Q: What services does the counselor provide for my student?

A: The school counselor provides services for ALL students by implementing a data driven, comprehensive school counseling program that promotes the academic, social/emotional, and college/career development through the following activities:

Classroom Guidance

Through a series of planned classroom learning experiences, counselors deliver meaningful lessons targeting the personal/social, academic, and career development of students.  This is a proactive, sequential developmental program that seeks to prevent problems by developing skills in areas such as communication, decision making, and empathy. The guidance program may focus on topics such as:

• Career Awareness

• Student Success Skills

• Conflict Resolution

• Interpersonal Skills

• Bullying Prevention

• Personal Safety

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling is provided on an as-needed basis for students experiencing difficulties with personal, social, and academic concerns. Counseling assists students in identifying problems, potential actions, and possible consequences so that students are empowered to make positive choices. School counseling is intended to be short-term and brief. Community referrals are available for students and families seeking additional support.

Small Group Counseling

Small group counseling provides students an opportunity to work with peers around a specific issue. Referrals for groups may come from students, school staff, and parents. Groups usually meet once a week for several weeks. Parent permission will be requested prior to convening a group. Sample group topics include changing families/divorce, friendship, and anger management.

Consultation

Consultation is a key aspect to addressing the needs of the early adolescent student. As a consultant the school counselor participates as an interdisciplinary team member, provides training for staff and parents on issues relevant to early adolescents, assists at parent conferences, and provides information to teachers about how to meet the needs of students experiencing academic and emotional problems. Counselors confer directly with teachers, parents, administrators and other helping professionals providing for the mutual sharing and analysis of information and ideas to assist in planning and implementing strategies to help students. Consultation may take place in individual or group conferences, during 504 or problem solving teams, through staff development activities, or parent discussion sessions.

Coordination

The school counselor's role as coordinator involves managing various aspects of indirect services that help students succeed. Counselors serve as a liaison between teachers, parents, support personnel, and community resources to facilitate successful school development.  This may include assisting parents in obtaining needed services for their children through a referral and follow-up process. They also serve as liaisons between school and community resources.

School counselors, as coordinators:

• Help identify resources needed by parents, students and teachers

• Provide interpretation of standardized tests results

• Facilitate the distribution of information pertinent to student needs

• Assess students' needs

• Assist with the oversight of school wide initiatives such as PBIS

Coordination also includes orienting new students to the school and coordinating student transition to the next educational level.