.  Students are asked to "Have a plan" before heading out to recess and then if that plan doesn't work, they are encouraged to ask at least one other playground friend to play.  Ideally at this point, the problem will be solved because we also have the rule "Can't Say Can't Play", so if anyone asks if we can join in kickball, 4-square etc., we cannot exclude!  If for some reason or another this person says "no", we can then go sit on the Buddy Bench!  As we sit, we look around for someone to play with and if someone asks us to play while we are on that bench, we have to say YES!  I teach students that it is my hope that no one ever has to sit on our bench - because if our bench is empty it means that everyone is being included and is enjoying recess! :)

Ask your student about how our Buddy Bench works and see how it brightens up our playground!!!

4th Graders Test their Growth Mindset!

Fourth graders learned more about growth mindset - comparing it to "bubblegum brain" vs. "brick brain".  We discussed how to change "brick brain statements" into "bubblegum brain" words to help remind us how to handle challenges that come our way!
Growth mindset statements include:  adding "yet" to every "I can't", seeing challenges as an opportunity for our brains to grow, and persevering!
Students were put into groups and asked to solve word problems together.  These were challenging and students were asked to pay attention to how they were talking to themselves about it and how they were talking in the group to each other about it.  I heard many "We just don't have this YET, you guys!!!" :)

Here are some pictures of our groups working hard together and a video of that wonderful moment when they finally got the lock open to reveal brain erasers to remind us of Growth Mindset!

5th grade Learning Styles

Fifth graders are continuing with their Learner Resumes (parents, you'll get to see this in video form at the end of the year!) and learned what their learning style was!  Students did a "Scoot" form of the questionnaire to learn if they learn best through hearing (auditory), seeing (visual) or doing (kinesthetic).  Students were then given a list of different studying and learning strategies they could try and were asked to select two they thought they could try!  Ask your 5th grader what their learning style is and what studying strategies they are trying!

Wolfie At Work

Wolfie has been working awfully hard these past few weeks.  His job shadowing has taken him to salons, paper mills, U of M, Dorthy Day Place, and St. Croix county to name a few.
Can't wait to see what our other 4th grade parents teach us when it comes to types of careers, types of training, and learning what our parents wanted to be when they were in 4th grade!

This has been a really fun project and we are learning a lot about different types of training - college (words like Bachelor's degree and Master's degree too!), associates degree, apprenticeship, on-the-job training, and technical degrees.

Thank you to all of our 4th grade parents for humoring us a bit and for being so creative with your pictures!

Separation Anxiety or "Clinginess" and Kids

Do you have a child who has difficulty letting go of you when you're dropping off at school, a playdate, or another activity?  I've been following "Hey Sigmund" who talks a lot about anxiety in general, but this latest video on why kids cling to us is interesting and it offers some suggestions to help your child "self-soothe" so they can be more successful with the transition of saying goodbye to you.
Check the video out here!
Hey Sigmund - Clinginess and Kids

Peaceful Conflict Resolution!!

Second graders are learning how to use our Peace Path that is located on the playground and on portable yoga mats in our school!  The Peace Path gives students words to help them talk through their conflicts with peers and build skills for future problem solving.  I tell the kids if I had learned how to resolve conflicts like this when I was in 2nd grade, maybe I wouldn't yell at Mr. Flier for not doing the dishes and I would use "I" language instead 😆

Here are pictures of Mr. Murray's class practicing on the Peace Paths we have available when conflicts occur indoors!

SMART Goals in 3rd Grade

Third graders are talking about what makes a goal SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding and Timely!  While this is a tricky concept for kids to grasp (it's even hard for me as a grown up!) we took the idea of "attainable" and "rewarding" and did an activity to illustrate why it is important to set goals that are possible and yet not too easy.

Students threw bean bag "frogs" into a bucket.  The first time around, they were just one step away.  Waaaaay too easy and not at all rewarding to get all three into the bucket.  The second time around, I asked them to take 25 paces away from the bucket.  With our low ceilings in the hallways, this was impossible!  We reflected after each round and talked about what it felt like.  Was it all that exciting to get the three in when it was too easy?  Were you ready to give up when it was nearly impossible?  Then we discussed the importance of setting our goals so that we will feel really proud when we reach them, but making sure they are possible.

Next time around we will begin "Ready for Success" curriculum which challenges students to create small SMART goals every week to help them build their confidence in academics and beyond!

 Too Easy!

Too hard!!!

Wolfie Goes to Work!!

How much does your child know about your career?  Do you remember what you wanted to be when you were a kid?  What are all of the different careers in your family?  What careers have you had over your lifetime?  

This year I am trying a new project to get kids asking questions about careers in their family.  What types of training did family members have?  Where do they work?  What do they like about their job?

Fourth graders will be bringing "Wolfie" home and getting a picture taken of Wolfie at their family member's work or wearing/near something that can signify the job.  Students then will interview this person about their job and write a report up so we can learn more about the careers of our Willow River family!  Wolfie will get to visit every family over the next few months and we can't wait to see what we learn!

Be KINDER Than Necessary!

I think we forget just how simple it is to be kind.  We might not even notice ways we are kind because they are a natural part of our day.  Holding the door for someone, asking a cashier how they are doing, taking the time to really listen to a child telling a story, picking up litter, or sending a note to a neighbor.  These do not have to be grand gestures that cost money and they can certainly be things kids can do too. 

As our world can seem like it is full of hate these days, it is also a world of compassion and kindness.  Here in our Willow River community, we see kindness all the time.  I've heard stories of UPStanders who go and sit by a girl who was all by herself at lunch.  I've had a 1st grade friend offer to have a very sad and scared friend sit by him on the bus.   I've had students give hugs and high fives as I greet them walking in.  Willow is FULL of kindness and this year we plan to showcase that as often as we can - especially at all-school meetings and with programming throughout the year to reinforce how important it is to just BE KIND.

Students were asked to cut out a shape of their hand in construction paper and sign their name to show their dedication to "be kinder than necessary" this year - tying in our experience watching "Wonder" last year in 3rd-5th grade.  The sign turned out beautiful and is a sweet reminder to us as we head out to recess or leave for the day.

NED Show!

All students have watched the NED clip about UPStanding - on Monday, October 1st, we got to meet NED and hear about Growth Mindset!  Students were amazed by the Yo-Yo tricks and magic that the presenter, Will, infused into the message.  We learned "N= Never Give Up" and hiked up Mount Everest, "E= Encourage others" on Kindness Island, and "D = Do Your Best" with an alien spaceship shaped like a brain!
This presentation is free to schools if you offer to sell the yo-yos for five days after the presentation - a "pay-it-forward" model.  All of the proceeds from yo-yos will pay for another school to hear this great message and a portion of proceeds will go to the Children's Hospital. 

UPStander Day!!

In preparation for our big NED Show on Monday to focus on UPStanding and being "Kinder than Necessary" we wore UPStander shirts or blue shirts today!  We are so proud of our UPStanding students for making our school a better place!
Here are just a few of our amazing UPStanders we caught wearing their shirts!

"The Legend of ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!!!!!!"

We have had such a fun first week back!!  In Guidance classes, grades 1-5 have been reviewing the tools we have here at Willow to help us solve problems.  We use:

Stop, Walk, Talk: When someone is being disrespectful to us

Peace Path: When we need to talk a problem through with someone

Tell an adult: When the behavior is considered unsafe or bullying

Stop, Walk, ROCK, Talk: When its a small problem - usually we use Rock, Paper, Scissors. 

I found SUCH a fun book about the "legend" of Rock, Paper Scissors this summer... from the guy who brought you "The Day the Crayons Quit" Drew Daywalt.

To add a little activity to this, we tried the "Hopscotch + Rock, Paper, Scissors" game that Phy Ed teachers on Facebook have been going nuts over... and it has been a hit with our 3rd and 4th graders this week!

Post Secondary Options Breakout EDU!

For the past several years, I've sent students on a scavenger hunt to find out all of the different post-secondary trainings that our staff at Willow have had.  This has been a great way for them to see the different options, the variety of schools, and to learn more about the staff who take care of them each day!

This year, I added the "Breakout EDU" element to the hunt.  Students had to complete the scavenger hunt answer key and find staff who had a technical degree, a doctorate, a degree from a school in another state, a staff member who has served in the military, even a staff member who has a Bachelor's degree from another COUNTRY!  Once students returned the completed sheet, they got a clue to help unlock the box.  Inside the box were "graduation rubber duckies" to remind them that there are TONS of options after high school for training!

"K is for Kind"

We are celebrating KINDNESS WEEK here at Willow and I've been having a lot of fun talking to students about what it truly means to be kind, what random acts of kindness are all about, and why it is so important to show kindness for others. 
Sesame Street recently conducted a survey where they asked parents and teachers about their children/students and kindness.  Seventy-eight percent of teachers felt it was more important for their students to be kind than to be academically successful while 73% of parents felt this way (Sesame Street) - so for the most part, we are all on the same page!
This week at Willow we have been busy completing random acts of kindness - from decorating coffee sleeves for a coffee shop in Hudson (patron them all and find them!) to creating Kindness Catchers, notes, or tissue flowers.  We have been checking off our Kindness Bingo sheets or Kindness Checklists and we have been learning in guidance why kindness means so much.

Found this idea on the Elementary School Counselor Exchange group on Facebook - decorating coffee sleeves for a local coffee shop here in Hudson!  What a great way to spread the message about kindness and brighten someone else's morning!

Third grade read the book "Potato Chip Champ" and made "Comprehension Catchers" (Maria Dismondy's Activity) to review the main points in the book.  Students will be making similar catchers that will include "random acts of kindness" inside to challenge those who use the fortune tellers!

Fall Climate Results

For the second year, I have given a "Fall Climate Survey" to students in 1st- 5th grades to get a pulse on what students are experiencing at Willow River to help guide my curriculum and improve the school climate for students.  With 1st and 2nd graders, I sat out in the hall and visited with each one of them for a "Minute Meeting" asking them the questions and checking in with how their year was going so far.  While this takes several weeks to accomplish between classes, it is one of the most valuable things I do.  I'm able to connect one:one to students who might not otherwise visit my office and I'm able to reiterate that I'm here for them if they need me at any point.  In grades 3-5, students are given the survey online and asked to complete it at the beginning of a guidance lesson.

I share the results and ways that the school counseling program is addressing each concern below and look forward to any conversations or ideas you might have in improving our school climate!  Willow is a great place to be and we want to make sure EVERY student feels that way!!

CONNECTIONS WITH ADULTS
I cannot stress enough how important it is for students to have several trusted adults in their lives.  This has been shown in studies to be a protective factor when it comes to mental health and bullying - adults they can talk to about their problems play a key role. 
Last fall, 78% of our students reported two adults they felt safe talking to.  Staff took note of this and we talked about connectivity and the importance of it.  Together we read a text that discussed the brain and learning - and a major point of this text was that students need to feel safe and emotionally connected to their teachers for an optimal learning environment. 
This fall, we saw an increase to 93% - which is great, but not 100%.  Seven percent of our students could not name two adults and a few went so far as to type in "no one" in the survey.  This amounts to 20 of our students.  How can we reach them so they feel supported?
Continued discussion and activities with staff to ensure we are making connections with ALL students.  Developing and beginning a formal mentor program - "Willow River Daymakers" - that will begin mid-January. 
What else can we do to make sure our kids feel connected and supported while at school?

UPStanders
This fall, 64% of our students felt that students stick up for each other "All of the time" or "Most of the time".  What can we do to drive up that number and certainly eliminate the 3% of "Never"?  When it comes to experiencing or seeing mean behavior occurring, 8% of our students reported this happening "every day" and 22% reported it happening "A few times a week".  What can we do to change this and improve our climate?
While we encourage students to be UPStanders, this fall we had 21% of our students report they ignore mean behaviors.  How can we encourage their assertion skills so they can feel confident standing up for themselves and others?

This year the school counseling program pushed for an increased awareness of UPStanding.  The idea is that when you see someone being treated badly by another student, you choose one of four ways to be an UPStander rather than a BYStander.  Speaking out, Being a Buddy, Telling an Adult, or Interrupting are the four main ways students were taught to be UPStanders, complete with examples of how this could work for any personality or age. 

Our Student Council demonstrated the four ways to be an UPStander at our October All-School Meeting and we have been getting reports about UPStanders throughout our building who are brought into the counselor's office, given a t-shirt, pencil and certificate, and we call home to report their UPStanding behavior!  This has become the highlight of my year so far!!

In February, we will celebrate the "National Kindness Week" to help continue the push for kindness toward each other - including sticking up for each other and helping each other be more kind. 

When it comes to "bully-proofing" our school, the most influential people are our kids - not us.  That's tough for us to wrap our heads around sometimes, because they seem so small, but our kids are powerful advocates for each other.  They do need adults to help guide them in effective ways to do this, but ultimately, the message "We don't do that to each other here" and "We Choose Kind" coming from our STUDENTS is what will determine the amount of mean behavior that occurs at school.