Notes from the Counseling Department

Today, October 10, 2019 is World Mental Health Awareness Day.   The theme this year is suicide prevention.   In the Newton Public Schools, we work hard to make sure that students know who to go to if they are thinking about suicide.  We emphasize the message that we all need to look out for each other, so if a student is worried about another student, they are encouraged to talk with a counselor about their concern.  At Bigelow, we have had numerous students come to the counselors about others and in every situation, even if the student in question was upset that a friend had told their "secret", it has led to each student getting the help and support they need.  Part of the way we reinforce this message is by implementing the Signs of Suicide program each year in the 7th grade.  Please click here to read the blog post written last year about the SOS program at Bigelow. As we move deeper into the fall, school and all the surrounding activities are in full swing. The slower,