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As many of you are welcoming students back into the building and jumping in with both feet working hard for our Oklahoma students and families, we wanted to share what our team has been doing to help support you!
Our AWARE team has been preparing for the upcoming school year by coordinating professional development in MTSS & Youth Mental Health First Aid, orienting new Licensed Mental Health Professionals in the school teaming process, and providing training to site Mental Health Intervention Teams.
Our Alternative Education team is working on ensuring data and information accuracy, preparing for fall regional meetings, securing funding, and reviewing alternative education plans through single sign-on.
The Project RESPECT team has been providing mental health trainings and crisis preparedness to district administrators, school counselors, and LMHPs across Pottawatomie County to support mental health integration within districts.
Our College and Career Readiness team presented at the annual Career Tech conference and will continue to partner with OK Career Guide and OK College Start to host webinars on using the website and answering general ICAP questions. They will also present at the regional CounselorFest workshops this Fall.
Our School Counselor Corps team has been busy providing professional development for districts across the state. We have also been supporting districts with transcripts, credits, curriculum, Student Mental Health Protocols, and more. We are looking forward to launching Coffee with Counselors in September - details coming soon!
Welcome New Comprehensive School Counseling Program Manager:
Christi Sturgeon
Christi Sturgeon will be serving as our new Program Manager for Comprehensive School Counseling. Christi holds a BA in Psychology and an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Oklahoma Baptist University. She has been an LMFT and a certified PK-12 school counselor since 1997. She started in the mental health field as a Therapist/Assistant Director for a local foster care program and transitioned into school counseling 26 years ago in Tulsa Public Schools and most recently in Broken Arrow Public Schools. Christi has served as a school counselor at the elementary, middle and high school levels and she also teaches adjunct at the university level. She has served as the President and Treasurer of the Oklahoma School Counselor Association and was named Oklahoma School Counselor of the Year in 2021.
In her free time, Christi likes to spend time with her family, husband of 30 years, Aaron and their three adult children. She serves in her local church teaching preschoolers and loves biking, reading and crafting in her free time.
Christi has a passion for serving school counselors across the state and looks forward to partnering with districts to enrich their counseling programs.
You may contact Christi at Christi.Sturgeon@sde.ok.gov.
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In this issue:
Lessons from the Summer Binge
We are continuing our leadership lessons from our summer binge. Terri's Binge is Help for Billy by Heather T. Forbes - A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Challenging Children in the Classroom.
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Be Trauma Aware: Work to understand that challenging behaviors often stem from past trauma, and approach children with empathy and sensitivity.
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Build Relationships: Prioritize building strong, positive relationships with challenging children to create a safe and supportive environment. Relationships build emotional security which will build academic achievement.
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Focus on Connection Over Punishment: Focus on connecting with the child instead of resorting to punitive measures, addressing their underlying needs. Remember that challenging behavior is a form of communication.
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Teach Self-Regulation: Work to equip students with the tools to manage their emotions and reactions effectively.
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Provide Structured Flexibility: Create an environment with clear expectations and routines while allowing flexibility for the individual in order to build a safe and secure environment.
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Use a Team Approach: Collaborate with parents, educators, and professionals to ensure consistent support and communication. Multi-tiered systems of support encompasses this approach.
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Build Positive Reinforcements: Emphasize positive reinforcement to encourage progress and boost confidence. Celebrating successes contributes to building confidence and self-esteem.
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Be Patient and Persistent: Behavioral change takes time; practice patience and persistence while implementing strategies.
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Work to Shift Your Mindset: Change your perspective from viewing challenging behavior as a personal attack to understanding it as a form of communication.
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Just Breathe: Oxygen is the most effective way to calm the nervous system.
Greatest Takeaway: A positive relationship is far more powerful than any behavior technique. Build the relationships and change will come.
Terri Welborn; Project AWARE Specialist
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