It’s time to start the school year. I have been working on schedules and looking at lists of students names. It’s time to bring them in and get started. Seventh grade is new because of the big change in your day and you have a new counselor. Like last year, you may have classes with different students. Some students may be new to Irving
and have a new school plus a new home and new neighbors. Like last year, it’s a new opportunity to make new friends.
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Our teachers will work hard at making connections with their students. At the same time the staff is busy learning names as well as connecting names with friendly faces. Starting up school never gets old. It is always an exciting time. It’s a busy time and we hope students are glad to be back into a routine and ready to learn.

One of the most different parts of seventh grade is, students will also learn to self-manage. By self-manage, I mean students will have fifty-two minute classes, eight different teachers. They will learn the art of choosing when it’s necessary to go to their locker and when they can pick up some extra travel time when they have a long ways to class. They will learn to navigate the building including learning an X/Y schedule. For some, they’ll learn how to request to see their counselor, that’s me!

Irving’s Red Cross Club will meet bi-weekly each month. Students are welcome to come join us at any time. Even if students want to join sports teams they are welcome to re-join us during their “off-season”. Should you have questions, please see me, Mrs. Krien, Rm 105B or Mrs. Hunter Rm 304 for more information.

August 21-Rice Game. Bring your computers
August 28 Review First Aid Kit in main office
Sept 11 Friendship Bracelets
Sept 18 2nd week of bracelets
Oct 2 Assemble boxes for Unicef
Oct 16 Make posters for RRW
Oct 30 Writing letters of thank yous to members of our county who have deployed.
Nov 13 Write letters to military members
Nov 27 Make Thumb print turkeys
Dec 4 Ring bells for Salvation Army somewhere close to Irving
Dec 18 Make an ornament and celebrate our work- Total 11 meetings

Jan 8 Make valentines to be sent to the VA hospital
Jan 22 2nd week of valentines
Feb 5 Make a simple bird feeder
Feb 12 Make favors for Meals on Wheels
Feb 26 Finish up the sacks

Mar 06 Make posters for our Blood Drive
Mar 20 Tie blankets for People City Mission
Apr 2 Tie blankets for People City Mission
Apr 16 Tie blankets for People City Mission
Apr 23 Tie blankets for People City Mission
Apr 30 Use if we need it to finish up the blankets
May 07 Celebrate our work this year. total 11 meetings.

I am so excited! School is just around the corner and I am looking forward to working with my seventh grade students. One of the best parts of being the seventh grade counselors is the enhancing, sustaining or maybe even increasing students’ enthusiasm. To get started, I’ll be visiting classrooms to refresh students about “how” to request to see me. During the second week of school, I’ll set up times for each team, to divide students into small groups for an appointment to have lunch with me. It’s a great way to meet students in small groups and I can learn more about you. And I will make regular visits to social studies to talk about bullying, cyber-bulling, how to figure a GPA and other topics that I hope will enhance what we are trying to do for students.

August 1st will be my first, full day back at school. I will be available for appointments to meet with new students and their parents or to meet with my regulars to talk about what’s important to youth and their parents. Should you need something, feel free to email me. I check my emails from time to time throughout the summer. Important dates to remember: Students will be able to pick up schedules and find their classrooms on Friday, August 10th from 4:30 to 6:30. First Day of School is Monday, August 14th, 2017. School starts 7:52, but the first day we often allow students to come into the building a “pinch” early to get your lockers open, put money into student’s lunch accounts, if you have not done so or take medication (in original bottles with doctor’s orders or the prescription label on the bottle).

Like many schools, we already have new students registering for fall classes. It’s new and we hope you enjoy seventh grade! Mrs. Krien

Hey, 6th Graders:
I hope that if you are ever feeling uncomfortable because of another adult, that is saying unwanted remarks or putting you in a situation that, for some reason, gives you that Oh, No! feeling, that you tell a trusted adult. You can email me during the summer at: jkrien@lps.org.

I am happy to help, but remember, I am not the only one that cares about you. You can always tell your parents, or a church member or another trusted adult. This could include a police officer,a friend’s parent or maybe your neighbor. The important part is to tell. Because so many of you have great relationships in your community. As you read this, I hope you are thinking of a friend or someone you have to help you.

Sometimes, friends are a great resource. If you are afraid, turn to a friend or brother or sister and ask for their help. If you are that special support person, it is always good to ask: can I tell? Find someone who will listen to you to tell your friend’s story. Some times that is the most important part of being a good friend, offering to help; offering to keep your friend safe.

Don’t forget, I think it’s really important for you to be a good friend. Look out for each other. Look after each other. Help each other make safe decisions. I’ll see all of you at Irving on Monday, August 15th at 7:45 a.m. Watch for more information about picking up chrome books and schedules.

Hope you’re having a great summer! Mrs. Krien. Speaking of next fall, keep reading……

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL

I am so excited to get started back to school! I hope you are too. It will be a great school year. Every year brings new changes. One new change will be how students will be able to make an appointment to see me from their Chromebook. I have forwarded the Jump Code: BEBO. Students will be able to log in on the LPS website and make an appointment to see me. Good times to come see me would be, before school, the last 15 minutes of their lunch time. This time would be the second half of their lunchtime. Instead of going outside, they could make an appointment to see me. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays I am available after school. I am available some Mondays and some Tuesdays.

Speaking of lunch times, I plan to start my Lunch Bunches beginning on Tuesday August 23. I will send an invitation to a group of students who will have lunch with me in Room 100B right across from the cafeteria. Because time is always short, students who are invited will be first in line. Students visit in small groups and if they want, they will be allowed to go outside for some fresh air the second part of their lunchtime. Should you have questions, you are always invited to call, email or stop by my office. You are always welcome.

Mrs. Krien