Important Announcements

The School Counseling Department is proud to announce our upcoming Guest Speaker event!

Please see the flyer below for more information and how to register today!

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers:

We are excited to share with you that our school community will be celebrating Unity Day on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. Unity Day is an annual event occurring during National Bullying Prevention Month in October that promotes joining together to create healthier communities through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. To help show our support MTES will be encouraging all students and staff to WEAR something ORANGE on Wednesday, October 21st. Unity Day was started by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in 2011 and is now celebrated around the world. We hope you’ll take this opportunity to talk to your children about bullying prevention and all the positive things we can do to make healthier communities. For more information on the history of Unity Day and its impact, please go to https://www.PACER.org/bullying/about/history.asp.

Welcome

As school counselors, we are here to help your child develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to become healthy, competent and confident adults.

Through a comprehensive developmental school counseling program, we will work as a team with YOU, the school staff, and the community to create a caring climate and atmosphere.

At MTE our counseling services include:

• Individual Counseling

• Small-Group Counseling

• Classroom Instruction

If you feel that your child would benefit from meeting with us, please do not hesitate to request a time to connect.

Colleen Mosley, School Counselor

Jennifer Poteet, School Counselor

Lori Vollmer, School Counselor

Debbie Moser, School Counselor

Counseling Department Mission

Mission

The Madison’s Trust Elementary School Counseling program provides an intentionally inclusive, equitable, developmentally appropriate, and collaborative comprehensive program which is accessible to address the academic, career, and social/emotional needs of all students in our culturally diverse community. We create an accessible and supportive environment that promotes lifelong learning by challenging, fostering, and empowering students to become successful global citizens.

Vision

After participating in the school program, all students from Madison’s Trust Elementary School will demonstrate respectful, responsible, and caring qualities which enable them to be critical thinkers, communicators, collaborators, creators, and contributors who make meaningful contributions to the world in both their short- and long-term success.

The school counseling program is based upon the following beliefs:

• The needs of all students will be addressed in an equitable manner by providing classroom lessons.

• Counseling services are accessible to every student through individual, small group, classroom, and school wide activities.

• Every student (K-5) has access to the school counseling program. Counselors will not discriminate, but rather embrace diversity while providing equitable services.

• Skills and competencies will be taught in a preventative way, to give strategies and coping mechanisms to students for success now, and in the future.

• School-wide data will be used to determine areas of student strengths and challenges, and as a result, the school counselors will create effective interventions to enable them to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

• Lessons are aligned with the American School Counselor Association's Mindsets and Behavior and the Virginia Standards for School Counseling Programs.

• School counselors will serve as advocates for all students and families.

• School counselors will collaborate with stakeholders such as teachers, administrators, parents, and community members to support student achievement.

• School counselors adhere to the standards of school counseling programs in Virginia Public Schools and to the American School Counselors Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

• The use of data through needs assessments, pre/post-tests, and the school improvement plan will drive the decisions and planning of the department.

• School counselors will continually evaluate the program through annual feedback from the students, staff, parents/guardians, and the community as well as school climate survey results from Loudoun County Public Schools.

The Role of the School Counselor

The elementary years are a time when students begin to develop their academic self-concept and their feelings of competence and confidence as learners. They are beginning to develop decision-making, communication and life skills, as well as character values. It is also a time when students develop and acquire attitudes toward school, self, peers, social groups and family. Comprehensive developmental school counseling programs provide education, prevention and intervention services, which are integrated into all aspects of children’s lives. Early identification and intervention of children’s academic and personal/social needs is essential in removing barriers to learning and in promoting academic achievement. The knowledge, attitudes and skills that students acquire in the areas of academic, career and personal/social development during these elementary years serve as the foundation for future success.


Elementary School Counselors implement the Counseling Program by providing the following:

• Classroom guidance lessons- Classroom guidance lessons are provided for each grade on a bi-weekly basis. These lessons incorporate academic, personal/social, and career development. Classroom activities focus on interpersonal skills, decision-making skills, self-awareness, and character education. We also use this time to buildralationships and have fun! See the above link for more information on the objectives of Classroom Guidance lessons.
  

• *Small group counseling- The school counselors offers small groups which address a wide range of topics. Groups are usually made up with less than eight students in the same grade level and last 4-6 weeks. Group times are scheduled during the school day at a time that will impact the least amount of instructional time. Many groups are held during lunch periods. See the the link for group topics and objectives.
  

• *Individual counseling- The school counselors works with students on an individual basis to help meet the needs of the child. Individual counseling is usually short term and can focus on academic concerns, family issues or student attitudes and behaviors. If you'd like to speak more about individual counseling services, please reach out!
  
  *Parental permission is required for individual and group counseling.
  

• Why Do Parents Contact a School Counselor

  • Academic achievement

  • New school registration, orientation and transition

  • Special needs of students

  • Student crisis situations

  • Family transitions

  • Higher education issues

• How Is a Student Referred to the School Counselor?

  • Self-referral

  • Teacher, administrator or staff referral

  • Parent referral

  • Counselor Observation

• What are some of the tasks a school counselor "doesn't" do?
  *The school counselor does not do testing or diagnosing. The counselor may help serve as the liaison between the specialists involved in this process, such as the school psychologist, or school social worker.
  *The school counselor does not do "therapy," and will refer out to other professionals if deemed necessary.
  *The school counselor does not handle discipline issues. However, the school counselor may follow up with this student if he/she is currently working with the counselor, or if the student is someone who may begin working with the counselor.
  
  Minimum Qualifications for a Virginia School Counselor
  Master's Degree
  State Certifications
  
  
  
  Please feel free to call either of us with any questions that you may have regarding your child and/or our program. We are looking forward to meeting and working with you and your child!
  

Counseling Department PTA Presentation