1. education
2. school

WEEKLY CHECKMARK
“Dear Teachers, What you do for a living matters. Every Day. Thank you!” M Ferguson
Education Week Awards 2015
April 27,
27, 2015
Volume 30
Congratulations to the following Halifax NSTU Members
and thank you for your contribution to public education in our Board!
Danielle McNeil-Hessian, HRSB Staff
Brian DeMone, Sackville Heights Junior High
Gilles Boudreau, Brookhouse Elementary
Laura Kennedy, Sir Charles Tupper Elementary
(Also pictured is our Superintendent, Elwin LeRoux)
SACKVILLE HEIGHTS
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
In this issue
Upcoming Events
2
Pension Symposium
3
Respect: 3 Steps for
Dealing with
Helicopter Parents
4
Calendar:
Events & Deadlines
6
Student Bursary
Application
7
FALCONS
1
.
HALIFAX COUNTY
Most Active Local in NS!
Pre-Council Meeting
April 30, 2015
For delegates & alternates to
Annual Council
Dr Tom Parker Building
Musquodoboit Family of Schools
Outreach Social
Friday May 1, 2015
Curly’s Portable
3:00 – 6:00 pm
Substitute Teacher Session
Tuesday May 5, 2015
4:30 pm Dr Tom Parker Building
Register w [email protected]
Teacher Placement
Process
Annual Council
May 8 – 10, 2015
For delegates & alternates
World Trade & Convention Ctr
Pre-Retirement Session
Thursday May 14, 2015
4:30 pm Dr Tom Parker Building
Register w [email protected]
Contracts / Job Fair Session
Wednesday May 27, 2015
4:30 pm Dr Tom Parker Building
Register w [email protected]
Retirement Dinner
Deadline for Tickets
Wed May 27, 2015
[email protected]
Retirement Dinner
Friday June 5, 2015
Delta Halifax
Tickets on sale now – to be
ordered before May 27
Big Fish booked to play again!
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PENSION SYMPOSIUM 2015
Friday April 17 – Saturday April 18, 2015
Topics:
NSTU Pension Plan – Changes, Structure, Valuation with Allan MacLean, NSTU Assistant Executive Director
Public Sector Plans in Atlantic Canada with Joan Ling, NSTU Executive Director
Information on the Nova Scotia Pension Corporation and Actuary Assumptions with Steven Wolff, NS Pension Corporation
The Emotional Effects of Retirement, Resilience
In attendance from Halifax County (pictured below, left to right):
Jodie MacIlreith, Pension Committee; Meg Ferguson, Local President; Tim MacLeod, Provincial Executive; Jim King, Local
Executive; Paul Boudreau, Provincial Executive; (Photobomb: Rollie Hannem, Yarmouth Local President;) Peggy Ludlow,
Halifax County Retired Teachers Organization.
NORDIC POLE WALKING SESSION
Nordic Pole Walking increases muscle use by 40 % and burns up to 67% more calories – sounds win-win!
Social & Wellness Committee Chair Jim King, a certified instructor, took us through the basics at our local office on Saturday
April 25, then we walked for about 45 minutes in Burnside to Dartmouth Crossing and return. It was a lovely day and a
good time was had by all!
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RESPECT: 3 STEPS FOR DEALING
EALING WITH HELICOPTER PARENTS
This article is cut down for length – there is more information at:
https://www.schoolcounselor.org/magazine/blogs/january-february-2011/three-steps-for-dealing-with-helicopter-parents
The over-protective parent. The helicopter parent. The pushy parent. These parents
hover over their children, watching their every move, preventing and solving their
children’s problems. These parents may insist the kindergarten class replace recess for an
extra math lesson, make excuses for their children not completing homework
assignments, request their children move to another class to be with their friends, give
teachers pointers on their te aching, expect school staff to respond to e-mails within the
hour, etc
We can become burned out trying to accommodate these parents or resentful of their constant requests.
Step 1. Decrease Parental Anxiety
The first step is to decrease anxiety. Parents want their children to be safe and successful, which are healthy aspirations.
These parents act out of their anxiety, fear and guilt, which can create stifled and dependent children.
Listen and validate: When people feel anxious, the rational part of their brain shuts off. Listen to the parent, and let
her/him vent. Validate feelings, normalize those feelings, and let them know you are on their side, not fighting against
them. Once stress level decreases, they will be better able to engage in a rational, problem-solving discussion.
Focus on parental strengths: Overly involved parents often are insecure. Many times these parents aim to be the Super
Parent and do it all.
Invite involvement: Overly involved parents typically want to be active in their child’s school community. Take
advantage of this, and put their energy to good use. Ask them to help you with an upcoming program or to sit on your
advisory council. You are creating an ally and making them feel welcome.
Initiate positive communication. These type of parents like to be kept in the loop. Instead of only when there is a
concern, proactively communicate with when the student does well or when volunteering efforts are successful.
Step 2. Communicate to Empower Students
Language is powerful. It is crucial to communicate in a way that places responsibility on the student, not the parent.
Communicate parents’ responsibilities: Empowering language sets the expectation that students are responsible for
their own actions; parents should not be blamed or held responsible for their child’s schoolwork. Remind Carson’s mom
of her responsibility in the homework process: provide the supplies, space and time needed; to offer support without
taking over; and to allow natural consequences to occur. For example, if Carson leaves his textbook at school, he will not
have access to his textbook that night.
Communicate student’s responsibilities: Next time you are in a parent-teacher conference, model the following
messages to parents:
Avoid: “Have you been checking Carson’s grades via his class Web site?”
Do say: “We have found it is beneficial for students to show parents their grades online at least once a week. Is this
something you could do with your child?”
Students should be active participants in writing down their assignments and checking their class Web sites. When
parents do it for them, students tend to get complacent about doing it themselves. It is appropriate for students to check
nightly homework assignments online/in agenda, while parent/guardian supervises. It is not appropriate for parents to
check the Web site on their own and to remind the student of their assignments.
Students often rely on their memory, and as a result, they may not write down assignments in their agenda.
Parents/guardians can help students form good organizational habits while still giving them responsibility.
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Avoid: “By working together, I’m confident we will be able to bring the student’s grades up by
the end of the marking period.”
Do say: “By supporting the student in the ways discussed, I’m confident he will be able to bring
his grades up by the end of the marking period.”
Encourage parents and teachers to avoid using words like “we” or “our” when talking about a
child’s schoolwork. Gently remind the parent / guardian that their child is in school, not them.
Step 3. Reinforce Healthy Parent Boundaries
We recently asked a group of Grade 7 students what they would like their parents to do
differently. Typical responses included, “Don’t remind me every five minutes about my
homework.” “Let me take care of my own schedule.” “Help me only when I ask for it.”
Students want to be successful on their own; they want firmer boundaries between
themselves and their parents.
On the other hand, overly involved parents may think just the opposite: “Kids these days need more boundaries.” As a
school counselor, you can help parents think about boundaries in a new light.
Here is the idea to communicate to Carson’s Mom: “You can only put boundaries around one person. You.”
Choices and consequences: When we try to put boundaries around others, we often fail, especially with students who
don’t like to be controlled. So where does that leave us? It leaves us with a simple process. If you have ever taken
computer programming classes, you might remember the if-then concept. This concept states that if one thing happens,
then something else will happen. For every action, there is specific consequence.
Consider a parent/guardian saying these statements: If you do your homework, then you can use your cell phone. If you
show me your completed assignment, then you can watch TV.
In these examples, the parent is putting a boundary around their own actions not the child’s. They are saying, “If you do
___, then I will do ___.” Every time. No exceptions. No ifs, ands, or buts. No badgering or reminding. The student is given
a choice and also communicating the consequences of his actions. The student then has the opportunity to make
successful and independent choices.
Patience and Acceptance: As with all school counseling interventions, it will take time, patience, heart and acceptance to
collaborate with the overly involved parent.
To effectively collaborate with overly involved parents, we need to accept that we can’t control their parenting choices.
What we can do is model positive and healthy behaviors and gently encourage them to do the same.
Neil McNerney, LPC, is a former school counselor in Fairfax County, Va. He is presently a counselor in
private practice and teaches on the faculty of Virginia Tech’s Graduate School of Marriage and Family
Therapy. He can be reached at [email protected].
Emily Goodman Scott, NCC, is an elementary school counselor in Loudoun County, Va.,
and a doctoral student at Virginia Tech. She can be reached at [email protected].
Jennifer L. Scott,, NCC, is a middle school counselor in Prince William County, Va. She can be reached at
[email protected].
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
1
Thursday
2
Friday
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
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10
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15
16
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18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Wellness Committee
Meeting
30
Pre-Council Meeting
for Delegates &
Alternates
Yoga class
Deadline
Deferred Salary Leave
Deadline
Art 60 Conf Grants
In-Service Prom Grant
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
Outreach Social at
Curly’s Portable
Saturday
2
Sunday
3
4
5
PD Comm Meeting
6
7
8
9
10
HRRC Meeing
Communications Com
Equity & Reps Com
Meetings
11
Exec Meeting
Substitute Teacher
Workshop
12
18
No School
Vicotoria Day
19
25
Deadline
Art 60 Conf Grants
In-Service Prom Grant
26
A n n u a l
13
c o u n c I l
14
Pre-Retirement
Session
15
School-based Inservice
16
17
Local Council
Meeting
20
21
22
23
24
28
29
30
31
John Huntley Interns
at NSTU
John Huntley Interns
at NSTU
Deadline
Student Bursary
Application
27
Wellness Com Meeting
Teacher Placement
Process &
Contract Info Session
Deadline
Local Conference Appl
Deadline
Retirement Dinner
Ticket Orders
is on its way!
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Criteria:
Halifax County Local has bursaries available to the children of currently employed (term, probationary or permanent) Halifax
County Local teachers. These bursaries are only available to students who will graduate from high school in 2015.
Halifax County Local NSTU Bursary Application Form 2015
Student Name:
High School:
__________________________
Student’s Phone Number:
________
Student’s SIN:
_____ __
Student’s Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________
Student’s Complete Mailing Address:
Relationship to Halifax County Teacher:
_______________
__
Teacher’s name: ________________________
Teacher’s prof number: __________________
Teacher’s current Halifax County Local (home) school: _________________________________________
Teacher’s non-employee email:___________________________________________________________
Teacher’s cell phone/contact phone:___________________________
Reason for Bursary:
Please attach maximum 400 word essay explaining:
1) Why you would be an outstanding candidate for the Halifax County bursary?
2) How will the bursary enhance your post-secondary learning experience?
Post Secondary School You Plan to Attend:
_______________
___
*Note: Please complete and send this above application and essay by Wednesday, May 20, 2015 to
1. Canada Post (postmarked by May 20, 2015) to:
Finance Committee Halifax County Local NSTU, A200-202 Brownlow Avenue, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1T5.
Or
2. Email application and essay to [email protected] by May 20, 2015
The successful candidates will be contacted on or before June 15, 2015.
Any questions can be addressed to our treasurer, Turk MacDonald, at [email protected]
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