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Harman School

School Counselor

Michael Wadham, MSW, LSW
wadham.michael@oakwoodschools.org
937-297-5338

What is a School Counselor?

School Counselors (previously referred to as Guidance Counselors) support all students in grades PreK-12 with academic achievement, social and emotional development and career planning. Ohio School Counselors are licensed and have completed an approved master’s program and an extensive internship. 

A school counselor’s work is multifaceted. We guide, teach, encourage, and lead as needed. Sometimes you’ll find us with a student in an individual counseling session, or teaching a classroom lesson about emotional literacy, communication skills, or conflict management. On other days, we may spend time supporting students with behavioral needs, or fostering new relationships between new and old students through group and project-based interactions. We work hard every day to ensure each of our students are set up for success not only academically, but socially, emotionally, and psychologically. Taking a “whole child” approach and addressing overall wellness, we recognize the significance, benefit, and advantage to maintaining a healthy balance between each of these domains. 

Many of our strategies are enhanced by our collaboration with passionate teachers and administrators, community agencies, the MCESC, or research-informed socioemotional curricula or programs, such as the Zones of Regulation or even our own BOLD or Timber initiatives.  However, there are also times when the scope of the services we provide may need to be supplemented with additional resources, and we are equipped to make these referrals and connect you, our students and families, with the help you need, when you need it. Any one of us are able to get this information to you upon request, or as we see needs arise. Whether it’s an app for your phone, internet links, a community support group or student club to join, books or doctors to recommend, or educational events to attend, we are here for you to light the way to wellness, and demonstrate that No Lumberjack Is Alone.

For more information on this topic please visit ODE's website: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Career-Tech/Caree...

Staying Connected

bulletin board with six squares, each indicating clubs and ways for students to connect with each other.

Collaborating and spending time with other students in focused and intentional social environments provides many benefits. Harman offers quite a few opportunities for students to interact with each other in different ways -- if any of our clubs sound interesting, head on over to the associated Google Classroom and see when meetings are held.

♻️ The Green Thumbs 🌱
Google Classroom code: pddyxkj
If you care about recycling, ecology, gardening, sustainability ("going green"), or the climate and environment, this club is for you! The calendar for Green Thumbs meetings/activities is on the main page of the Google Classroom. We will meet under the awning in front of the building.

🙋‍♀️ The Club For All 🙋🏾‍♂️
Google Classroom code: 7w5jaxn
The Club For All is intended to be a safe space for all students to feel welcomed, included, safe, valued, seen, and heard. Do you have a special story to share? Are you having trouble making friends or finding a group of people you can trust? Do you have a heart for helping others? Hoping to build your social skills or learn about how to interact with all kinds of people? The Club For All is for YOU!

🎨 The Creative Crew 🎭
Google Classroom Code: 27fo5gt
The Creative Crew will focus on PERFORMING ARTS this year! Interested in acting? Writing? Dancing? Producing? This club is for YOU! Students will work together and learn about the theatre and film!

🙋‍♀️ Adoption is Love Club 🙋🏾‍♂️
Google Classroom code: rm5dv6o
Were you adopted? Was someone in your family adopted? Want to learn more about adoption? Everyone's got a story to tell. Share your own, and listen to others! In this club, we play games, read books, and get visits from staff and community members who share their experiences with adoption as well! 

🇺🇸 Military Kids Club 🌏
Google Classroom code: 22tq5cl
In Military Kids Club, we connect with other students who have been through deployments, PCS, and all kinds of military-related challenges civilian kids do not. In the past, we've video chatted with deployed parents, shared stories about our adventures from around the world, and made connections with each other. 

📖 The Babysitters Club Fan Club 👶🏼
Google Classroom code: ahdebyf
Join other fans of the famous book series throughout the school and talk about the lessons we can learn from Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, Stacey, Dawn, Mallory, and Jessi as portrayed in both the graphic novels and chapter books. Students may also check out books from Mr. Wadham's collection. 

👍🏽 The Good News 👏🏻
Google Classroom code: hbal7zy
The Good News is our new Harman Family paper. Established to celebrate the good things that are happening in our lives, our school, and our community, The Good News puts out monthly online publications, and can be read here. Students may submit their own Good News (an A+ on a test, a new level belt at karate, a dance recital -- there's no limit to the good news one can supply!) on the bulletin board outside my office, or by filling out this Google form. Let's focus on all the wonderful things that are happening in our lives! 

If you'd like to participate in any of the clubs, join the Google Classroom with your @oakwoodschools.org email address!

Character Education

OCSD's Timber Character Education Program aims to create an environment where staff and students work together to foster an overall sense of community. Students come together to communicate ideas and connect with one another. As a team, students are encouraged to participate, be kind, include everyone, and grow as individuals.

To learn more about this program and see the full scheduled for the 2020-2021 school year, go to our Timber page. 

CONFIDENTIALITY

Information discussed with students is confidential, with some possible exceptions required by law.  Students are informed on these limits of confidentiality and if there is a need to share information with others. Below are the limits of confidentiality shared with students:

What you say in here stays in here, unless:
    1    Someone is hurting you
    2    You want to hurt someone.
    3    You want to hurt yourself.
    4    You ask or give me permission to share.

Mr. Wadham's Virtual Office

a cartoon representation of Mr. Wadham in his office

Mr. Wadham's Virtual Office can be found on Google Classroom using the code g5x4v6k. Here, you'll find resources for character education, emotional regulation, mental health, and wellness!

Mr. Wadham's Words

image of Mr. Wadham at a computer

Check out his weekly blog:
Mr. Wadham's Words.

Mr. Wadham's Walk & Talks

Mr. Wadham's bitmoji standing in front of Harman School with the words Mr. Wadham's Walk & Talks superimposed.

Have something on your mind? Want to spend a little time with Mr. Wadham and talk? If you would, fill out this brief survey and he'll email you to set up a time.

The Good News

Logo for school newspaper; The Good News. Title in center, three thumbs ups appear from each side pointing toward center.

Read Harman's new online student monthly paper, The Good News!

Do you have some Good News?! Share something wonderful, funny, or celebration worthy about one (or more!) of our Harman students or staff -- and it'll be included in an upcoming edition of The Good News!

Get Social!

Subscribe to Mr. Wadham's Office on social media to get regular updates, book and video recommendations, read-alouds, and other inspirational content related to mental health and socioemotional wellness!

Instagram logo and handle, "misterwadhamsoffice"

 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Everyone may experience stress, anxiety, fatigue or fear as a result of COVID-19 and according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 42% of survey respondents indicated at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition as a result of the pandemic. If you are part of that 42%, you are not alone and it is our continued priority to ensure families have timely, responsive, and effective social and emotional support continuously available.

To that end, our partners at Grant Us Hope have prepared a parent resource page to ensure families have behavioral health resources at their fingertips. This page provides a wide range of resources surrounding topics such as: helping your child, maintaining your health, providing national mental health hotlines and preparing for the holidays. We are here to help as we all navigate emotional well-being. 

Emergency Numbers

If you, your student, or a peer is experiencing more extensive or crisis-related concerns (such as severe depression, self-harm, harm to others, or suicidal ideation), please contact one of the following resources:

  • Crisis Care (937) 224-4646

  • Crisis Text Line-Text CONNECT to 741741

  • National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK

  • Drug and Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222

  • 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

  • Dayton Children’s Crisis Center for students 17 or younger:

    • Monday through Friday 8:00 am - midnight

    • Saturday and Sunday 2:00 pm - midnight

    • Visit the ER during other times

  • Miami Valley Hospital or Kettering Medical Center ER - if 18 or older

Resources

Counseling referrals

Military Families

Oakwood Schools is committed to providing assistance to military families who call Oakwood home.  On our Military Families page, you'll find resources to assist you with the unique challenges facing military families.

Military Families

Counseling Services

Michael Wadham's Background

Michael began working with OCSD in 2008 as the director of the OHS musical and continued through 2019 until he began a new adventure as the School Counselor at Harman. 

Michael, a Wright State and Miami University graduate and a master's level licensed school social worker, previously worked as a child and family therapist at Webster Street Academy in Dayton, and Springfield City Schools where he served as a Behavior Specialist. Michael's passion for social work and its associated ethics and values (such as empowerment, service, social justice, identifying and leveraging individual or group strengths, the dignity and worth of the individual, and the importance of human relationships) will be central to his practice as school counselor.

Through character education and socioemotional lessons, in addition to family, classroom, administrative, and community collaboration, the students at Harman have the opportunity to not only become well-prepared for the educational requirements of junior high and beyond, but they will be armed with skills (social and life skills, executive functioning, and emotional intelligence) to serve them a lifetime as well.