Our SchoolMeet Your School Counselor
A message from the School Counselor
Hello! My name is Kelli Saksa and I am your child’s school counselor at TGMS. I work with all students and staff at TGMS.
Students:
Monthly Guidance Lessons – I meet with each class for monthly classroom guidance lessons. Some topics are goal-setting, positive mindset, test-taking strategies, and many more.
#hottopics – This is a “get what you need” service that will be offered at two different times on 2-hour delay days. Students will be made aware of the hot topic of the month and can choose to come. Topics may include – friendships, changing families, loss, organization, anxiety, etc. Students will be choosing topics based on what they need.
Open Lunch – I have Open Lunch once a month where any student can choose to eat with me. It’s a casual way for me to see what’s happening around the building. Dates are announced and posted outside of my door for students to see.
Help Tickets – Students complete “help tickets” if they would like to talk to me about a problem they are having. These are available outside of my door, in classrooms and on Google Classroom.
Parents:
Coffee with A Counselor
I invite you to “Coffee with a Counselor”. This is where we have coffee and conversation about how the school year is progressing, how our kids are transitioning and a chance to talk to other parents. This is during the school day, however, we put notes we have discussed on our webpage. Dates will be announced.
Resources
I want to be a resource for you. If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. If I don’t know the answer, I will find someone who does! Email is usually the best way to get a hold of me, however, feel free to call as well.
Thanks for sharing your kids with me! Kelli Saksa, TGMS School Counselor, Kelli_Saksa@plsd.us
Beginning of the Year Jitters
With each new year comes new fears and anxieties. While you may feel you are the only one feeling this way – trust me – you are not! I still get butterflies at the beginning of the school year. Try to see the new year as an opportunity to meet new friends, learn new things and face challenges. Remember – you are not alone! Take a deep breath and let’s face the year together. You can do this! I’m so glad you are at TGMS :).
Free Weekend Food Program
Violet Baptist church offers a wonderful free food program through the H.O.P.E ministry. Contact me so that I can connect you with this service.
Grief Camp
Dealing with cancer as a family
H.O.P.E. Packs (Community Program)
Each week the H.O.P.E. Packs Program offers a weekend bag of food for children who meet the requirements. If your child in the past has received a H.O.P.E. Pack, have been eligible for free or reduced lunch, or your household income is low, complete the attached application to receive the weekly bags throughout the school year.
Before going home each Friday, your child will pick up a bag of food from his or her school’s office. The food is intended to be kid-friendly, easy to prepare, and supply supplemental food over the weekend. The bags are not to be opened until your child gets home.
To sign up for this free program, complete the included application and return it to your child’s school. All personal information will be strictly confidential. Eligible students will not be able to receive their food until the attached form has been completed and returned.