What Does a School Counselor Do?

· Helps students with academic, career, personal/social concerns and any other problems that they may face

· Teach guidance lessons which are preventative in design and deal with matters of character and building skills to support character building

· Works with parents, teachers and administration in collaboration and consultation and offers information on additional resources

· Provides support to the school community

· The counselor will refer students to CYS (Community Youth Services) and The Harris Center for Mental Health

Additional Duties

• Campus PAL Coordinator

• Campus Homeless Liaison

• Backpack Buddy Coordinator

• Campus GT Coordinator

How Can a Student See the School Counselor?

· Self-Referral

· Teacher, Administrator or Staff Referral

· Parent Referral

· Peer Referral

· Counselor Observation

Confidentiality

The School Counselor keeps information confidential unless disclosure is required. The following conditions require contact with parents and/or appropriate authorities:

Harm to Self

Harm to Others

Harm from Others

When Should You Refer Students to the School Counselor?

Emergency Referrals that Require Immediate Attention:

· Suspected evidence of child abuse, physical or mental (although I will follow up with this student, IF YOU BELIEVE CHILD ABUSE IS OCCURRING, YOU ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO REPORT TO CPS.)

CPS Hotline: (800)252-5400

CPS Reporting Website: www.txabusehotline.org

· Signs of self-injury

· Threats to harm self or others

· A child who cries or gets sick daily

· A child who becomes unable to function in a normal way

· Any behavior change in a child that is sudden and unusual

· A child undergoing a traumatic family experience

Other Referral Topics include, but are not limited to…

· Academics * Loneliness

· Anxiety * Organizational Skills

· Anger * Peer Relationships

· Coping Skills * Stress

· Goal Setting * Social skills

· Grief and Loss * Test-Taking

· Divorce and Separation * Underachievement

· Family

· Impulse Control