Counseling

The Upper School Guidance Counseling Department supports Lovett's efforts to celebrate and honor the whole child. Our intention is to be a safe place and resource for students, parents, faculty, and staff. We provide opportunities and support for strengthening social and emotional development, deepening connections with each other and appreciating each individual's unique self.

General Health and Wellness Programs

Programs for New Students

New to Lovett Pizza Lunch, August 10, 2011
With the help and support of members of Lovett's LPA Welcoming Committee, we hosted a pizza lunch for all the students new to Lovett. New students and senior PALs got to know each other while they enjoyed pizza, homemade desserts and interactive, "get-to-know-you" games.

New Student Pizza Lunches
We will be checking in with each new student to assess their transition to Lovett and get to know them better. Some of our senior peer leaders (PALs) will also be meeting with our new students.

Programs for Upper School Girls

One of our goals this year is to find ways to connect and empower the girls of the Upper School. We want to promote positive female relationships, to teach girls how to effectively communicate with one another, and to help girls understand and navigate their social and emotional worlds. Two specific initiatives we have launched are:

Thank Goodness I'm Female (T.G.I.F)
Through monthly meetings, we are challenging 9th and 10th grade girls to ask, answer, and find solutions to questions, such as: What is the best thing about being a a girl? Have you ever been hurt by gossip? Has a friend ever posted something hurtful or untrue about you online? By talking to each other, the girls discover they many ways they are alike, as well as the issues/problems they have in common.

 

Girls Mentor Group
The goal of this group is to provide opportunities for 11th and 12th grade girls to develop leadership and mentoring skills. By being a part of this group, the girls have opportunities to mentor younger girls and to become agents of positive change within the Lovett community. Our junior and senior girls work directly with girls in the Lower School in several ways including:

  1. Mentoring girls in Grade 2-5 in the After School Activities Program.
  2. Mentoring fifth grade girls during lunch time.
  3. Mentoring sixth grade girls as part of the "Breakfast Buddies" program.


Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL)

The Upper School Guidance Counselors facilitate a peer mentoring leadership group. This group of seniors, who were selected through an extensive and thorough interview process, is given opportunities to mentor younger students at Lovett. In addition, some of the PALs are part of a semester-long class. The goals of the PAL program are for the students to 1) learn about themselves; 2) learn to mentor others (with an emphasis on younger students); and 3) learn how to help friends with problems. The 2011-12 PALs are: Carlyle Vincent, Caroline Szyperski, Kelly Williams, Hannah Hempel, Winbriel Gandy, Chris Johnson, Mary Morel, Frances Hattink, Emmala Moffett, Mary Willingham, Ansley Kenney, Caroline Cronk, Thomas Padgett, John Rex Fuqua, Drew Brown, J.B. Lamb, Jack Stickney, Jack Bradford, David Heyer, Wesley Himot, Brooks Schoen, Ian Crosby, Robert Currie, Elwyn Bridges, George Spencer, Grant Fergusson, John Hale, Hugh van Heesewijk, Katy Underwood, Emma Major, Sally Ann Mitchell, and Mary Catherine Battle.

Student-to-Student Mentoring

  • Each senior PAL student is assigned to a 9th grade advisory group. It is their responsibility to meet regularly with their group to establish relationships with the freshman.
  • 11th and 12th grade girls mentor younger girls in the Upper and Middle Schools
  • Senior PALs mentor students new to the Upper School

Upper School Orientation, August 15-16, 2011 
This school year, the Upper School had two days of orientation for all students. For the 9th graders, there was time for them to get to know their senior PALs, in addition to other orientation activities. The PALs facilitated team-building activities with the 9th grader advisory groups. The PALs' goals were to get to know the 9th graders to help them feel more comfortable coming in new to the Upper School. Ninth grade parents attended a presentation by Stacey DeWitt, from Connect with Kids, which focused on how to successfully transition to high school.

9th Grade Health

Vivian Baldwin, R.N. and Adolescent Health Educator, has been teaching health to Lovett 9th graders during their P.E. class for four years. Topics covered include:

September 2- Stress
September 8- Anxiety and Depression
September 28- Stress Management
October 31- Tobacco/Smoking
November 10- Spit Tobacco/Marijuana
December 5- Other Drugs/OTC and Prescription
January 3- Medical Effects of Alcohol
January 13- Binge Drinking and Alcohol Poisoning
January 25- Relationships

"I Wish I Had Known . . .," September 22, 2011 
To help the 9th graders with their transition to high school, the senior PALs led the freshmen through an assembly that focused on the underclassmen's academics, social relationships and extracurricular activities. The PALS shared personal stories and messages related to what they wish they had known as freshmen. Our goal is for the freshmen to connect with the messages from the seniors and to make the most of their high school years. 

Digital Citizenship, October 25, 2011 
Patti Agatston, Ph.D., co-author of Cyberbullying and Cyberbullying: A Prevention Curriculum for Grades 6-12, will talk about "Digital Citizenship" and the responsibility students have today as it relates to technology. Topics covered by Dr. Agatston includes behaviors that put students at risk online; protecting one's online reputation; cyberbullying; and the power of positive bystanders. 

"Surviving Finals," November 15, 2011 
The PALs will talk with the freshmen about how to "survive" their first round of exams in the Upper School. The senior peer leaders will offer tips and strategies on how to effectively study for finals and will discuss ways to decrease stress during exam time.

"Alcohol and Drug Education (ADAP)," January 9 and 10, 2012 
A representation from FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency) shares data with the freshmen from the alcohol and drug survey taken by Lovett students in the spring. FCD also challenges false perceptions among students in the Upper School regarding drug and alcohol abuse.

"Drug Education," January 30, 2012 
A recovery addict shares with the freshmen her story of recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

10th Grade

Consequences of Drinking and Driving, September 12, 2011 
10th graders will hear two very powerful presentations--one from former inmate Chris Sandy, and the other from Eric Krug, victim of a drunk driving accident. Both men have their own story to share with the students. Each story involves how their lives were changed forever by bad choices they made related to drinking and driving. Chris served a jail sentence for killing two people while driving while impaired by alcohol, and Eric is permanently disabled because he decided to get into a car driven by a friend impaired by alcohol.

Directionality, August 31 and September 22, 2011
Sophomores worked with Dr. Mike Carpenter to learn about their communication strengths.

"SteerSmart," October 6, 2011 
The 10th graders will listen to a powerful presentation entitled "SteerSmart." This presentation by Lauren Winborne will highlight the consequences of bad choices while driving. The goal of this initiative is to help teens become safer, more responsible drivers.

J. Tom Morgan, Ignorance is No Defense: A Teenager's Guide to George Law, October 25, 2011                                                                                                                                                  J. Tom Morgan, district attorney of Dekalb County, will talk to students about legal issues that affect teens.

"Alcohol and Drug Education (ADAP)," January 13, 2012 
A representation from FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency) shares data with the sophomores from the alcohol and drug survey taken by Lovett students in the spring. FCD also challenges false perceptions among students in the Upper School regarding drug and alcohol abuse. 

11th Grade

 J. Tom Morgan, Ignorance is No Defense: A Teenager's Guide to George Law, October 25, 2011  J. Tom Morgan, district attorney of Dekalb County, will talk to students about legal issues that affect teens.

12th Grade

J. Tom Morgan, Ignorance is No Defense: A Teenager's Guide to George Law, October 25, 2011   J. Tom Morgan, district attorney of Dekalb County, will talk to students about legal issues that affect teens. 

"Alcohol and Drug Education (ADAP)," February 12, 2012 
A representation from FCD (Freedom from Chemical Dependency) shares data with the seniors from the alcohol and drug survey taken by Lovett students in the spring. FCD also challenges false perceptions among students in the Upper School regarding drug and alcohol abuse.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Knowing the Risks, February 17, 2012

HAZE: The Movie, Monday, March 20, 2012 
Thanks to the efforts of Don and Debbie Cross, 12th grade students will view the movie HAZE, a documentary that focuses on the issues of binge drinking, alcohol-laden hazing rituals, and rapid fire drinking games-- all common activities across college campuses. HAZE is an attempt to raise awareness and educate our children about the national crisis of alcohol abuse and hazing on college campuses. Don and Debbie Cross are passionate about this crisis as they too lost their son Tyler Cross, a Lovett Alumni and student at the University of Texas, in 2006, who dies in a tragic accident after a night of fraternity initiation and hazing.

Keeping Yourself Safe at College, April 13, 2012 
Senior girls will hear about how to keep themselves safe at college as it relates to dating.

Staff

Director of Guidance Counseling:

ext. 1291

Guidance Counselor:

ext. 1152

News

Attention 9th Grade Parents: Inside Out books, as presented by Stacey DeWitt at 9th Grade Orientation, are available in the Counseling Office (located on the 2nd floor of the Upper School) for $14.00 each. Please see Sue Copps if you are interested in purchasing a book.