The Guidance office at Dover Middle School strives to educate and empower students to make good choices. Using proven methods and interacting with the students every day, the Guidance Office is able to guide students to make good decisions, even in difficult situations.

Student Advocate
Mrs. Suzanne Farrell
farrells@dover.k12.oh.us

Guidance Counselor
Mrs. Julie Smith – Guidance Counselor
smithj@dover.k12.oh.us

If you have a question or concerns or would like to set up a meeting, please call the Dover Middle School Guidance Office.

Guidance Office
330-364-7125

Main Office
330-364-7121

This year our guidance lessons have focused around educating our students about how to be an upstander and not a bystander.

The new terms that were explained and discussed were as follow:

• Upstander - A person who takes action, particularly when the easiest or most acceptable course is to do nothing.
• Bystander - Somebody nearby but not involved: somebody who observes but is not involved in something
• Victim - Somebody hurt or killed: somebody who is hurt or killed by somebody or something, especially in a crime, accident, or disaster; somebody or something harmed: somebody who or something that is adversely affected by an action or circumstance somebody duped: somebody who is tricked or exploited
• Perpetrator - Someone who perpetrates a wrongdoing; a culprit, offender or wrongdoer; a person who transgresses moral or civil law

We are encouraging all students to use upstanding techniques and to encourage others to do so also. Please ask your student how they are being an upstander at DMS!

This year we have also developed two new groups within our 8th grade to show other students how to be an upstander. The first group is called Acting OUT! The second group is the Acting OUT Dance Team!

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Purpose

Team members will empower other Dover Middle school students to become an upstander instead of a bystander through performing age appropriate scenarios.

Mission Statement

Through theatrical methods and personal actions, the Acting OUT team will empower the DMS student body to stand up for others in the spirit of emphasizing acceptance, friendship and empathy while displaying socially responsible behaviors.

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
– James Baldwin

Mission Statement

The mission of the mentor program is to provide adult mentors who will act as a liaison, advocate and/or role model for selected students. Students who are having difficulty academically, emotionally, and/or socially within his/her school environment will be provided opportunities to improve self-esteem, self-control, academics, study skills, and/or adult-teacher-student relationships.

Why is the Mentoring Program important?

Research shows the positive effects of mentoring as improvements in youth’s grades, school attendance, family relationships and the prevention of drug and alcohol initiation. Youth benefit academically simply from having an adult pay attention to and spend time with them.

Research also shows that building career knowledge and social activities are equally as influential and do not detract from the conveyance of information and knowledge by the mentor.

The above information was taken from Mentoring School-Age Children - Relationship Development in Community-Based and School -Based Programs by Carla Herrera, Cynthia L. Sipe and Wendy McClanahan et. al.

Youth need as many positive adults in their lives as possible. Any positive influence you can have on them is better than none at all!