Redirecting this link to the school counselor section of the Lakota Public School Website

Here is the link to current information:

https://lakota-nd.schoolloop.com/pf4/cms2/view_page?d=x&group_id=1584169598804&vdid=4i148c2fuar1vn

Also refer to the Lakota Public School Website Counselor Sections.

Due to the school closures, I am working from the high school and/or home.   I will be checking emails Monday - Friday from 8:00 to 3:45.  If this is an emergency call 911.  If you need help after school hours please call one of the hotline numbers listed. 

Hotline numbers:

• ND First Link-  Dial 211 or  701-235-7335 or 1-800-273-8255  Connects people with community resources 24 hours a day (myfirstlink.org)
• Northeast Human Service Center Crisis line 701-775-0525
• Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
• National Mental Health/ Substance Abuse Helpline 1-800-662-4357
• Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990
• Crisis Text Line 741741
• The Trevor Project LGBT Lifeline 866-4-U-7386

As always it is a pleasure and honor to serve as the school counselor for the Lakota Public School District.  

Take care, stay in touch, be well and enjoy this day.

     Love, Counselor Nelson

Happy Thanksgiving and a Scholarship Information

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone, 

Again and more than ever I am grateful for the wonderful opportunity to work with our students, their families and staff at Lakota Public School.  It is an honor and privilege.  Learning changes lives and I have learned much more than I have taught. I am so very proud of every student, it is a joy to watch alumni fulfill career dreams, raise families, lead and contribute with generosity and compassion.  My heart is full.  Regardless of what our roles in life, we are all teachers, learners and leaders.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

On another note....

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) will be hosting a Facebook Live event on the North Dakota Academic and CTE Scholarship program for students and parents on Tuesday, December 3 at 8:00 PM (Central Time). It is estimated to last one hour, and we will be answering any questions people may have throughout the live discussion. To participate, simply go to the NDDPI Facebook page at the time of the event. For those not able to join live, the event will be recorded and posted on the NDDPI website.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.   

A Parent Teacher Conference Plan

Meeting with your child's teachers offers you a chance to review their progress and visit about any concerns.  Yes, even at the high school level.  If you can't make your scheduled parent-teacher conference, call or email teachers about alternatives.  You might be able to come at another time or set up a phone meeting.

It is my pleasure and honor to be the school counselor at Lakota Public School.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for the privilege to work with all the amazing students, staff, parents and community members.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, October 2 from 3:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Welcome Back!

If you are old enough to remember the song, "Welcome Back Kotter" and if you are not, the lyrics follow:

Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out

Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about
Well the names have all changed since you hung around
But those dreams have remained and they've turned around
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya
(Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back

We always could spot a friend, welcome back
And I smile when I think how you must have been
And I know what a scene you were learning in
Was there something that made you come back again
And what could ever lead ya
(What could ever lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back…

It's happened before and it will happen again, Lakota High School alumni and former students who are venturing back, back to our community, back to our school as teachers, serving on the school board, making a stay and leading the way.  

It is super exciting for me to see this happen and I am honored to work in this great school, community and state.  

Welcome back everyone, it's going to be a great year.  

FirstLink 211

“Just One More Thing”.  As our students and families go off to enjoy the summer and we balance our time with more work, classes, and families, the reality is that our students will still need those relationships, supports, and resources that we often give.  I want to share a very important resource with you and ask that you share/teach it with students and families.

Did you know we have a 24/7 local helpline accessible by calling or texting? FirstLink is there where students and adults can access the help they need when navigating life’s circumstances.  The 2-1-1 helpline is answered 24/7 by well trained staff that can lend a listening ear and support to those experiencing fear, anxiety, or worry, etc. They help hungry mothers find food, suicidal teens find hope, grandmas and grandpas keep their home heated, and so much more.

Talking about and sharing this helps normalize the help seeking skills for students. Students can then ask questions of the 2-1-1 staff and listen to all the resources in they have.  What a powerful approach!  I particularly think about those young adults with suicidal thoughts, high anxiety, stress, worry, fear, etc.  Do they know that this is an option for them to call or text 24/7 all year long?

Let's talk about it and share this information.

It is my honor and pleasure to work with our students and their families at Lakota Public School.

Faye Nelson

Lakota School Counselor

Help and Hope Resources

Our school family is heartbroken, it hurts to see our students and our families in such pain.  Words are hard to find and seem so inadequate.  There is help and there is hope.  Please reach out, no one is immune, we are connected and in this together. 

If you or someone you know needs this, here is the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

North Dakota FirstLink. Dial 2-1-1 or 701-235-7335

Here is a link with information to the NDSU Extension Service resource, Talking to Children About Suicide.

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/kids-family/talking-to-children-about-suicide

Other local and national resources are listed under the School Counselor/Resources tab on our school webpage. 

Holistic Approach to College Admissions

College admission stories seem to be popping up everywhere and local attention to this topic is pertinent as well.  As part of our professional development our school is reading the book, WHAT SCHOOL COULD BE by Ted Dintersmith.  This book challenges us to explore standardized testing and its place in education.  As a staff we have spent time discussing the importance of these tests and what is really measured.  Often times the dicussions are filled with emotion.  Education is our life and with it comes emotion and change often lends itself to emotion.   A colleague recently shared an article regarding a pilot program at the University of Minnesota - Crookston.  UMC-Crookston is piloting a four-year program that will no longer require an ACT or SAT score for admission.  They will be looking at the whole student to determine admission in the following areas:  high school classes and grades, community service, leadership, athletics, the arts, family roles and responsibilities, and work experiences. Many of you may be interested in the article as well. 

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/4588409-umc-moving-test-optional-admission-process

Again, it is my honor and privilege to be the school counselor at Lakota Public School.  Great things are happening here for our students and their families.  Feel free to contact me.  I look forward to your comments, insights and conversation.