Helena Park Elementary - Counselor’s Corner

08/12/2025

For Bus Route Information, click here --> http://bit.ly/45dQy3Z

05/17/2025

Get ready for back-to-school with Some Other Place's annual Back to School Program registration!

Mark your calendars for June 2nd or 3rd from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM to register your children. All the necessary documents are included in the post. If application is approved your child will receive backpack, school supplies, and assistance with the cost of uniforms.

Make sure to come out during these times to ensure your spot! We're excited to help our community's students gear up for a successful school year. 🍎✏️📚

Spread the word and share this post with anyone who might benefit!

04/01/2024

03/11/2024

Over on the website, we have a new resource all about preschool midline crossing.
These age-appropriate activities target midline crossing and are great for motor planning, visual motor skills, and brain breaks for the preschool age. https://www.theottoolbox.com/crossing-midline-activities-for-preschoolers/

There are some early warning signs we might see in the preschooler who struggles with crossing their midline. When we see a difficulty with the integrated motor patterns, this can be an indicator for various challenges.

🚩Some of the ways that difficulties with preschool crossing midline will present as:

>>Not developing a dominant hand. Students use the left hand for left sided tasks and the right side for right sided tasks. https://www.theottoolbox.com/hand-dominance-laterality-functional-activities-kids/
>>Showing delays in crawling, or an atypical crawling pattern. Here is a great article on Cross Crawling Activities. https://www.theottoolbox.com/cross-crawl-exercises/
>>Rotating or turning their entire body to retrieve objects on the other side of their body instead of reaching across the body to the other side
>>Having difficulty with age-appropriate self-care tasks like dressing or grooming activities
>>Skipping or doing jumping jacks in an uncoordinated manner. Check out this post on Gross Motor Midline Crossing Exercises​: https://www.theottoolbox.com/crossing-midline-march-gross-motor
>>Difficulty making a horizontal line across a piece of paper (may stop in the middle and switch hands, or pause visually) or forming letters
>>Visual perceptual difficulties: https://www.theottoolbox.com/visual-perceptual-skills/
>>Challenges with age-appropriate literacy skills (identifying letters, following pictures in a story- due to difficulty with visual tracking across the midline. Here is info on visual tracking: https://www.theottoolbox.com/what-is-visual-tracking/

If you see these things in the preschool years, it's ok! Kids develop at different rates. Try adding some play ideas that target these gross motor movements: https://www.theottoolbox.com/crossing-midline-activities-for-preschoolers/

09/05/2023

Free ASL class! Great opportunity for learning something new!❤️

08/01/2023

07/31/2023

Great information for the start of the school year!

07/29/2023

Great tips Kids OT Hub!