WELCOME TO GUIDANCE COUNSELING
AT RUSSELL and MEMORIAL SCHOOLS

Counselor, Kristiina McBride

 
Services available to you include, but are not limited to, the following:

  * Confidential consultation regarding your child
  * Individual short-term counseling for your child
  * Counseling groups for divorce, friendship, etc.
  * Student Assistance Team
  * Summer camp assistance
  * Referral to a wide variety of community resources
  * Developmental classroom guidance curriculum
 

Some helpful web sites:
   aacap.org/publications/factsfam//disaster.htm This site offers information on dealing with crisis with children. There are links to information on topics like childhood depression, children and grief, children's sleep problems, and post traumatic stress disorder.
 www.disciplinehelp.com Information on dealing with a wide variety of discipline problems is offered at this site.  Some of it is geared to classroom teachers, which can help you help your child's teacher be more effective with your child.

www.sesameworkshop.org/parents/advice/article The Sesame Street webpage offers information on a very broad range of topics; up to date and interesting information.
 www.mpf.org

The Maine Parent Federation offers advice over the phone, parent training at their location in Manchester, and speakers to present workshops around the state.  The focus of MPF is families with children with disabilities.  Parents seeking support during the PET process would benefit from contact with this group.

www.bravekids.org

www.allkindsofminds.org

www.nasponline.org

Confidential Consultation:
            You may choose to contact the counselor regarding a concern you have about your child's experience at school or regarding an issue of concern at home.  The counselor may contact you with a concern, as well.  Often children demonstrate anxiety in the classroom and a teacher will alert the counselor.  When something is bothering a child s/he has a harder time concentrating on schoolwork and friendships.  Your school counselor is there to listen to your concerns in order to help maximize your child's learning potential.
 
  

Individual Short-Term Counseling:
   When something is bothering a child; whether it's conflict with a classmate, a pending divorce at home, or something else; it's very hard to concentrate on school work and friendships.  Often a quick visit to the counselor just to share what's going on can relieve enough anxiety to allow the learning process to function fully.  School counselors in SAD 15 can see children on an individual basis up to 5 times on any given issue.  You will be informed if your child is going to be receiving individual counseling.
 
   

Counseling Groups:
            Groups are offered for a variety of reasons.  Divorce, changing families (death, separation, moves, new babies, etc.), friendship, social skills, study skills, and behavior change are a few examples.  If an issue arises that is of concern to your child, if there are other children dealing with the same thing we can develop a group.  The power of a group is that kids get to see that they aren't alone; there are others out there who have some of the same worries.  This can be healing in a way that individual counseling cannot be.  Children can self refer to a group, a parent can request a group, and teachers often suggest a group.  If your child asks to be in a group or is invited to be in a group you will be notified.  You may always call to speak with the counselor regarding your child's participation in group.  She will be very happy to share general information about group.
 
 

Student Assistance Team:

        This is a group of teachers, support staff, and administrators lead by the guidance counselor, who functions as the SAT coordinator.  Children are referred to the SAT by a caring adult, either at home or at school, when they need a boost to their confidence and/or their sense of belonging in the school community.  A child may be given a job supervised by an adult in the building,  like stacking books in the library or filling ice bags for the nurse.  Other interventions include having an older child mentor a younger child, a situation in which both students benefit.  Sometimes an SAT member will be assigned a child for TLC (a little extra tender loving care).  Most interventions by the SAT are for non-academic reasons.  If a child is brought to the SAT and it is felt that the child has academic needs, a referral to the Special Education Department will be made and the SAT may or may not remain involved.
        The Student Assistance Team is very involved in maintaining a positive atmosphere at school and sponsors many different activities geared to enhance school spirit, and every spring the SAT considers students for a limited number of scholarships to Camp Susan Curtis, Gray Recreation Day Camp, and Camp Sebago.
 
  

Summer Camp Assistance:

  Every year the Student Assistance Team takes teacher recommendations for camp scholarships.  Camp experiences offered are:  day camp through Gray Recreation, and overnight camp through Camp Sebago and Camp Susan Curtis.
        Families interested in other camps may look through the camp file in the guidance office.
 
 

Community Resources:

        There is a Community Resource Guide, created by the Student Assistance Team, available in the guidance office.  Families new to Gray/New Gloucester Schools are given this guide as part of the registration materials.
        A sampling of listings:
            Camps
            Scouts
            Sports
            Music lessons
            Theater & Art

        Area Support Groups:

            Ingraham Volunteers Crisis Hot Line
                    774-HELP  1-800-870-9998
            Center for Grieving Children  775-5216
            Parents Anonymous  767-5506
            Kid's First Center  761-2709
            Tourette's Syndrome Association   428-3040
            Juvenile Diabetes Foundation  854-1810
            Alliance for the Mentally Ill
                    1-800-464-7520
            Alcoholic's Anonymous Hot Line
                    1-800-737-6237    774-4335
            American Cancer Society  1-800562-2623
            AIDS  775-1267   1-800-851-2437
            Department of Human Services  1-800-482-7520
            Child Protective Services  1-800-452-1999
            Clothes Closet   926-4126
            Community Health Services  893-1500
            Fuel Assistance, Home Energy Assistance Program
                    874-1140   1-800-698-4959
            Food Stamps   822-2071
            Electricity Lifeline Program, CMP   1-800-750-4000
            Temporary Assistance to Needy Families,  822-2071
            Child Care Connections   871-7449
            Child Development Services, Cumberland County
                            781-8881
            PROP,  874-1140
            Division for the Blind & Visually Impaired  822-0400
                        1-800-315-1192

    Agency counseling services in the area:

            Child Psychiatry, Maine Medical Ctr. 871-2428
            Community Counseling Ctr.   874-1030
                    TTY-874-1043  - Laura Gottfried
            Sweetser Children's Services
                        772-7479   1-800-434-3000
            Tri-County Mental Health Children's Services
                            783-4661
            St. Mary's Counseling Center 657-2554

    Private family/child therapists in the area:

            Eileen Fair, LCSW   777-7255
            Deborah Stauffer, LCSW  777-7255
            Daryl-Ann Leonard, LCSW  777-7255
            Kate Rideout, LCSW  777-7255
            Connie St. Pierre, LCSW 782-4699
            Frank Walsh, LCSW   782-4699
            Peggy Jensen, LCPC   829-2059
            David Jordan, LCPC   657-4677
            Michelle Cobb, LPC (The Counseling Center)   657-3772
            Tom Johnson, PhD   784-5795
            Tom Cushman, PhD  784-5795

If you have questions about whether a counselor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist is best for your child, please feel free to call and I will be happy to help you make this determination.

School Guidance Curriculum:
        Your elementary school guidance counselor visits every classroom at least four times a year to present developmentally appropriate lessons that are consistent with the goals for guidance presented in the Maine Learning Results.
        When a specific topic has been requested by a teacher, the counselor is always happy to make extra visits to a classroom.
        In the spring, personal safety lessons are presented to grades k and 2, and grade 5 discusses personal safety and harrassment.  Parents are invited to an evening visit at school prior to the lessons to preview the videos and discuss the classroom presentation.  The date and time always appears in the school newsletter.