Counseling
Hello,
My name is Ken Castagno and I look forward to helping students with issues that may be affecting their academic, career, and personal/social interaction. I will work with students through individual, group, and classroom guidance lessons.
I am able to help students with:
* Promoting positive attitudes among students towards self, family, peers and community.
* Assisting students in learning how school performance relates to future opportunities.
*Developing and delivering classroom guidance lessons that teach skills such as decision making, resolving conflict and respecting others.
* Working with students, parents and school staff to identify learning needs and to design interventions to enhance student success.
* Helping students to recognize and make the best of their abilities.
* Providing support during a personal crisis.
* Working with students on attendance issues.
* Coordinating referrals to outside agencies.
* Developing student career awareness.
* Helping to create a safe and positive learning experience.
Classroom Guidance
Classroom guidance is an integral part of the School Counseling program at Anna Smith Elementary. Classroom visits focus on topics dealing with personal/social, career, and academic matters. Lessons support and encourage positive core values and traits, including, but not limited to, fairness, responsibility, citizenship, trustworthiness, caring, and respectfulness.
Please stop by this page regularly to see what each lesson topic will be! You can view the Classroom Guidance Calendar Schedule to see when Mr. Castagno will be in your child's class.
Classroom Lesson Schedule
Anna Smith & Ibapah Counselor
Classroom Lesson Schedule 2025.2026
Ibapah
Monday
12:15 Lower Grades
1:45 Upper Grades
Anna Smith
Tuesday
10:50 1st Grade Red
11:30 4th Grade Red
1:00 2nd Grade Red
1:30 3rd Grade Red
2:00 5th Grade Red
2:30 6th Grade Blue
Wednesday
10:50 1st Grade Blue
12:30 Kindergarten Blue
Thursday
11:30 4th Grade Blue
12:30 Kindergarten Red
1:00 2nd Grade Blue
1:30 3rd Grade Blue
2:00 5th Grade Blue
2:30 6th Grade Red
Counseling Groups
Lunch groups are small groups of children (typically 4-5) from the same grade level. These children are chosen to be part of a group depending on the topic. Students may sign up for a specific group, teachers or parents may refer, or students could be chosen by the counselor. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
* Divorce
* Changing families
* Study skills
* New students
* Bullying
* Social skills
* Friendship
* Anger management
* Respect
* Academic Excellence
Typically, groups meet over the lunch/recess hour, once a week, for a period of 6 weeks. Students will not miss any instructional time during our meetings. Parents will be informed when their child is being asked to participate in a group via a parent permission letter and/or a phone call from the counselor.
***Confidentiality is stressed at our first meeting.
Individual Counseling
Lessons
2025-2026
Week of 8.25.2025: Introduction and Icebreaker
Week of 9.1.2025: Responsibility to Self
Week of 9.8.2025: WhyTry! Icebreaker Activities
Week of 9.15.2025: Caring; 4th Grade BLS 1
Week of 9.22.2025: Responsibility to Family; 4th Grade BLS 2
Week of 9.29.2025: Lower Grades-WhyTry! Reality Ride; Upper Grades-Readers Theater: Human Services Reunion; 4th Grade BLS 3
Week of 10.6.2025: Being Responsible Getting To and From School; 4th Grade BLS 4
Week of 10.13.2025: Growth Mindset
Week of 10.20.2025: Responsibility to Others; 4th Grade BLS 5
Week of 10.27.2025: Blooket Review and Halloween
Week of 11.3.2025: Holland Code and College/Career; 4th Grade BLS 6
Week of 11.10.2025: Responsibility With Our Words; 4th Grade BLS 7
Week of 11.17.2025: Perseverance
Week of 11.24.2025: Blooket Review and Thanksgiving
Week of 12.1.2025: WhyTry! Labels; 4th Grade BLS 8
Week of 12.8.2025: Respect For Life; Upper Grades Hexagon Help Line Readers Theater
Week of 12.15.2025: Blooket Review & Christmas
Week of 1.5.2026: Blue Day
Week of 1.12.2026: Trustworthy
Week of 1.19.2026: Lower Grades Career Activities; Upper Grades MyNextMove.org
Week of 1.26.2026: Responsibility In Our Classroom
Week of 2.2.2026: Blooket Review and Valentines Day
Week of 2.9.2026: Simon's Hook
Week of 2.16.2026: Readers Theater The Zoo Test; Responsibility in Community, Family, and School
Week of 2.23.2026: Responsibility in Our Classroom
Week of 3.2.2026: Responsibility to Our School Community
Week of 3.9.2026: Careers When I Grow Up
Week of 3.16.2026: Responsibility in Our Community
Week of 3.23.2026: Blooket Review and Spring
Week of 4.6.2026: Test Anxiety
Week of 4.13.2026: Responsibility to Our Country
2024-2025
Week of 8.19.2024: Ice Breaker and Introduction
Week of 8.26.2024: Hygiene; 4th Grade LST Self-Esteem
Week of 9.3.2024: Lower Grades Pin the Tail on the Tattletale; Upper Grades Positive Ball; 4th Grade LST Decision-Making
Week of 9.10.2024: Lower Grades How to Make Friends; Upper Grades AI Career Search
Week of 9.16.2024: Introduction to Resilience; 4th Grade LST Smoking Information
Week of 9.23.2024: Lower Grades Musical Circle; Upper Grades Safety Baseketball; 45h Grade LST Advertising
Wee of 9.30.2024: What is Respect? 4th Grade LST Dealing With Stress
Week of 10.7.2924: Social Strength
Week of 10.14.2024: WhyTry Activities Set Up the Learning Environment
Week of 10.22.2024: Growth Mindset/Blooket Review and Halloween
Week of 10.28.2024: Blooket Review and Halloween/Growth Mindset
Week of 11.4.2024: Bullying... What's Your Stand?; 4th Grade LST Communication Skills
Week of 11.11.2024: Bullying...A Problem We All Need To Deal With; 4th Grade LST Social Skills
Week of 11.18.2024: Blooket Review and Thanksgiving/Bullying...A Problem We All Need to Deal With; 4th Grade LST Social Skills
Week of 12.2.2024: How To Respond To Bullying
Week of 12.9.2024: Christmas! A Special Time of Year
Week of 12.16.2024: Blooket Christmas and Review
Week of 1.6.2025: What Do We Do With All of These Emotions?
Week of 1.13.2025: Holland Code
Week of 1.21.2025: WhyTry! Did You Know Activities
Week of 1.27.2025: Upper Grades Think Outside of The Box; Lower Grades Social Emotional Activities
Week of 2.3.2025: Bystander, The Person With the Power
Week of 2.10.2025: Blooket Valentine Day and Review
Week of 2.17.2025: Building A Healthy Relationship
Week of 2.24.2025: Lower Grades Teamwork Towers; Upper Grades Readers Theater The Alien Report
Week of 3.3.2025: Building Healthy Relationships, Millie Fierce
Week of 3.10.2025: WhyTry! Activity Statue Tag
Week of 3.17.2025: Recognizing the Value in Everyone
Week of 3.24.2025: Blooket Review and Spring Break
Week of 4.7.2025: Test Preparation
Week of 4.14.2025: Upper Grades Readers Theater Impulse Control; Lower Grades ReThinkEd The Things You Do
Week of 4.22.2025: Summertime is Coming!
Week of 4.28.2025: Whytry Activity Dodgeball Protector
Week of 5.5.2025: Blooket Summertime and Review
Week of 5.12.2025: Oh, The Places You'll Go!
2023-2024
Week of 8.21.2023: Ice Breaker
Week of 8.28.2023: WhyTry! Over the Wall Activities
Week of 9.4.2023: WhyTry! Climbing Out; 4th Grade LST Self-Esteem
Week of 9.11.2023: Competence; 4th Grade LST Decision Making
Week of 9.18.2023: WhyTry! Climbing Out Activities; 4th Grade LST Smoking Information
Week of 9.25.2023: Hygiene Wash Your Hands
Week of 10.2.2023: K-2 Confidence; 3, 5 6 Confidence; 4th Grade LST Advertising
Week of 10.9.2023: K, 1, 2 Careers; 4th Grade LST Dealing With Stress; K-2 3-6 Readers Theater Careers
Week of 10.16.2023: Growth Mindset
Week of 10.23.2023: Leadership
Week of 10.30.2023: Halloween Blooket and Review
Week of 11.6.2023: Connections; 4th Grade LST Communication Skills
Week of 11.13.2023: 4th Grade LST Social Skills; K, 1, 2 3 Building Positive Relationships; 5, 6 Career Interest Inventory
Week of 11.20.2023: Thanksgiving Blooket and Review
Week of 11.27.2023: 3rd, 5th, & 6th Readers Theater Meet the Fifth Graders; 1st WhyTry Activities; K, 3rd, 5th Thanksgiving Blooket and Review
Week of 12.4.2023: WhyTry! Jumping Hurdles
Week of 12.11.2023: Christmastime is Coming
Week of 12.18.2023: Christmas Blooket and Review
Week of 1.8.2024: 5th & 6th Grade, AI Career Search Activity; K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th What to Do With All These Emotions?
Week of 1.16.2024: Character; 4th Grade LST Assertiveness
Week of 1.22.2024: WhyTry! Desire, Time, Effort Activity
Week of 1.29.2024: WhyTry! Desire, Time, Effort
Week of 2.5.2024: Readers Theater The Zoo Test
Week of 2.12.2024: Valentine's Day Blooket and Review
Week of 2.20.2024: WhyTry! Desire, Time, Effort Activity Part 2
Week of 2.26.2024: Hygiene
Week of 3.4.2024: WhyTry! Lift The Weight
Week of 3.11.2024: WhyTry Plugging In Activity
Week of 3.18.2024: Spring Blooket and Review
Week of 4.1.2024: Contribution
Week of 4.8.2024: WhyTry! Plugging In
Week of 4.15.2024: Test Preparation
Week of 4.22.2024: WhyTry! Seeing Over the Wall Activities; 6th Oh the Places You'll Go!
Week of 4.29.2024: WhyTry! Seeing Over the Wall
Week of 5.6.2024: Summertime is Coming!
Week of 5.13.2024: Summer Blooket and Review
2022-2023
8.29.2022: Introductory Survey
9.12.2022: WhyTry! Persnickety & Lincoln's Choice Challenge
9.19.2022: WhyTry! Reality Ride
9.26.2022: WhyTry! True Friend Protector Activity
10.3.2022: WhyTry! Labels
10.10.2022: ReThinkEd Embrace Our Diversity
10.17.2022: WhyTry! Did You Know?, Follow the Leader, One of a Kind Activities
10.24.2022: When I Grow Up! and Career Videos
10.31.2022: Blooket Review and Halloween Questions
11.7.2022: ReThinkEd Want vs Need & Decision Making
11.14.2022: Resilience Lesson with Simon's Hook
11.21.2022: Blooket Review and Thanksgiving Questions
11.28.2022: Upper Grade LST Self Esteem; Lower Grade WhyTry! Defense Mechanism Activities: Finger Tangle, Luck of the Dice, Name Writing Activity
12.5.2022: Upper Grade LST Decision Making; Lower Grade Christmas is Coming!
12.12.2022: Upper Grade Readers Theater Hexagon Help Line; Lower Grade When I Grow Up I Want To Be
12..19.2022: Blooket Review and Christmas Questions
1.9.2023: Upper Grade LST Smoking Information; Lower Grade The Importance of Sleep
1.23.2023: Upper Grade LST Advertising; Lower Grade Blue Day
1.30.2023: Upper Grade LST Dealing With Stress; Lower Grade Kindness 101 Character
2.6.2023: Upper Grade LST Communication Skills; Lower Grade Safety In My Online Neighborhood
2.13.2023: Blooket Review and Valentine Questions
3.27.2023: Blooket Review and Spring Questions
4.10.2023: Kindness 101 Empathy
4.17.2023: Lower Grade WhyTry! Seeing Over the Wall
4.24.2023: Lower Grade Test Prep; Upper Grade LST Assertiveness
5.1.2023: Summertime is Coming!
5.15.2023: Hygiene
5.22.2023: Blooket Review and Summer Questions
2021-2022
Week of 8.30.2021. Beginning School Survey
Week of 9.20.2021: What is Respect?
Week of 9.27.2021: Respect, What's Your Stand?
Week of 10.4.2021: Refusing Bullying
Week of 10.11.2021: Bullying, A Problem We All Need To Deal With
Week of 10.18.2021: Bystander, The Person With The Power
Week of 10.25.2021: Kahoot! Review and Halloween
Week of 11.1.2021: Leadership
Week of 11.8.2021: Building Healthy Relationships
Week of 11.15.2021: Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors
Week of 11. 22.2021: Kahoot! Review and Thanksgiving
Week of 11.29.2021: Recognizing the Value in Everyone
Week of 12.6.2021: Respect for Life
Week of 12.13.2021: Kahoot! Review and Christmas
Week of 1.3.2022: The Holland Code
Week of 1.10.2022: The Importance of Sleep
Week of 1.18.2022: What Do We Do With All These Emotions?
Week of 1.24.2022: Let's Regulate Our Emotions
Week of 1.31.2022: K, 1, 2, 3 Responsibility To Self; 4, 5, 6 Career
Interest Inventory
Week of 2.7.2022: Responsibility To Family
Week of 2.14.2022: Kahoot! Review and Valentine's Day
Week of 2.23.2022: K, 3, 4, 5, 6 Responsibility to Others; 1, 2 WhyTry
Reality Ride Stop Think Choose
Week of 2.28.2022: Responsibility In My Classroom
Week of 3.7.2022: Responsibility In My School
Week of 3.14.2022: Kahoot! Review and Spring
Week of 3.28.2022: Responsibility In My Community
Week of 4.4.2022: Responsibility To My Country
Week of 4.11.2022: Test-Taking Strategies
Week or 4.18.2022: Responsibility To My World
Week of 4.25.2022: Responsibility With Our Words
Week of 5.2.2022: Responsibility Getting To and From School; 6th Grade
Transition Video
Week of 5.9.2022: It's Almost Summertime!
Week of 5.16.2022: Kahoot! and Blooket Review and Summer
2020-2021
Week of 9.8.2020: 2, 5 ReThinkEd My Creative Strengths
Week of 9.14.2020: Resilience Videos K, 1, 2, 3 watch 123; 4, 5, 6 watch 131211
Week of 9.21.2020: ReThinkEd K, 1, 2, 3 My Family; 4, 5 My Personal Values; 6 High
School Counselor Presentation on FCCLA
Week of 9.28.2020: Nearpod Going Places Safely
Week of 10.5.2020: Nearpod Building Class Community
Week of 10.19, 2020: Nearpod K, 1, 2, 3 Safety in my Online Neighborhood; Nearpod 4,
5, 6 Private and Personal Information
Week of 10.26.2020: K ReThinkEd It's a Feeling; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Kahoot! Review of
Digital Citizenship and Halloween
Week of 11.2.2020: Nearpod Hygiene
Week of 11.9.2020: K, 1, 2 ReThinkEd What Do I Like About Myself; 3, 4, 5, 6
ReThinkEd Building My Self-Esteem
Week of 11.16.2020: Nearpod Listening
Week of 11.23.2020: Kahoot! Thanksgiving and Review of Character and Kindness
Week of 11.30.2020: Nearpod School, One of Our Greatest Gifts
Week of 12.7.2020: Nearpod Christmas, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Week of 12.14.2020: Kahoot! Christmas and Review of Good Manners
Week of 1.4.2021: Nearpod Creative Elective
Week of 1.11.2021: Nearpod K, 1, 2 Introduction to Resilience; 3, 4, 5, 6 Virtual College
Tour
Week of 1.18.2021: Nearpod 1, 4, 5 What Do I Do With All These Emotions?
Week of 1.25.2021: Nearpod Competence
Week of 2.1.2021: Nearpod K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Magic Manners
Week of 2.8.2021: Kahoot! Review of Manners and Valentine's Day
Week of 2.22.2021: Nearpod Confidence
Week of 3.1.2021: Nearpod Connection
Week of 3.8.2021: Nearpod Character
Week of 3.15.2021: Kahoot! Resilience, Manners, Spring
Week of 3.23.2021: Nearpod I Am Me
Week of 4.5.2021: Nearpod Contribution
Week of 4.12.2021: ReThinkEd The Resilient Kid K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Transition to Junior
High with High School Counselor 6
Week of 4.19.2021: Transition to Junior High videos 6; ONet Interest Survey 4, 5, 6;
Franklin's Neighborhood K, 1, 2, 3
Week of 4.26.2021: Nearpod Coping
Week of 5.3.2021: Nearpod Control in Our Lives
Week of 5.10.2021: Nearpod Summertime is Coming!
Week of 5.17.2021: Nearpod K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Growing Minds; 6 Oh The Places You'll
Go!
Week of 5.24.2021: Kahoot! Review and Summer
Topics
GROWING UP ISN'T EASY! HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED DURING COUNSELING:
*Career options
*Selecting college/universities
* Making friends
* Liking myself
* Getting along with others
* Parents' divorce
* Being a "new kid"
* Studying
* Bullying
* Learning and responsibility
* Death and dying
* Sexual abuse
* Moving away
* Being honest
* Organization
* Drug and alcohol abuse
* College/Career Readiness


