FMS Counseling Department
- Ms. Susan James-- 6th Grade Counselor, Department Chair
- Mr. Jason Ingram-- 7th Grade Counselor
- Ms. Kim Bailey -- 8th Grade Counselor
- Ms. Judy Lucas -- Guidance Secretary (301) 924-3113
Upcoming Events
What’s New?
Parenting Workshops from WWW.JSSA.ORG.
College Prep Talk
This biannual newsletter is full of helpful information about getting ready for college. From taking tests, planning academic schedules, and improving study skills to paying for college and planning for key deadlines—you’ll find it all in PrepTalk.
Counseling Programs at Farquhar
Group Counseling
FMS counselors will be running a variety of groups this year to help your children to be successful in school. These specific topic groups will be held once a week for 45 minutes and run for 7 weeks. Groups will meet on a rotating schedule so that each class is only missed once. Students can be referred for a group by a teacher, counselor, principal, self-referral or parent request. If your child wishes to be in a group or has been referred by a staff member, a permission slip will be sent home for you to sign. If you wish to refer your child, please call or email your child’s counselor indicating which group you are requesting. Groups will be held based on need and sufficient student participation. As long as we have sufficient student participation, the following groups will be facilitated this year:
- Middle School 101 (organizational and study skills)
- Stress Busters (stress management)
- Changing Families (dealing with a divorce or separation)
- All About me (self-esteem)
- Got Friends? (social skills and making friends)
- Good Grief (dealing with a loss of a loved one)
- Just Chill (anger management)
- Positive Choices (learning how to make better choices and staying out of trouble)
- Stick Together (bullying support)
- Getting Along in the Family
Anti-Bullying Initiatives
The Farquhar agenda book also features an extensive anti-bullying section. All students receive information during the September classroom guidance visits on how to access their counselor privately to discuss bullying (or any other) concerns.All of the counselors have forms available at their doors for students to request to see their counselor.In addition, there is a “Help Box” in the Media Center where students can leave a note about a concern. Finally, parents are urged to contact their child’s counselor and/or administrator with any concerns about bullying.
The Roadrunner Way (Core Values Program)
The Roadrunner way is a common language to encompass the FMS five core values as a whole.These five values were chosen by FMS stakeholders (students, staff and parents) to be highlighted over the course of the school year.The five values will be the focus of specific classroom lessons given by the counselors across all grade levels.
- Respect
- Kindness
- Responsibility
- Self-Control
- Honesty
Five things to think about before pressing “send”.
- Don’t assume anything you send or post is going to remain private.
- There is no changing your mind in cyberspace-anything you send or post may never truly go away.
- Don’t give in to the pressure to do something that makes you uncomfortable, even in cyberspace.
- Consider the recipient’s reaction.
- Nothing is truly anonymous.