COUNSELOR CORNER

Contact Information

Colleen Ginn

425-936-2610

cginn@lwsd.org

Welcome to Mrs. Ginn's Counselor Corner!

Photograph of smiling woman with straight dark brown hair, brown eyes, and floral shirt

About Mrs. Ginn

My name is Colleen Ginn, and I have been the school counselor at Horace Mann Elementary since 2018. I love working with the elementary age group because I see the importance of building foundational social-emotional skills at this age, and how these skills can last a lifetime. I am always humbled by the opportunity I have to play a role in your child’s life, and enjoy any chance I have to get to know each of the students in our Horace Mann community. I am a member of the American School Counselor Association and the Washington School Counselor Association, and strive to provide a comprehensive school counseling program that aligns with the standards set by the American School Counselor Association.

A few fun facts about me… I grew up in Bellingham Washington, I love reading, I have a major sweet tooth, and I have tap danced since I was 2 years old and still take a class every week!

The Mann Elementary Counseling Program

The role of the school counselor is to support all students in social-emotional, academic, and career development. As an elementary school counselor, I focus on establishing positive social skills, problem solving and conflict resolution, recognizing and expressing feelings, effectively using coping skills, demonstrating empathy and compassion, and personal self-growth. I support students in several different ways:

Classroom Counseling Lessons

I teach classroom counseling lessons in every class throughout the school year. We focus on a variety of topics including problem-solving, self-regulation, career exploration, perspective taking, academic skills, and bullying. For more information about your child(ren)’s classroom counseling lessons, please view the counselor introduction letter for their grade-level. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to me.

K, 1^st and 2^nd Grade Counselor Introduction Letter

3^rd Grade Counselor Introduction Letter

4^th and 5^th Grade Counselor Introduction Letter

Individual Short-Term Counseling

Students may request to see me or may be referred by a teacher or parent/guardian. Unlike outside counseling or therapy, school counseling is short-term and solution focused. If your child is in need of long-term counseling support, I can assist in your search. Free and low-cost counseling is available in our community for families in need.

Small Groups

I offer small counseling groups throughout the school year on a variety of topics. Small groups provide the opportunity for students to focus on a specific area of growth with the support of peers with similar goals. Small groups typically last for 8-10 weeks. Topics may include friendship, social skills, stress/anxiety, self-esteem, self-regulation, and divorce. If you are interested in learning more about small counseling groups, please contact me.

Community Resources

If your family is in need of help with school supplies, clothing, food, child care, etc. at any time during the school year, please contact me or complete this FAMILY RESOURCE SURVEY. You can also find a list of community resources on the DISTRICT WEBSITE.

Purposefull People

About Purposefull People

We are excited to be using a program called Purposefull People at our school This program teaches skills that will help students be successful in school and in life. Each month, we will focus on a character trait of the month as a whole school. Teachers will lead activities and discussions in their classrooms, and other school staff will integrate the character trait in their work as well.

Purposefull People has three main goals for students: Be Kind, Be Strong, and Be Well.

Be Kind: Social skills like listening, friendship, solving conflicts, and leadership. These skills are taught alongside the character traits of empathy, respect, and cooperation.
Be Strong: Skills that help students focus, stay organized, and set goals. These skills are taught alongside the character traits of responsibility, courage, and perseverance.
Be Well: Skills that help students handle their emotions and deal with stress. These skills are taught alongside the character traits of gratitude, honesty, and creativity.

This year, you’ll be invited to join in! Social-emotional learning is most effective when families are involved. We will send home letters about the skills and character traits being taught each month. Each letter will include some ways to build these skills at home, discussion starters, and fun challenges you can try with your family.

We are looking forward to partnering with you in this work!

Kindness Kickoff

To download the Kindness Kickoff as a PDF, please click here.

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