Mental Health & Counseling Resources

What is a 504 Plan?

All students are protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This is a civil rights statute that prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities.

This is a different program from Special Education. Students qualifying for Special Education services are automatically covered under Section 504.

Section 504 protects any student who has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities including walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, and learning.

Mental impairments include, for example, ADHD or depression. Physical impairments include asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes mellitus, and other chronic illnesses that may impact the student's ability to carry out major life functions.

Parents and students are always part of the planning process once a student has been evaluated as being eligible for a Section 504 plan.

Your school's counselor is the case manager for all students on Section 504 plans. If you have a concern about your student's possible eligibility for Section 504, or about accommodations presently being provided under a Section 504 plan, please contact them or your building principal directly.

NTPS Section 504 Overview

State of Washington Section 504 Resources

What is bullying?

Bullying is unfair and one-sided. It happens when someone is repeatedly hurting, frightening, threatening, or leaving someone out on purpose.

What can you do about bullying? 

• Recognize it (learn the definition and characteristics of bullying.)
• Refuse the bullying: refuse to allow bullying to happen to you, and refuse to accept bullying at our school.
• Report the bullying to an adult.

If you have any questions or worries about bullying at school, be sure to talk to your student's teacher, counselor, or principal.

NTPS Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Reporting

NTPS Family & Youth Resource Center

Community Resources Directory

Ideas to open up a conversation with your child

As parents and caregivers, our children may come home with a problem from time to time. It may involve friendships, bullying, school work or a conflict with someone that is causing them stress. Finding a way to talk to our children can be tricky, but sometimes phrasing questions and comments in a non-threatening way can help kids open up. The following questions may help your child begin talking in a way that will promote sharing openly.

• What happened?
• What happened next?
• How were you feeling? How do you think (student name) was feeling?
• Is there anything else that you can do?
• Will that work for everyone?
• What do you need to do now?
• What would you like to see happen?
• How are you feeling right now?

Listen to your child as they express all concerned, fearful, angry, and upset feelings. Reiterate your support and help them focus on processing their feelings. Be on the lookout for physical symptoms of anxiety that children may demonstrate. They may be a sign that they are troubled by recent events. Talk more directly to them if they exhibit these signs more frequently than usual. Contact their counselor, family doctor, community mental health professions, or the 24-hour crisis line for more support. 

• Headaches
• Excessive worry
• Stomachaches/backaches
• Irritability
• Increased arguing
• Trouble sleeping or eating
• Loss of concentration
• Nightmares
• Withdrawal
• Refusal to go to school
• Clinging behavior

The virtual calming space is a place for students and families to find tools and strategies for managing emotions and feelings. Mindfulness, music, movement, puzzles and games, and more.

Visit the Virtual Calming Space