Counselor's Corner
The counseling program at RCV addresses a variety of areas applicable to the lives of our students as they strive to achieve academic success and personal growth. As the School Counselor I work with all students, helping them to develop academic, personal and interpersonal skills and promoting healthy development and career awareness. Some of the ways this is achieved are classroom lessons, small group settings and individual counseling. I collaborate with the administration, staff, students and parents in order to provide a proactive, preventative and all-inclusive program.
Peace Program
At RCV we are committed to building and maintaining a positive learning community! Our Peace Program is a comprehensive program that teaches students a variety of character traits and about personal responsibilities.
We focus on respecting staff, students and our school, being active learners, solving problems thoughtfully and appropriately, and using kind words, “Put-Ups”. Each day our students and staff reflect if they have had a peaceful day here at RCV and if so, what made it a peaceful day for them. Students and staff can recognize anyone who has gone out of their way to make it a Peaceday or to be a Peacemaker by filling out forms provided in each classroom. Those students can then be recognized on our afternoon announcements and/or hallway bulletin boards.
***ASK YOUR CHILD HOW THEY MADE IT A PEACEFUL DAY AT RCV!***
In further support of our Peace Program RCV has initiated the use of Second Step. Second Step is a research based program which integrates learning about social and emotional skills such as empathy, emotion management, problem solving, and cooperation with academics. Every class will receive weekly or monthly lessons according to the Second Step curriculum. It is our hope that as the program progresses and students learn more about empathy, understanding their own emotions and the emotions of others, and appropriate problem solving strategies, our school will fulfill our commitment to maintaining a peaceful and positive learning environment.
The Second Step Program is broken down into three units per grade level.
Pre-K & K: Unit I – Empathy Training, Unit II – Emotion Management, Unit III – Problem Solving
Grades 1-5: Unit I – Empathy, Unit II – Impulse Control & Problem Solving, Unit III – Anger Management
Book Recommendations
Books and Resources for Girls During Childhood and Adolescence (friendship, cliques and getting along)
Author
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Title
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Comments
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RCV Media Center
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Griswell, Patty Kelly and Martini, Angela
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A Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles
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Great resource to read with your child. Covers lots of typical issues concerning girls.
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Romain, Trevor
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Cliques, Phonies and Other Baloney
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Has book, DVD and workbook available.
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Romain, Trevor
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Bullies are a Pain in the Brain
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Ludwig, Trudy
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My Secret Bully
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Wiseman, Rosalind
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Queen Bees and Wannabees
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Simmons, Rachel
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Odd Girl Out
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Adult book
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Dellasega, Cheryl and Nixon, Charisse
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Girls Wars
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Coloroso, Barbara
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The Bully, Bullied, and the Bystander
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Blanco, Jodee
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Please Stop Laughing at Me
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Garbarino, James
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See Jane Hit
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Cohen, Posey, Kate
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How to Handle Bullies, Teasers and other Meanies
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Baker, Camey
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How to be Popular in the 6th Grade
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Cooper, Scott
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Speak Up and Get Along
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Kaufman, Gershen, Raphael, Lev & Espeland, Pamela
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Stick Up For Yourself
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Scott, Sara
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The Recess Queen
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X
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Self-Help and Making Good Choices Books
Author
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Title
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Comments
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RCV Media Center
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MacGregor
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Think for Yourself (Kid’s Guide to Solving Sticky Problems)
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Navarra, Tova
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The Kid’s Guidebook – Great Advice to Help Kids Cope
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Narvarra, Tova
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On My Own: Helping Kids Help Themselves
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Kuitenbrouwer, Peter
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7 Secrets of Highly Successful Kids
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Humphrey, Sandra
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If You Had To Choose, What Would You Do?
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Humphrey, Sandra
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More If You Had To Choose, What Would You Do?
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Schwartz, Linda
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What Do You Think? A Kid’s Guide to Dealing … Dilemmas
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What Would You Do? Quizzes About Real-Life Problems (2)
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American Girl
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Yikes!
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American Girl
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Staying Home Alone
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American Girl
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Lamb-Shapiro, Jessica
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The Hyena Who Lost Her Laugh
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Nicholaus/Lowrie
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KIDCHAT – Questions to Fuel Young Minds
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Wubbolding
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A Set of Directions for Putting/Keeping Yourself Together
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Kanyer, Laurie
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25 Things To Do…Grandpa Dies, Mom/Dad Divorce, etc.
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A Smart Girl’s Guide to Starting Middle School
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American Girl
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The Big Book of HELP! Guides To Life For Girls
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American Girl
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Schwartz/Armstrong
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How Can You Help? Creative Volunteer Projects
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Canfield/Hansen
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Chicken Soup For The Kid’s Soul
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Self-Esteem, Self-Concept and Self-Acceptance Books
Author
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Title
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Comments
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RCV Media Center
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Lucas, David
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Halibut Jackson
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Damon, Emma
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A Kaleidoscope of Kids
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Pfister, Marcus
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Just The Way You Are
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Elliott, David
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And Here’s To You!
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Burnett, Karen
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The Magical, Marvelous Megan G. Beamer
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Richmond, Marianne
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Hooray For You!
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Carlson, Nancy
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ABC I Like Me!
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X
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Couric, Katie
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The Blue Ribbon Day
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Wilt, Joy
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You’re One-Of-A-Kind
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Lalli, Judy
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I Like Being Me
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Poems
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Carlson, Nancy
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I Like Me!
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Murphy Payne, Lauren
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Just Because I Am
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Weiner, Marcella
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I Want Your Moo
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Yaccarino, Dan
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Unlovable
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X
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Ross, Dave
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A Book Of Hugs
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Marcozzi, Beth An
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My Best Friend Is Me!
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Spalding, Robert
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The Kingdom of FuFu
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Beaumont, Karen
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I Like Myself!
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Hoose, Phillip and Hannah
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Hey, Little Ant
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X
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Kaufman/Raphael
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Stick Up For Yourself
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Kaufman/Raphael
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Stick Up For Yourself (revised)
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Simon, Sidney
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I Am Loveable and Capable
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Payne, Tony and Jan
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The Hippo-NOT-Amus
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DePaola, Tomie
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Oliver Button Is A Sissy
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Burnett, Karen
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Katie’s Rose-A Tale of Two Late Bloomers
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Parr, Todd
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It’s Okay To Be Different
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Hubbard, Woodleigh
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All That You Are
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Ross, Margaret
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Casey and The Amazing, Giant, Green Shirt
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Simon, Sidney
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Vulture
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Schlessinger, Dr. Laura
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Why Do You Love Me?
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Curtis, Jamie Lee
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I’m Gonna Like Me
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Lithgow, John
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Marsupial Sue
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Book/CD
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Shannon, David
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A Bad Case of Stripes
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X
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Ross/Barron
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Eggbert The Slightly Cracked Egg
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Medearis, Angela
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Annie’s Gifts
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Lester, Helen
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Tacky The Penguin
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X
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Lester, Helen
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Three Cheers For Tacky
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X
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Mills, Andy and Osborn, Becky
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Shapesville
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Adams, Christine and Butch, Robert
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Happy To Be Me!
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Hennessy, B. G.
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Because Of You
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Carlson, Nancy
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Think Big!
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Sakamoto/Zobel-Nolan
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What I Like About Me
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Carlson, Nancy
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How About A Hug?
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Espeland/Verdick
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Proud To Be You
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Rousaki, Maria
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Unique Monique
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Curtis, Jamie Lee
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When I Was Little
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X
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Espeland/Verdick
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Proud To Be You
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Nolan, Allia
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What I Do Best!
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Helpful links:
Database of resources, services, and programs for children, families, and adults.
Parent Encouragement Program
Montgomery County government website
Family e-Journal – Connecting with your family and improving communication
IKeepSafe.org - Information for parents to teach children the safe and healthy use of technology and the Internet.
NetSmartz - Information on cyber bullying and internet safety.
National Family Resiliency Center, Inc.
National Resource Center on AD/HD – CHADD
Division of State Documents