Counselor's Corner

McCleskey Career Day on May 13th

Career Day was a huge success thanks to our wonderful speakers!  Students had so many positive things to say about the day.  Here are a few pictures from the event.

Career Cruising

Go to www.careercruising.com

Username: mccleskey

Password: dragon

Career Cruising has 4 main sections

1. Career Matchmaker -- an interactive interest inventory that helps you find careers that match your interests
2. Explore Careers -- there are hundreds of occupation profiles where you can find such information as job description, earnings, and working conditions
3. Explore Schools (Education and Training) -- provides detailed school profiles for thousands of 4 year, 2 year, and career/technical colleges and universities across the county.
4. Portfolio Tool -- helps you store and organize information about your career development activities and experiences.

Info for Rising 9th Grade Students @ Sprayberry HS

Registration Forms are all turned in!  If you have any questions, you can refer to the Sprayberry Website or contact one of the counselors.

http://www.cobbk12.org/~sprayberry/

Kell HS

Registration forms have been turned in!  If you have any questions, refer to the Kell website or contact one of the counselors!

http://www.cobbk12.org/~kell/

 

Who wants to be a High School Freshman?

For 8th grade students, high school is just around the corner.  Whether you are nervous, excited or

overwhelmed, the process has begun.  How can you make your transition from 8th to 9th grade successful?  Bob Schmmidt at Madison MS in Trumbull, CT gives great advice:

1. Get acquainted with your counselor and don't be afraid to ask him/her anything.  If you have specific concerns, ask for a meeting before you begin high school.
2. Join something.  Join a club; try out for a sport; sign up for marching band, chorus or color guard.  This will help you find friends who share your interests.
3. Don't change yourself just to fit in.  Be yourself, and you will eventually find students who share your same interests.
4. Be prepared for situations that might happen. Think about what you will do or say in a difficult situation.
5. Stay connected to your parent(s).  They seem old fashioned and a bit uncool, but they've been where you are and most importantly - they care about you.
6. Keep yourself balanced.  You need to have time for fun and time for work.
7. Expect that you will have to work hard.  Nothing worthwhile comes easy.

We have a tentative schedule for high school transition. Click on the following link to view it.  As important information and dates comes our way, we will be sure to post it on our blog as well as the main website.  Any questions you have, feel free to email Mrs. Stalcup at jessica.stalcup@cobbk12.org

Download high_school_transition_activities.doc

Peer Helper Food Drive

The McCleskey Middle School Peer Helpers will be collecting food items for The Center for Family Resources until November 21, 2008.  The Center for Family Resources provides Thanksgiving meals for over 1400 families in the Cobb county community.  Please consider donating items to this worthy cause.

We are collecting:

• $15 gift cards to local grocery stores (please bring to Ms. Nguyen or Ms. Stalcup)
• Dressing Mix
• Cranberry Sauce
• Canned or Instant Potatoes
• Canned green vegetables
• Canned yellow vegetables
• Non-refrigerated pie shell and pumpkin pie mix
• Dried or Canned Milk
• Roasting Pan

In addition to these items, we also welcome:

• Dried Beans
• Peanut Butter
• Canned Meat, tuna, or ham
• Rice, pasta, or cereal
• Soup
• Canned Fruit

The Marietta Daily Journal showcased the Center for Family Resources a few weeks ago.  Here's the link:MDJ Article

New Graduation Rule Side by Side Comparison

The new graduation requirements are in effect this year.  The new curriculum and the new graduation requirements will help students graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in college and the workplace. 

The new rule has one common set of requirements for all students with various options for meeting those requirements, including advanced courses such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, post-secondary options and career-oriented courses offered under our Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs. It is important that all students – regardless of their post-secondary plans – have a rigorous core of classes.

All students will be required to complete a total of 23 units for graduation, an increase of 1 unit for most students under the current rule. All students will take:
   ● 4 units of English (no change)
   ● 4 units of Science (an increase of 1 unit)
   ● 4 units of Mathematics (an increase for students on a career track)
   ● 3 units of Social Studies (no change)
   ● At least 3 units of Career/Technical/Agricultural and/or Foreign Language
      and/or Fine Arts courses (up from at least 1 unit)
   ● At least 4 additional electives
   ● 1 health/physical education course

The Georgia Department of Education has made a side by side comparison chart of current and new requirements.  To look at the comparison chart, click on the following link... Download new_graduation_rule_side_by_side_comparison.pdf

'Girl Talk' for 7th grade Girls

      GIRL TALK: Enhancing Academic Success, Inspiring Maturity and Building Friendships.

This school year, McCleskey has embraced an exciting and creative opportunity for 15 of our 7th grade young ladies to participate in. The program is entitled, Girl Talk. Girl Talk is a student-to-student mentoring program that gives selected 11^th and 12^th grade Kell high school girls the opportunity to invest in the lives of middle school girls to help them grow into confident, independent young women. Mrs. Evans, our school social worker, serves as the Advisor. If you would like more information about Girl Talk, please visit www.desiretoinspire.org

Internet Safety

Myspace, Facebook, Youtube, Cell Phones, Texting, Photomessaging, Videomessaging, Webcams…a few of McCleskey students’ favorite things!

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With all the technology available for students, Internet Safety has become an important issue for parents and educators.  Instead of bullying on school property, students are now becoming cyberbullies, writing offensive remarks through these different mediums.  Dr. Russell Sabella, well known author and presenter of this topic, has created an informative parent handout, which is available online at the link below.  Please take a look at this handout and if you have any questions, responses, or interest in attending a workshop on Internet Safety, you can contact Jessica Stalcup, 7^th and 8^th grade Counselor, at jessica.condon@cobbk12.org , or Kim Evans, School Social Worker, at kim.evans@cobbk12.org. 

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Handout Link: http://coe.fgcu.edu/faculty/sabella/safety.pdf

Article Link submitted by Kim Evans: Download CYBERBULLYING.doc