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Core Values » Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness

 

 

TYWLS of Astoria - Advisory Mission Statement: 


The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria strengthens the mind, body and soul of our students by providing daily opportunities to build self-confidence. We encourage cooperative behavior through team-building exercises, and acquire life skills by developing meaningful peer and advisory relationships. An integral component of our advisory program is service to our in-school, local and global community. The end goal is to gain understanding, appreciation and to celebrate the diversity within our shared community. Our primary focus is to equip our students with the tools and experiences they will need to become educated and productive citizens, as future leaders of tomorrow.


Goals for Advisory:


  • Establishing and maintaining mutual accountability 

  • Establishing and maintaining school-wide support (from administrators to students) 

  • Establishing and maintaining continuity/shared practices

  • Establishing and maintaining lost-at-school behavior plans


 

How does this happen? 


All teachers are advisors, and all advisors are included in the planning of advisory - creating school-wide practices so that advisors/advisories do not feel isolated from one another, but rather a part of a shared experience that will continue and evolve for students as they move through the grades.  


Advisory-Lost-at-School Connection 

“If we operate on the assumption that every individual in every classroom has something to work on, then they all need Plan B.” 


Advisory sessions engage students in weekly community building exercises and conversations to discuss and resolve problems and teach potential lagging skills. Plan B shouldn’t be something that distinguishes kids with behavioral challenges from other members of the group. You want it to become the norm.  


Basic Role of the Advisor

“Few of us do our clearest thinking, resolve difficult problems and learn new skills when we’re already upset, so crisis management is not your best long-term strategy.  You’ll go much further with crisis prevention.” - Dr. Ross Greene, Lost-at-School 

 

The advisor...

  • Forms a relationship with parents/guardians of their 15 students and maintains communication with them throughout the year.  The parents/guardians, in turn, reach out to the advisor when needed.

  • Facilitates 1-1 coaching sessions with advisees to support their academic and social-emotional growth

  • Supporting advisees and holding them accountable for adhering to school norms (e.g. school uniforms, cell-phone use)

  • Facilitate Student Led Conferences for your advisory, including student prep and parent scheduling

  • Conducts lessons connected to a yearly theme, as appropriate