School Counselor

School Counselor 6-8
740-743-1315
mfox@nlsd.k12.oh.us
Welcome to 2025-26 school year.
I am very excited to get to know you! Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
- Counseling Video
- Sheridan Volleyball
- Middle School Schedules
- National Junior Honor Society
- Parent Corner
- Bullying Prevention
- Middle School Odds n Ends
- College and Career Readiness
- School Climate Survey
- SMS Comprehensive Counseling Video
- 8th Grade Electives
- Dude, BE KIND
Counseling Video
Sheridan Volleyball
Middle School Schedules
How to read your schedule
How to open your locker
Lockers!
6th grade students are encouraged to purchase a combination lock at the beginning of summer and practice throughout the summer (they will need a lock for P.E. class but not for the hallway lockers as they have a built in lock). This will prepare them and ease the anxiety associated with learning how to open their lockers.
Please use the “How to open you locker” below for assistance. Good Luck and see you next year.
1. Turn the dial a few times to the right.
2. Stop at the first number of your combination___________.
3. Turn to the left, go past your second number______________once.
When you come to the number____________again, stop.
4. Turn to the right until you reach your third number__________________.
5..STOP!
6.Push the black piece up.
7. Your locker should be open! If it doesn't-TRY IT AGAIN!!
Middle School Curriculum Guide
National Junior Honor Society
NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY
What is National Junior Honor Society?
The National Junior Honor Society is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding middle level students.
More than just an honor roll, NJHS serves to honor those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship,
leadership, service, citizenship and character. These characteristics have been associated with membership in the organization since its beginning in 1929.
Today, it is estimated that more than one million students participate in official Honor Society activities. NHS and NJHS chapters are
found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many U.S. territories, and Canada. Chapter membership not only
recognizes students for their accomplishments, but challenges them to develop further through active involvement in school
activities and community service.
(from njhs.us)
What is the criteria required for membership?
Sheridan Middle School National Junior Honor Society will soon be taking applications for membership. The following criteria are required for membership:
- Candidates must have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average at the beginning of eighth grade. Candidates are also evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, citizenship, and character.
- Eligible students must complete an application and submit it to Mrs. Fox by Friday, September 5. Please understand late applications will not be considered and students will have to wait until Semester 2 to reapply.
- The Faculty Committee will review the applications submitted and may ask for additional information. Applicants will be notified during the school day that they have been selected for membership and a letter to parents will be sent home shortly thereafter.
The Faculty committee includes Mr. Kirk Washburn; Assistant Principal, Ms. Michelle Lundy, Mrs. Petrie; Language Arts and Mrs. Fox, Guidance Counselor
NJHS Pledge
NJHS Activities
The National Junior Honor Society Members are involved in activities which promote leadership skills. They have been divided in committees and work to complete projects and carry out school-wide activities. Some of our activites this year include:
- Mix It Up Committee-change tables at lunch to encourage students to meet other friends and cross social boundaries
- Mental Health Minute Committee-create 2 minute videos to promote anti-bullying, kindness, respect and honesty
- Student/Staff Volleyball Game Committee
- Dance Committee
- Canned Food Committee
- Mason's Message
- Tutoring Program
Mix it Up
Mix It up 2017 is scheduled for November 17, 2017
Pics from Mix It up 2015

Mix-It-Up is a national campaign launched by Teaching Tolerance and it is a day where students are encouraged to make new friends and sit somehwere new during lunch. We mixed it up at lunch Janueary 27 and it was a huge success. Our students were very talkative and really enjoyued thier new seats for the day! Teachers joined us and we also added karoke this year! Great Job Generals!
Parent Corner
Community Resources
Counseling and Community Resources
- Six Counties Center 7. PALS for Grieving Children
1375 Commerce Drive Grief Support for children/adolescents
New Lexington, Ohio 43764 Lancaster and Logan Offices
740.342.5154 740.654.7077 or 740.380.1186
Crisis Hotline: 1-800-344-5818
- Perry Behavioral Health 8. Genesis Psychiatric Center
(Drugs and Alcohol Counseling) Genesis Bethesda Hospital
203 North Main Street 2951 Maple Avenue
New Lexington, Ohio 43764 Zanesville, Ohio 43701
740.342.1991 740.454.4611
- Mid Ohio Psychological Services 9. Thompkins Child & Recovery Services, Inc.
624 E. Main Street 205 W. Brown Street
Lancaster, Ohio 43130 New Lexington, Ohio 43764
740.687.0042 740.342.4480
- Associates in Counseling 10. Mental Health & Recovery Services Board
581 Hebron Road 1205 Newark Road
Heath, Ohio 43056 Zanesville, Ohio 43701
740.522.HOPE 740.454.8557
- Newark Granville Counseling 11. Integrative Services of Appalachian Ohio
1943 Newark Granville Road Provides counseling for Perry county (and
Granville, Ohio 43023 other counties)
740.587.5252 1-800-321-8293
- BHP of Central Ohio (formerly Moundbuilders)
65 Messimer Drive
Newark, Ohio 43055
740.522.8477
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1.800.273.TALK (8255)
NAMI Six County-Local Affiliates of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
1.866.302.NAMI (6264)
Survivors of Suicide Support Groups- Contact Dean Turner
614.402.0004 or 614.487.1163
Grief/Loss
GRIEF/LOSS
Grief is a normal response to a loss. It includes all of the intense feelings and reactions that follow death of a loved one. The following are normal reactions to the grief/loss.
Common Grief Reactions
- Shock or Denial
- Feeling numb
- Postponing or avoiding death
- Sadness/crying
- Anger
- Mood Swings
- Fear of forgetting your loved one
- Guilt
- Difficulty concentrating
- Physical pain
- Change in grades
- Isolated or withdrawn
- Relief
- Anxiety
- Loneliness
- Fear of Death
WHEN TO ASK FOR HELP
If the following signs are present and grieving seems very difficult, you may need extra help. Talk to a trusted adult about what to do and reach out. If you feel any of the following thoughts or feelings, talk to someone, REACH OUT.
- Thoughts of hurting yourself
- Not taking care of yourself-bathing, brushing teeth, hair, etc.
- Engaging in drugs/alcohol
- Extreme eating or sleeping
- Aggression/Anger
- Depression (Lack of energy, not wanting to get out of bed, lack of interest in friends, family, sadness, loneliness).
- Ongoing grades dropping/ongoing problems at school
- Risk taking behaviors
Tips for Parents
- Be there and listen
- Don’t’ judge or tell them how to feel
- Answer questions honestly-based on their maturity level; know what they can/cannot handle. You will not always have answers.
- Reassure them it is not their fault
- Ask them to share their favorite memory of their loved one
- Encourage activities and routines
- Allow time for grief-there is no allotted amount of time
- Encourage them to attend the funeral but give them choices about their participation. Offer to attend with the teen in order to provide support.
How to Help a Grieving Friend
Do………..
- Acknowledge their loss
- Listen
- Offer to spend time
- Send a card
- Attend the funeral or memorial service
- Send flowers, food, cookies
- Offer a hug/cry together
- Encourage normal activities
- Remember holidays and special days will be difficult especially during the first year
- Ask them how they are doing at different times and share good memories of your loved one
Don’t………
- Act as if nothing happened
- Avoid talking about the loss
- Say, “I know how you feel”
- Tell someone how you feel
- Expect the to “get over it”
How to help yourself .
- Give permission to grieve/cry/be sad
- Listen to relaxing music
- Write your feelings in a journal
- Write a song or poem about your loved one
- Go for a walk/run
- Talk to friends to trusted adults
- Create artwork which allows you to express your feelings
- Exercise or play sports
- Eat well and get enough sleep, take care of yourself
- Participate in a grief support group with local agencies or with your school counseling program.
- Write a letter to your loved one about things you would want them to know about you
The information is taken from A Guide for Grieving Teens. 2003. HomeReach Hospice: Ohio Health.
Conversation Starters for Middle School Kids
Bullying Prevention
Middle School Odds n Ends
College and Career Readiness
The Ohio Appalachian Collaborative (OAC) began in 2010 with a common passion and mission: transforming rural education to help ensure students graduate from high school prepared for success in college, careers, and life.
Twenty-one districts in the Appalachian region of Ohio joined together with Battelle for Kids to leverage strengths, increase impact, and use collaboration as a key strategy for educational reform and success. Using the Rural Education Transformation Approach, the OAC set out to enhance educator effectiveness and accelerate college and career readiness for all students through six major areas for transformational change.
Through working together, OAC districts have:
- Helped each other stay ahead of curve with the ever-shifting education landscape
- Learned from each other and shared strategies for implementing key practices
- Joined forces to generate resources to support district initiatives
- Influenced state and national education policy with a unified voice
- Built a strong community of practice for administrators and teachers through in-person meetings and virtual communications
Connecting these components are four core processes: collaboration,communication, technology, and training. Click the six components below to learn more about our work.

The Challenge
Districts and schools across the country are working to give students access to a high-quality education that will prepare students for success in college and careers.
But rural school districts face unique challenges in accomplishing this goal. Rural schools serve a higher number of economically-disadvantaged and special education students. Rural districts serve students that span large geographic areas, and have limited financial and human resources. And while schools work to prepare students for success in college and careers, the Appalachian region faces challenges of an under-educated population and a lack of high-paying jobs to keep educated citizens in the area.
Districts in the OAC are working to transform education in a way that works for rural communities. This involves working to develop strategic plans for college and career readiness based around three pillars: academic preparation, accessibility, and aspiration
Take from Battelle for Kids (http://portal.battelleforkids.org/OAC/our-story)
- 6th Grade Career Exploration
- 7th Grade Career Exploration
- 8th Grade Career Exploration
- Career Survey
- 8th Grade Career Development Survey
6th Grade Career Exploration
Activites happending in the 6th grade:
- EWOW- Exploring the World of Work-A career interest inventory created to assess our students on thier interests and how those relate to a future career.
- EWOW O'Ween- A career dress up day where our students dress like their future career.
- Classroom Guidance- the school counselor works with each homeroom on life skills and character education to imrove the climate of the building and create a positive and supportive school environment.
- Small Group- the school counselor works with 6th grade stuents in small group covering topics such as anger, grief, bullying, social skills, life skills, incareration and other related topics.
7th Grade Career Exploration
- Career Speakers: 7th grade will have 1 speaker each 9 weeks so a total of 4 per year.
- Classroom Career Class: The school counselor will work with each classroom 4 times a year on career education. Classes will utilize Ohio Means Jobs to exlore potential career options and learn more about the oppoutinies available on Ohio Means Jobs.
8th Grade Career Exploration
- Career Speakers: 8th grade will have 1 speaker each 9 weeks so a total of 4 per year.
- Classroom Career Class: The school counselor will work with each classroom 4 times a year on career education. Classes will utilize Ohio Means Jobs to exlore potential career options and learn more about the oppoutinies available on Ohio Means Jobs.










