School Counseling Services Grades 9-12

School Counseling Services - Grade 9 -12

Academic Support

Academic support may look different depending on each situation but may include some or all of the following:

• Helping to improve the academic success of all students by monitoring academic progress and performance and working with the teacher, students, and families to identify intervention strategies to improve performance for struggling students.

• Meeting with students to help each student build a schedule and select courses that challenge them academically and set them on the path to meet their post-secondary goals.

• Working with students individually or in groups to develop study, organizational and test-taking skills.

• Working with RTI, Special Education and other services to provide students with additional support.

• Provide information on a variety of pathways to graduation including but not limited to a traditional pathway: Early College classes, Alternative Education, Region #10 Technical Center etc.

Social-Emotional Support

Social and emotional support can be provided in different ways and may include large group activities as well as small group and individual counseling. Some areas of focus include:

• Providing support and coping strategies for students who are experiencing some element of stress or tragedy.

• Working with students to resolve conflict, provide mediation and create positive peer relationships.

• Helping students with behavioral issues find success in the classroom by working on strategies with the student, teacher and parents

• Counseling students who may be engaging in risky behaviors in collaboration with administrators, the school SRO and local mental health agencies.

• Collaborating with outside agencies as needed (ex. NAMI, SASSMM etc.).

• Helping students deal with academic pressures as they face high-stakes testing, the challenges of college admissions, the scholarship and financial aid application process and entrance into a competitive job market.

Career Development/Post-Secondary Planning Support 

As students actively begin to plan for their post-secondary years, they may spend time exploring and identifying individual interests and skills, look for internships and shadowing experiences, and begin to have jobs outside of school. As students continue to explore post-secondary options, Counselors help to support students in many ways including:

• Advising students in planning post-secondary educational and occupational goals using academic, career and labor market information. 

• Working closely with the Community Service coordinator to arrange and support a variety of volunteer and Extended Learning opportunities as well as employment opportunities.

• Introducing students in 9th grade to the high school transcript and graduation requirements as well as providing transition support.

• Meeting with all students on an ongoing basis to develop and review post-secondary plans.

• Discussing standardized testing (PSAT/SAT/ACT/AP) with sophomores, junior and seniors.

• Holding meetings with grade 11 students to ensure they are on track to graduate and discuss post-secondary options.

• Providing transcript reviews with sophomores, juniors and seniors on an individual basis.

• Providing career and college planning activities through our Naviance program and other online resources.

• Processing college applications, forms, and writing of letters of recommendation for seniors.

Programs (Including but not limited to those below)

• Hosting Freshman Orientation/First Day Activities in collaboration with staff.

• Facilitating Region #10 Introduction/Visitations.

• Organizing/hosting and facilitating annual College Fair.

• Administering the PSAT and reviewing PSAT score reports with students.

• Administering school day SAT/ACT/AP exams.

• Organizing and facilitating Mentoring Programs.

• Organizing/supervising College Trips/Tours/Fairs (Fall and Spring).

• Organizing College Rep high school visits.

• GAP year and other program (high school visits).

• Organizing/hosting and facilitating College and Financial Aid Nights.

• Organizing/hosting and facilitating Common Application Workshops.

• Partnering with Embark, a high school to college transition program

• “Same Day Acceptance” – Community Colleges and University of Maine

• Partnering with FAME (Finance Authority of Maine) to provide families with assistance in completing FAFSA.