Guidance Department Newsletter

GUIDANCE NEWSLETTER
June 2024

The 2023-2024 school was full of positive and fun experiences. During the school year, our guidance counselors focus on providing students with a physically safe and emotionally secure environment in which to explore and grow.  Establishing relationships and setting high expectations promotes this kind of environment by fostering prosocial behavior and providing a predictable outcome.  Through these core values and the development of positive feelings about oneself and about one’s ability is extremely important for healthy growth, as well as for social competence and academic achievement. Building self-esteem and self-confidence requires repeated positive experiences and genuine encouragement that is provided by trusted adults and peers. Our guidance counselors work tirelessly to create a sense of belonging, which is critical for our students' prosocial development. Since people are social by nature, the feeling of being part of a group helps aid in developing positive relationships and positive self-care. Our guidance counselors embrace your children and strive to provide a secure environment to promote their learning and growth. Please remember our guidance department is always available to assist and offer support. It is our desire to continue to connect with students and their families on a regular basis. 

The Adams School
We are immensely proud of the progress and achievements of our students throughout the school year. Witnessing the close-knit community our students have formed has been truly heartwarming. This spring, our students learned the coping strategy of "belly breathing" to help regulate their emotions and build resilience. Additionally, they have been developing their social-emotional skills through the PATHS curriculum. During the "Moving On" ceremony, our PreK-4 students delivered a moving performance that celebrated differences. While it's bittersweet to say goodbye as they move on to Kindergarten, we are confident that they are well-prepared for the exciting journey ahead. We want to express our deep and sincere gratitude for entrusting your children's education to the Adams School. It has been a pleasure collaborating with you this past year, and we truly appreciate your unwavering support. We wish you all a fantastic summer! 

The Webster Extension
This year, we were extremely fortunate to partner with Arts for Learning. “Arts for Learning Massachusetts is driven by a mission to educate, inspire and empower youth through arts” Our combined goal is to ensure that students from all backgrounds, identities, and abilities have equal access to the enriching educational opportunities that the arts learning program provides. Throughout this program, our students developed pre-reading literacy and socialization skills while supporting their growth mindset through fostering social connections. Our students enjoyed collaborative activities that support self-regulation through reflex and sensory integration techniques. Given that some of our students may have difficulty communicating, we prioritized creating a safe classroom environment where each student feels heard and valued.   Students and families are happy to come to the Webster Extension every day. It has been proven to be a place of enjoyment and a sense of family. As our four-year old students prepare to move on to other schools, we wish you the best of luck and please remember that you will always have a “home” here at the Webster Extension.

In closing, as we are preparing for the end of the 2023-2024 school year, we are thankful to have been able to work with our students and provide them with the structure and activities that allowed the students to grow both academically and socially.

We are sad to see the 2023-2024 school year come to a close but there are some great programs available this summer for grade 8 students moving to the high school and Summer Adventure Academies for those who want to continue to build their skills over summer.  There are also enrichment programs available in sports, music and career exploration. 

In closing, we would like to say congratulations to our 8th grade students. We wish you the best! And to all, have a safe and wonderful summer:)

- EPS Guidance Department