Welcome to Valentine’s Counseling Page!

I’m Mrs. Beavers, Valentine’s school counselor! A little background on me: I began my school counseling career in 2009 upon receiving my Master of Education and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from the University of Southern California. Fight On! Before joining the San Marino Unified School District in 2017, I developed a comprehensive elementary counseling program in the Monrovia Unified School District.  Due to the tremendous success and innovative nature of the program, I have presented at various local and state conferences on the use of research, data collection, and student results as a school counselor practitioner. I have also served as Adjunct Faculty at the University of La Verne creating learning opportunities and challenging students to develop their abilities, knowledge and skills to provide the best educational environment for school age children.

I want your child to be as successful as possible at school. Success in school is not just about reading and math. It is also about knowing how to learn and how to get along with others. I will be using the Second Step program in your child’s classroom to teach these critical skills.

The Second Step program teaches skills in the following four areas:

1.      Skills for learning: Students gain skills to help themselves learn, including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, and be assertive when asking for help with schoolwork.
2.      Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and other’s feeling. Students also learn how to take another’s perspective and how to show compassion.
3.      Emotion management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.
4.      Problem Solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way.

Your child will be learning a lot this year – and he or she will need your help! Throughout the year, I will be emailing specific information about the lessons delivered as well as optional activities to do at home to reinforce what your child learned. These activities are simple and fun for you and your child to complete together. They are a great way for you to understand what your child is learning and for your child to show you what he or she knows.

If you have any questions about the Second Step program, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information. Thank you for supporting your child in learning the skills that lead to success in school and in life.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Beavers, M.Ed., P.P.S.

Valentine Elementary School Counselor