Counselor Role

Access to School Counselor Services: School counselors serve students and parents, both in groups and individually, to help students meet academic, personal/social, and college/career goals. Individual referrals to the school counselor may be made by a student, a parent, or by school staff or administration. School counseling services do not constitute or substitute for professional therapeutic care. Students may stop by the counseling office during the school day or make a request to their teacher to see the counselor. Parents may call the counseling office to schedule an appointment or a phone conference. Matters of urgency will be given priority. 

Classroom Lessons:  Classroom counseling lessons are taught regularly.  The focus is on personal, social, and academic development.  

Small Group Lessons: Support is provided to students through small group lessons as needed and may be at teacher, administration,  and/or parent request. Some examples of small group needs are: self-esteem, friendship skills, managing feelings, and self-regulation (Parent permission is needed for these short-term, scheduled, targeted groups.).

Individual Support: Students are met with individually depending on their needs. Students are assisted with social, emotional, and academic problems. The goal is to help students to be successful in the classroom. Interventions are brief and  solution-focused to assist students and help them regroup and problem solve. Ongoing therapy is not provided.  If a child is needing more support, a referral to our SFST can be made. 

Teacher & Staff Collaboration: Teachers, staff, and administrators collaborate to establish a positive, student-centered learning environment. We work together to create plans for student success academically, socially, and emotionally. 

Professional Disclosure:  Counselors will respect a student's right to privacy unless (1) a parent/guardian requests information, (2) matters discussed pertain to suicide or possible harm to another person, (3) matters discussed pertain to any type of abuse, (4) there is a legal requirement for disclosure, or (5) there is a necessity to consult with other professionals.