Dear Parents and Guardians,
This year, the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District will be recognizing National Social
Emotional Learning Day on March 10, 2023. SEL Day brings awareness to the importance of
not only teaching our children Math, Reading and Core subjects, but developing the
self-awareness, self control and interpersonal skills that are needed in order to succeed in
school, work and life. It is so important that our children learn to identify their feelings,
understand and communicate with others, build strong relationships and learn to make good
empathetic decisions. It is something that your child’s teachers, counselor and principal
have been working on everyday here at Intervale. Especially with their time away from
school during COVID, we recognized how vital these skills are for our children not only to
succeed in school but to feel safe and happy here.
In true Intervale spirit, our School Climate Committee made up of teachers, staff and
parent representation came together to plan a fun filled day of teaching and celebrating
these skills for our children. The day includes learning about mindfulness, handling
emotions and good decision making as well as skills reinforcing social relationships. This
will be done through storytelling, role playing, yoga, and many hands-on activities planned
to reinforce these skills. We have paired fifth graders with kindergarteners, fourth
graders with first graders and second and third graders to help build on skills such as role
modeling, empathy and cooperation.
We will be taking a school picture at the end of the day, so we are asking all children to
wear their Bully Free, Intervale or Blue shirts on Friday. This picture will represent the
unity and spirit of Kindness, Acceptance and Tolerance that is so important at Intervale.
Included is a link that goes into more detail about Social Emotional Learning if you are
interested.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-sel-essential-for-students-weissberg-durlak-domitrovich-gullotta
As always the school and home working together is vital for our children to succeed
socially, emotionally and academically.
Thank you,
Donna O'Donnell
School Counselor
A person's most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge but a heart full of love, and ear ready to listen and a hand willing to help.
Read, Love and Learn
email: [email protected] phone: 862-999-5205
Meet the Counselor
Welcome! I am Donna O’Donnell, the school counselor here at Intervale Elementary School. I have been here at Intervale for twenty one years and think of it as my second home. Before becoming a counselor, I was a sixth grade teacher and then raised my four children. Having such a love for children, I decided to go back to school to become a school counselor as my kids got older. That is why I always tell parents that I have a degree in counseling psychology and school counseling but I am a mom first which helps greatly in working with my students and their parents. In addition to being the counselor, I am also the anti-bullying specialist, chairperson for the Intervention and Referral Services Committee as well as having many other duties at Intervale. I think of each student at the school as my own, seeing to their social, emotional and academic well being. I work closely with the staff to ensure that all children entering our building feel safe and welcomed. I am a firm believer that the school and home must work together in order for a child to succeed. Outside of school, you will find me spending time with my eight grandchildren, friends or reading.