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Counseling With Mr. Dixon
Counseling With Mr. Dixon
Welcome! I am excited to begin my fifth year as the school counselor at Rosemary Hills Elementary School and to continue supporting the students, families, and staff in our school community.
I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. I also hold a Master of Arts in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Argosy University in Phoenix, Arizona, and a Master of Education in School Counseling from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, California.
As the school counselor, my goal is to help every student develop the academic, social-emotional, and career readiness skills needed to thrive both in and out of the classroom. I believe that every child deserves a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment where they feel valued, connected, and empowered to reach their full potential.
I look forward to partnering with our students, families, teachers, and community members to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow, succeed, and shine throughout the school year.
Mission & Vision Statement
Mission & Vision Statement
The mission of the Rosemary Hills Elementary School Counseling Program is to provide a comprehensive, data-informed school counseling program that empowers every student to achieve academic success, develop strong social-emotional skills, and build career awareness. Through collaboration with students, families, staff, and the community, we foster resilience, self-confidence, responsible decision-making, and a lifelong love of learning while ensuring all students have equitable access to the support and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
The vision of the Rosemary Hills Elementary School Counseling Program is that every student will thrive in a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where they feel valued, respected, and empowered. Students will develop the knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary to become confident learners, compassionate citizens, effective problem-solvers, and responsible leaders who are prepared for success in school, college, career, and life.
What School Counselors Do
What School Counselors Do
The Rosemary Hills Elementary School Counseling Program provides a comprehensive school counseling program designed to support the academic, social-emotional, and career development of all students. Services include:
Classroom Counseling Lessons: Deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate lessons that teach social-emotional learning (SEL), emotional regulation, friendship skills, empathy, problem-solving, conflict resolution, decision-making, coping strategies, personal safety, and career awareness.
Small Group Counseling: Provide short-term, goal-focused groups that address topics such as friendship skills, emotional regulation, anxiety, self-esteem, grief and loss, social skills, executive functioning, and changing families.
Short-Term Individual Counseling: Meet with students to provide brief, solution-focused counseling that supports students' social-emotional, behavioral, and academic needs while helping them develop healthy coping and problem-solving skills.
Restorative Practices: Facilitate restorative conversations and problem-solving circles that help students repair relationships, resolve conflicts, take responsibility for their actions, and rebuild trust within the school community.
Consultation and Collaboration: Partner with teachers, administrators, families, school staff, and community providers to support student success through consultation, collaboration, and coordinated interventions.
Family and Community Resources: Connect families with school and community-based resources, including mental health services, food and housing assistance, after-school programs, and other supports that promote student well-being.
Parent Education and Resources: Provide parents and caregivers with information, workshops, and resources related to child development, social-emotional learning, behavior support, mental health, academic success, and family engagement.
Individual Strategies Counseling & Small Group Counseling
Individual Strategies Counseling & Small Group Counseling
The school counselor provides short-term individual and small-group counseling to support students' social-emotional development and overall well-being. Counseling groups and individual sessions may focus on topics such as emotional regulation, friendship skills, anxiety, grief and loss, self-esteem, anger management, conflict resolution, coping strategies, and problem-solving.
Referrals for counseling services may be initiated by students, parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, or other school staff based on identified academic, social-emotional, or behavioral concerns.
Parent/guardian permission is required before a student participates in ongoing small-group counseling or scheduled short-term individual counseling services. The school counselor will communicate with families regarding the purpose, goals, and duration of the counseling support.
SEL Classroom Counseling Lessons
SEL Classroom Counseling Lessons
As part of the comprehensive school counseling program, the school counselor visits each classroom to deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons. These lessons help students build the knowledge and skills needed to succeed both in school and in life.
Lesson topics may include identifying and expressing emotions, emotional regulation, friendship skills, empathy, respect, conflict resolution, problem-solving, perseverance, growth mindset, responsible decision-making, personal safety, coping strategies, and career awareness.
Each month, lessons are tailored to meet the developmental needs of students at each grade level. Be sure to ask your child what they learned during their counseling lesson and what the monthly SEL focus is for their grade. Continuing these conversations at home helps reinforce the skills students are learning at school.
Restorative Approaches
Restorative Approaches
Restorative Approaches are implemented throughout Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to build positive relationships, strengthen school community, promote accountability, and support students' social-emotional well-being. Rather than focusing solely on consequences, restorative practices encourage students to learn from their experiences, repair harm, and restore relationships.
Restorative Approaches are implemented throughout Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to build positive relationships, strengthen school community, promote accountability, and support students' social-emotional well-being. Rather than focusing solely on consequences, restorative practices encourage students to learn from their experiences, repair harm, and restore relationships.
Restorative Approaches help students:
Restorative Approaches help students:
- Actively engage in meaningful conversations and problem-solving.
- Treat others with respect by listening to and valuing all perspectives.
- Take responsibility for their actions and understand how their behavior has affected others.
- Empower those who have been harmed by giving them a voice and addressing their needs with care and respect.
- Support students who have caused harm by helping them accept responsibility, make positive choices, and repair relationships.
- Collaborate with peers, staff, and families to resolve conflicts in a respectful and constructive way.
- Restore relationships by working together to repair harm, rebuild trust, and strengthen the school community.
At Rosemary Hills Elementary School, restorative approaches are used to foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where every student feels valued, respected, and supported. By teaching empathy, accountability, and healthy communication, students develop the skills needed to build positive relationships and become responsible members of their school community.
At Rosemary Hills Elementary School, restorative approaches are used to foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where every student feels valued, respected, and supported. By teaching empathy, accountability, and healthy communication, students develop the skills needed to build positive relationships and become responsible members of their school community.
Click here for more information:
Click here for more information:
Bullying, Harassment, & Intimidation
Bullying, Harassment, & Intimidation
Bullying, harassment, or intimidation are serious and will not be tolerated. This is a form to report alleged bullying, harassment, or intimidation that occurred on school property; at a school-sponsored activity or event off school property; on a school bus; or on the way to and/or from school, in the current school year. If you are a student victim, the parent/guardian of a school victim, a close adult relative of a student victim, or a school staff member and wish to report an incident of alleged bullying, harassment or intimidation, please complete one of these forms below and return it to the principal.
Bullying, harassment, or intimidation are serious and will not be tolerated. This is a form to report alleged bullying, harassment, or intimidation that occurred on school property; at a school-sponsored activity or event off school property; on a school bus; or on the way to and/or from school, in the current school year. If you are a student victim, the parent/guardian of a school victim, a close adult relative of a student victim, or a school staff member and wish to report an incident of alleged bullying, harassment or intimidation, please complete one of these forms below and return it to the principal.
How Can School Counselors Help
How Can School Counselors Help
The school counselor is available to partner with families to support every child's academic, social-emotional, and personal growth. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to reach out with questions or concerns. The school counselor can assist by:
The school counselor is available to partner with families to support every child's academic, social-emotional, and personal growth. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to reach out with questions or concerns. The school counselor can assist by:
- Supporting your child with social, emotional, or behavioral concerns that may be affecting their success at school.
- Strengthening parent-child communication by sharing strategies that encourage positive relationships and open conversations.
- Helping families navigate challenges at home that may impact a child's learning, behavior, or well-being at school.
- Connecting families with school-based and community resources, including mental health services, food assistance, housing resources, and other support programs.
- Providing information about child development and the social-emotional milestones children experience as they grow.
- Collaborating with families to promote positive school attendance and help students arrive at school on time and ready to learn each day.
- Discussing concerns about your child's academic progress and working with teachers and other school staff to identify appropriate supports and interventions.
- Partnering with families, teachers, and administrators to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in a safe, supportive, and inclusive school environment.
How Can I See The School Counselor
How Can I See The School Counselor
Confidentiality and family privacy are important to me. What you or your child discuss with a school counselor is private except in cases required by law(when abuse or neglect are suspected).
Confidentiality and family privacy are important to me. What you or your child discuss with a school counselor is private except in cases required by law(when abuse or neglect are suspected).
- School Office Phone: 301-920-9990 Ext: 1011
- Room Number # 114
While the school counselor works closely with students, families, and staff to support student success, there are important differences between the school counselor's role and the roles of other professionals. The school counselor is not:
A Disciplinarian – School counselors do not assign disciplinary consequences. Instead, they help students develop problem-solving skills, repair relationships, regulate emotions, and make positive choices.
An Administrator – School counselors collaborate with school administrators but do not make decisions regarding school discipline, school operations, or administrative policies.
A Social Worker – While school counselors connect families with community resources and collaborate with social workers, they do not provide the intensive case management or home-based services that social workers offer.
A Therapist – School counselors provide short-term, solution-focused counseling to support students' educational success. Students who need ongoing or intensive mental health services may be referred to community-based therapists or other mental health professionals.
A Psychologist – School counselors do not conduct psychological evaluations or diagnose mental health conditions. School psychologists provide psychological assessments, consultation, and specialized services to support students' educational and emotional needs.
The primary role of the school counselor is to support every student's academic achievement, social-emotional development, and career awareness through classroom lessons, consultation, collaboration, and short-term counseling services.
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