THE ADVENTURES
OF MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Pioneer
Middle
School
Today’s objectives:
To introduce you to Pioneer Middle School
 To ease your mind about your child’s
transition into Middle School
 To offer tips and suggestions for you to get
the most out of the next 3 years,
addressing academics and the social
growth of your child

INTRODUCING KEY PERSONNEL
HAVE FUN WITH YOUR MENTORS!
 Mentors will lead an organized activity using the student
binder reminder at the blue lunch tables.
 Students and mentors will compete in teams to complete the
Boot Camp Scavenger Hunt.
HAVE FUN!
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A MIDDLE
SCHOOL ACADEMIC COUNSELOR?
 Our goals and objectives align with the school’s mission
statement.
 We focus on the development of three domains:
 Academic
 Career
 Personal/Social Development
 What does this look like?
 Guidance curriculum in the classroom
 One on one with families and students
 Collaborate with teachers for academic interventions
 We utilize research -based best practices.
PIONEER MIDDLE SCHOOL
WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?
 Our Mission:
 To maximize ALL students’
academic potential and
personal responsibility
 Our Beliefs:
 R.E.A.L. Wildcats R.O.A.R.
 All students are capable of
learning at high levels
 All students have access to
interventions
 Middle school success is
not just about academics…
personal/social growth is
important, too
THINGS TO KNOW!
 Bell Schedules
 Parking Lot – for student safety, please follow the traffic pattern.
 Traffic – it gets CRAZY after 7:30.
 Personal Deliveries
 No deliveries to classrooms; regular lunch delivery is frowned upon.
 Absences
 Attendance correlates to school success, whereas absenteeism
correlates to school failure (including dropping out). 15 -20 absences is
considered chronic (Child Trends Data bank, 2014).
 1 day absent = 7 periods missed = 7 lessons missed
 Dress Code
 Focus on dressing to learn in comfort
 School to Home Communication
 Please allow 24-48 for either a phone or an email response from
teachers and staff.
 Conference structure is different than in elementary school.
THINGS TO KNOW…
 Aeries Parent Portal
 Activity on Portal correlates to student success
 Binder Reminder
 Wealth of information in first section
 Tutorial stamping
 Website
 Updated regularly
 Visit all tabs
 Cof fee with the Counselors
 Monthly presentations by counselors or speakers on current “hot
topics”
 Social media
THE MIDDLE SCHOOLER:
NO LONGER A CHILD, NOT YET AN ADULT
 Physical changes
 More development happens now than any other time in life, other than
first two years
 The brain is not fully developed until age 25
 Intellectual development
 Concrete logic to analytical thought
 Ability to argue a position, question authority, understand sophisticated
levels of humor (sarcasm)
 Social/emotional transition
 Move from accepting adult moral judgment to developing personal values
 Searching for an adult identity while still seeking peer approval
 Shift from emulating parents to emulating peers, although parents still
play key role in final decision making
( 2 0 1 3 , Ca s k ey , A n f a r a , J r . )
SHIFT TO GROWTH MINDSET
 Shift from a fixed mindset to a
growth mindset
 Fixed = inherent intelligence determines
future
 Growth = abilities are due to actions
 How does this impact our students?
 Fixed = “I didn’t get an A so I must be
stupid…”
 Growth = “I didn’t get an A but I learned
so much!”
THE NEED FOR BOUNDARIES
 Teens battle with parents to dismantle parental authority, but
they are not ready to be on their own.
 The brain is not fully developed until age 25; the prefrontal
cortex (the decision-making area of the brain) develops
last.(AAA, 2013) (UCLA 2013)
 The lack of life experience results in teens seeing day -to-day
existence, not long -term perspective.
 The more teens feel that they are truly on their own, the more
vulnerable they become.
SOCIAL MEDIA
 Teens and tweens are on social media in alarming numbers.
 Connected 24/7 to peers and the Internet.
 Doctors recommend a maximum of two hours of Internet time
per day, however most students report being connected for
longer periods of time.
 FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – teens feel a real sense that
something could happen in the world, and they don’t want it
to happen without them.
 Popular Sites for teens include Facebook, Instagram, ask.fm,
Yik Yak, Twitter, YouTube, SnapChat, Tumblr and …
 More to come on this topic at our monthly Cof fee with the
Counselors
TEENS AND COPING SKILLS
 Helicopter Parents, Snow Plow Parents, Glider Parents
 What used to be a tongue -in-cheek label now has data to
support unfortunate outcomes for young adults.
 Intrusive parenting interferes with the development of autonomy and
competence. (Donatone, 2014)
 “Glide” children through the success and challenges of young
adulthood.
 Today’s teens need:





greater tolerance for uncertainty
more flexibility
balance
conflict management skills
ability to deal with disappointment
ADVICE FOR PARENTS
 Academic support
 Encourage daily
attendance
 Attend parent programs
 Help with and model
time good management
and organization skills
 Make homework your
child’s responsibility
 Encourage independent
problem solving
 Social/Emotional
support
 Be involved and
informed
 Communicate with your
child
 Teach responsibility
 Provide appropriate
consequences
 Understand their
technology
WE’RE NOT
KIDDING…
Traffic is
terrible!!
Drive with a
smile and
patience
and we will
all be much
safer!