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Friendship Groups (for grades K-2) are a fun way for kids in the same grade level to make new friends and practice their social skills in a safe, small group setting. Children are invited to participate in friendship groups for a variety of reasons. A few examples include: a child who is shy or often appears to play alone during free choice time or recess, a child exhibiting behaviors that unknowingly (to the child) “turn off” other kids, a child who repeatedly complains of not having any friends, a child who has a hard time initiating friendships, a child who lacks self-confidence, and/or who needs a confidence boost, or a child who is very accepting and easily befriends other children (always a very beneficial addition to a group). There are many other reasons a child might be invited to join a friendship group, but those are the most common.
Family Change Groups can focus on a number of “family changes” topics, such as the addition of a new baby or child into the family. However, most of our Family Change groups are for students whose parents are divorced or separated. These groups are beneficial to students by enabling them to meet other children going through a similar experience. Many students find comfort in discovering they are “not the only kid” in the school with divorced or separated parents. Students also develop a greater comfort discussing divorce and the varying feelings they might have about it.
“Relaxing With Friends” Groups are designed to assist children in developing strategies to help them put their worries and anxieties in perspective so they can better relax, learn and have fun with friends. The child who might benefit from being in this group may worry a lot, have a lot of fears and/or make frequent trips to the office for headaches and tummy aches.
Personal Space Camp is a group designed to help students recognize and respect physical and verbal boundaries. Candidates for this group would be students who, compared to their peers/classmates, have a difficult time respecting the personal space of others, and/or tend to interrupt/blurt frequently.
Groups are held once a week for 30 minutes during the school day, for about 5-6 weeks. If you would like your child to be considered for participation in a group, please send an email to your child’s teacher or directly to me klasher@pps.net. You will always be notified before your child participates in a small group. I will send home a letter with your child about the group. Parents are required to return a signed consent form for group participation, which basically lets us know that you received and read the letter, and that you are in support of your child’s participation in the group. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call us.
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Faubion School