New Fairfield Middle School

NFMS Counseling


    

Click Here For Information on 
the following Topics 
Dr. Don Pryztula   312-5808  Director of Guidance  Just for Kids
Mrs. Severino 312-5817
Guidance  6th Grade Internet Safety
Mrs. Mooney
312-5892 Guidance 7th Grade Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Mrs. Jacques  
312-5902 
Guidance 8th Grade Health Issues
Mrs. Demeo 312-5752  School Social Worker Grief and Loss
Mr. Brandt Nigro 312-5879 School Psychologist Counseling Service Providers
Mrs. O'Callaghan 312-5852  School Assistance Counselor      
 Mentor Program
LMFT,LADL,CCD

Crisis Numbers

    Parenting/Family Issues

The School Counseling Department works to meet the diverse and unique needs of students. The needs of adolescents during the middle school years can affect every area of development, spanning from academics and physical changes to social and emotional arena

As students grow and seek to develop their own identities, counselors work to help students in balancing these needs within the school setting.

The School Counseling Department addresses four major areas of development:

 

1. Academic achievement
2. Self-advocacy
3. Conflict resolution/problem solving
4. Social and personal development

 Counselors offer a variety of services, including:  meeting with students on an individual basis, developmental guidance classroom instruction, group counseling for students, consulting and collaborating with parents, school staff, and professionals in the community, sharing in the peer mediation.

  
 
CURRICULUM
6th Grade Discover Class
The Discover Class is specifically designed and developmentally appropriate for 6th grade students. The class is trimester in length and students meet other day in rotation with physical education classes.
The curriculum is structured around the following units:
 Transition to Middle School   Anger/Stress management 
 Bullying  Study Skills
 Differences/ Tolerances  Goals
 Friendships  Time Management
 Communication  Career Exploration

 


7th and 8th Grade Guidance Curriculum
This is a component within the heath classes at these grade levels. The curriculum was co-authored by the school counseling department and the health teacher, and is taught within the health class period. The topics are as follows:


7th Grade
 Mental Health Awareness & Conflict Resolution  
8th Grade
Communication & Peer Pressure/Choices
 

School-wide "Creating and Maintaining a Safe Environment" Annual Presentations:
These Presentations include a school to home piece. Each student goes home with an outline of the presentation, and it is requested that parents/guardians review the packet with their student, as a family. Students and parent/guardians are asked to sign an attached form indicating completion.

Grade 6: The Basics of Bullying

Grade 7: Cyber bullying & Internet Safety

Grade 8: Sexual Harassment Awareness

 

Student Success Plans, Career Pathways, and Naviance/Family Connections
www.connections.naviance.com/nfms

Grades 6,7,8

Every Middle school student, with a school counselor's assistance, writes a Student Success Plan that includes academic, social, and career exploring goals during the Fall. The counselors also administer, with the use of the Naviance program, a learning style survey and a career key assessment. These inventories help students to understand how they learn best, as well as how to explore careers based on their interests. Parents are also involved with this process, where they meet with the counseling staff to learn about Naviance and register for the program so they can have access at home. During the Spring of the academic year, team leaders of each grade level partner up with a counselor to hold small group sessions. Here, we discuss the results from the surveys, so the students have a better understanding of this purposeful path.