F.M.S. Student Services

Finally the warm weather has arrived and a fresh, new energy along with it.  Students are busy with spring sports, music concerts and keeping up on school work.  These things along with the anticipation of the school year ending can frazzle many middle school students.  Here are few tips to keep the waters calm and steady.

-Eat and sleep well-eating regular meals and keeping sleep schedules constant will help you get the energy and rest needed during busy and sometimes stressful times.

-Get it together-plan ahead and get organized.  Planning your week out and being proactive when you know there are a few  busy evenings coming up will prevent panic when there’s just not enough time left in the evening to get that homework done.

- Laugh!  Regular doses of laughter really does reduce stress

- Have fun with friends-be sure to take the time to be with people you feel comfortable with even when your week looks booked.

-Keep a journal-great way to express frustration, anxious feelings and when things are just not going right.  Sometimes just getting it out makes a big difference.

-Take time to relax-Putting the breaks on during a hectic day and taking a few breaths can help you feel more in control and bring some relief when things feel overwhelming.

-Keep moving-physical activity keeps stress at bay and is healthy for the mind, body and soul.

As the popular saying goes, “Keep Calm and Carry on”!

8th graders: a reminder that you need to submit your freshman high school registration by Friday, March 29th. You need to have at least a total of 6 credits in order to register. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Wright or call the high school guidance office. If your last name begins with A through L, Mrs. Danielle Calhoun will be your guidance counselor. If your last name begins with M through Z, Mrs. Karen Lechner will be your counselor.

Don’t forget that your 8th grade teachers are also a great source of information and suggestions about high school. They also know you and can give good advice about what level of coursework to tackle, especially your first year of high school.

Above all, don’t panic; there is always time to make changes in your schedule over the summer and during add/drop at the beginning of September. Meanwhile, don’t forget to keep up with your 8th grade classwork!

This is a wonderfully busy time of year.

Superintendent Powers has sent out a helpful and thoughtful email to all Falmouth families that will give you good guidelines and resources for how to help your child deal with the terrible tragedy that took place in Ct. on Friday. How to help our children make sense out of a senseless tragedy is as confounding as it sounds. Know that routines help; time will help; observing adults around them respond in a comforting way will help. Also know that the Falmouth Middle School staff will be supportive and comforting adults who will be here to help both you and your children. Please feel free to call our office if you have any questions, or if your child has an extreme and extended reaction to this event.

Here are two of the resources that Mrs. Powers put in her email:

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/terror_general.aspx

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/aftermath.aspx

November and December seem to fly by; student led conferences, Thanksgiving break and then on to the last push before our winter holiday break. Here in Student Services we are busy with helping coordinate the state mandated “Alcohol Awareness Week” this first week in December. Alcohol is the number 1 drug problem in America, and here in Maine we are trying to help students understand the risks involved especially with early experimentation and use. We will have activities at each grade level to publicize and bring attention to the Maine DOE directive and remind students about potential issues with alcohol and drug use/abuse, as well as all the services available to help if they have any concerns.

Another special day that the Civil Rights Team publicizes is the International Human Rights Day, as proclaimed by the United Nations over 25 years ago. Their proclamation of human rights includes many things protected in our US constitution which we have long taken for granted…such as the right to a free and public education for all ( boys and girls).We have put up posters and will be making announcements regarding both these events in December and involve students as much as possible in the reminder to appreciate and support basic human rights all over the globe.

We are looking forward to supporting  students and families at this busy time of year; so much to do at home and at school….sometimes can take a toll on health. A reminder to all of us to take time to appreciate simple pleasures and activities….often the fewer can be much more meaningful. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!

On Tuesday, October 30th we will be celebrating “Mix It Up at Lunch Day” along with 2400 other schools across the country. Sponsored by Teaching for Tolerance, the FMS Civil Rights Team and Student Services Office are coordinating the efforts here to get students to think about the social boundaries that can be created within a school. Sometimes accidentally, we stick to groups that share our interests and backgrounds, unknowingly keeping others out. This day is meant to encourage kids to move beyond their usual, safe spots at lunch and eat with students they might not normally. This year, we are asking students to sit in their DOCK groups, which are fairly evenly mixed boy/girl and randomly assigned. This is also a safe way to get students to try something new! We are inviting their teachers to join us, which will make it quite fun and unique. By addressing a serious concern, in a safe situation, we hope to encourage kids to think about such boundaries and try to become more inclusive while here at school.