The Hunt School Counselor's Corner

08/19/2026

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIP #4:

First-Day Drop-Off & Pick-Up Tip

At drop-off, keep your goodbye warm, calm, confident, and brief. Try not to linger or repeatedly reassure. Children often take emotional cues from the adults they trust, so a calm goodbye helps communicate that school is a safe, expected place to be.

At pick-up, try asking, “Tell me one good thing that happened today.” Making this a regular question encourages children to notice and remember positive moments, while still leaving plenty of room to talk about anything difficult that happened too.

08/16/2026

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIP #3:

App info “DISCORD”

Below you’ll see an image of an app that you may not be aware of— DISCORD. This is a communication app that allows users to text, voice chat, video chat, share media, and join online communities called servers. Many teens use it to talk with friends, play games, and connect around shared interests.

Like other social platforms, Discord can have benefits and risks. It can support friendships and connection, but students may also encounter people they do not know offline, inappropriate content, scams, bullying, or unwanted private messages.

Research-based and current online-safety guidance recommends that parents:

*Know which apps and platforms their child uses.

*Ask about the groups or servers they belong to and who they communicate with.

*Remind children not to share personal information such as their address, school schedule, phone number, passwords, location, or private images.

*Talk about online red flags, including requests for secrecy, inappropriate pictures, sexual conversations, pressure, threats, or someone pretending to be someone they are not.

*Teach children how to block and report inappropriate users.

*Review privacy and safety settings together.

*Consider using Discord’s Family Center, which allows parents to view certain activity information and manage some safety settings without giving parents access to the content of private messages.

*Most importantly, keep communication open and nonjudgmental so your child feels comfortable coming to you when something online feels uncomfortable, confusing, or unsafe.

Technology changes quickly, but regular conversations about online friendships, privacy, boundaries, and safety remain important tools for families.

08/13/2026

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIP #2

**Routines Prep**

Help your child’s body and brain get back into a school-day rhythm by resetting sleep and eating routines before the first week gets busy.

Aim for a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, and start the day with a breakfast that includes protein + a carbohydrate for longer-lasting energy. Regular meals and snacks throughout the day can also help with attention, mood, and stamina.

Small routine changes now can make school mornings smoother and help kids feel more ready to learn❤️

08/13/2026

08/12/2026

BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIP #1

**If Your Child Refuses to Get Out of the Car at School**

A difficult drop-off can quickly turn into a long negotiation. When anxiety or school avoidance is driving the behavior, strategies commonly used in evidence-based approaches include predictable routines, gradual exposure, positive reinforcement, and coordination between home and school.

A few tips:

• Keep goodbyes short, calm, and predictable. Long negotiations can unintentionally prolong the struggle.

• Validate the feeling without making attendance optional. Try: “I know this feels hard. You’re safe, and we have a plan.”

• Offer small choices. “Do you want to carry your backpack or have me carry it?” Choices can provide some control without making school attendance the choice.

• Arrange a familiar adult to meet the child. A counselor, teacher, administrator, or other trusted staff member can become part of a consistent arrival routine.

• Create a positive first stop. A brief check-in, calming activity, breakfast, or another predictable transition can make entering the building more manageable.

• Praise the brave behavior. Reinforce getting out of the car, entering the building, and moving to the next step—even when the child is still anxious.

• Look for the reason behind the refusal. Separation anxiety, academic difficulty, peer problems, bullying, sensory concerns, or another stressor may be contributing.

• For significant anxiety, smaller steps may be needed. Gradual, planned exposure to school can be more effective than expecting a distressed child to suddenly tolerate the entire situation.

❤️ The goal isn’t necessarily to make the anxiety disappear before the child enters school. It’s to help the child learn: “I can feel uncomfortable AND still take the next step.”

If school refusal is persistent, severe, or worsening, parents and school staff can work together to identify what is driving it and determine whether additional support is needed.

08/10/2026

🍎📚 As many students head back to school this week, it's normal to feel a mix of excitement, nerves, and uncertainty.

When things feel overwhelming, try focusing on what you can control instead of everything you can't.

You can't control teacher decisions, assignments, or what other people think. But you can control your routine, how you prepare, asking for help when you need it, and how you respond to challenges.

Small actions can make a big difference.

Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or caregiver, remember that no one has to navigate a new school year perfectly. One day, one step, and one choice at a time.

What is one thing you're focusing on this week that's within your control?

08/10/2026

08/09/2026

07/28/2026

If your home was impacted by the most recent flood, you can visit the “get help” tab on kerrtogether.com for assistance.

This is a link to their page with local emotional support resources:
https://kerrtogether.com/get-help/recovery-resources/mental-health/

Other local emotional support providers include New Hope Counseling (830) 257-3009 M-Th 9-5 & The Children’s Bereavement Center (830) 699-0750

Find disaster mental health help in Kerr County. Access 24/7 crisis lines (988), local hotlines, counseling, support groups, and spiritual care resources.

07/24/2026

Flood recovery supplies are available at the Hunt Preservation Society office!

We will have recovery supplies available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while supplies last.

Available items include:
• Muck & Gut bucket kits
• Fans
• Dehumidifiers
• Contractor bags
• Gloves
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Mold remediation spray

📍 Drive-through to pickup:
1602 Hwy 39, Unit A
Hunt, TX 78024
(Corner of Hwy 39 & FM 1340)

Please share this post. Supplies are available while they last. 💚