ABOUT YOUR RMES SCHOOL COUNSELOR
ABOUT MEHello! My name is Mr. (John) Strachan and I am thrilled to be the school counselor for Richard Mann Elementary. This is my third year in Gananda but, prior to that, I spent 18 years as both a middle and high school counselor. I received my Bachelor of Science degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology, as well as a Master of Arts in Psychology from the State University of New York at Brockport. I earned my Master of Education in School Counseling degree from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. In addition to my role as school counselor, I am also the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) coordinator for RMES.
CONTACT INFO
Please call, email, or send me a ParentSquare message with any questions or concerns.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (315) 986-3521 ext. 4340
ABOUT SCHOOL COUNSELING
School counselors are an essential part of the school community, and provide support to all students via classroom lessons addressing crucial academic, college/career, and social/emotional skills. In addition, school counselors work with students individually or in small groups to help process strong feelings, problem solve, set goals, build skills, or work through any additional challenges or struggles they may be facing. School counselors also work closely with teachers/staff and parents/guardians to ensure appropriate academic, social, emotional, and behavioral development.
If you are interested in learning more about the role that school counselors play, please feel free to browse The Essential Role of Elementary School Counselors by The American School Counselor Association.
CLASSROOM LESSONS
I will be providing lessons throughout the year in K-5 classrooms, focused on developing age-appropriate academic, social/emotional, and college/career readiness skills. Lessons will be provided via the Second Step program, Child Safety Matters curriculum, and Xello, which addresses college/career readiness. If you have questions about any of the topics and/or programs listed below, please do not hesitate to reach out, or click the logos for more information.
SECOND STEP - Students in grades K-5 will receive the Second Step curriculum throughout the year, addressing crucial social and emotional topics such as skills for learning, building empathy, managing emotions, and problem solving. Second Step lessons and learning targets for grades K-5 can be accessed here.
XELLO - Xello is a college/career readiness program that is utilized by all Gananda students in grades K-12. College/Career readiness lessons for grades K-5 are online and provide students an opportunity to learn about various career fields, while also learning about their own interests and
skills, setting goals, and building important technology skills, as well.
CHILD SAFETY MATTERS BY THE MONIQUE BURR FOUNDATION - All students in grades K-5 will receive lessons on child safety, addressing topics such as bullying, online safety, and recognizing abuse. Lessons in grades K-2 will be provided by the school counselor, and by the P.E. teachers in grades 3-5.
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
KIDS HEALTH (Tips for talking with children about a variety of topics/issues)
FAMILY EDUCATION (Resources and information for parents)
NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH (Information and a link to search for local supports)
CHILD DEVELOPMENT GUIDE (Helpful information on childhood development from birth to age 18)
WAYNE COUNTY RESOURCE GUIDE (Family, financial, medical, mental health, and other various resources throughout Wayne County)
