Wellness

Second Step Social-Emotional Learning provides students the tools to excel in and out of the classroom. It brings together today’s technology, the latest in developmental research, and feedback from actual classrooms. It helps build a culture of connectedness and empowers middle schoolers with the skills and concepts to succeed socially, in academics, and in life. Classroom teachers work to integrate these lessons and skills throughout the core curriculum areas. Weekly communication is sent home detailing the focus of the weekly lesson and providing ideas to foster communication at home. The Second Step program teaches skills in the following four areas:

• Executive functioning: Students gain skills to help them learn including how to focus their attention, listen carefully, and be assertive when asking for help.
• Empathy: Students learn to identify and understand their own and others’ feelings. Students also learn how to take another’s perspective and how to show compassion.
• Emotion management: Students learn specific skills for calming down when experiencing strong feelings, such as anxiety or anger.
• Problem solving: Students learn a process for solving problems with others in a positive way.

Counselors are available to meet with students for help navigating difficult academic, social, or family events or transitions. The counselors are also available to conference with parents, teachers, and outside professionals (e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists, evaluators, etc.) to maximize student success. In addition, the counselors make referrals for outside support should a student need long-term psychological support such as ongoing therapy or a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation.

The counselors consult and collaborate with faculty and administrators regarding students’ academic, emotional, and behavioral needs and are available for crisis management.

AOS provides opportunities for parent education through a speaker series which allows our parent community to hear from some of the leading experts in fields regarding parenting, communication, health, and education. In addition, as AOS is a member of the Houston Area Independent School Counselors (HAISC) group, our parents often receive invitations to attend parent education opportunities at other independent schools in the area.

AOS counselors curate and provide relevant resources to support the larger AOS community through the use of the school’s online portal. The Counseling Connection resource page includes news articles, research data, educational videos, and recommended reading for parents on topics such as strengthening family relationships, sportsmanship, bullying, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and responding to traumatic events and natural disasters.