Notes from the Counseling Department

A short blog, for a short month, in just under the wire! This month, the counseling team at Bigelow conducted the Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program for the 7th grade.  This program was implemented in Newton during the 2013-14 school year and has continued through the present.  It is given to students across the district in 7th grade, 9th grade and 11th grade.  SOS is a classroom based instructional model which uses videos and facilitated discussion to cover the topics of depression and suicide.  It also includes a brief screening tool which asks the students to self-report about their mood and possible symptoms over the last few weeks.  This screening tool requires parental permission.  If a student screens in, a counselor speaks with them within 24 hours.  All students, regardless of screening status, are given the opportunity to indicate if they would like to speak to a counselor.  At Bigelow, we use one class period to do the program.  Our counselors show the video and facilitate