School counselors and social workers are vital members of the education team found in each of the buildings of the Ontario School District. Through the implementation of comprehensive school counseling programs, school counselors and social workers assist the academic achievement, career and social emotional development of every student in the Ontario School District.

School counselors provide short-term individual, crisis, and group counseling, academic support as well as social emotional lessons. School counselors and social workers help connect students and their families to a variety of community resources. Counselors and social workers serve as advocates for students on a variety of teams and committees and act as 504 coordinators. 504/ADA resources.

Each school counselor or school social worker is licensed through the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission in the State of Oregon. The minimum education requirement for this license is a master’s degree in school counseling or social work. While some may hold a restricted license, any staff working towards a master’s degree is supported throughout their program by a licensed counselor.

Each elementary school is staffed with a full time counselor to support students remain academically successful.

May Roberts - Kinder & First Grade: Beverly Smith

Aiken - Second & Third Grade: Lionel Segura

Alameda - Fourth & Fifth: Heather Annis

At the middle school, Stacey Parrish-school counselor & Danielle Williams-school social worker are available to support student needs.

The district counselor Wendy Stoker supports the school counseling programs from kinder to eighth grade to implement systemic and consistent interventions. 

At Ontario High School, the two core (academic) school counselors Janice Castellon and John Kilzer are assigned to a portion of the alphabet while Dr. Susan Hochstrat, the College & Career Pathways Coordinator coordinates between the school, colleges and the technical community by evaluating college credit and CTE programs.

The district special education is served by a full-time counselor-Mitchel Seals who provides counseling services to special education students throughout the district.

Mental Health: The Ontario School District collaborates with community behavioral health agencies to support the mental health of students. These services are provided within the school setting at the elementary, middle and the high school.

Drug and Alcohol Services: Drug and alcohol services are also available to students at the middle school and high school.

Community Mental Health Partnerships

Mental Health: Lifeways Inc. Referral Form

Mental Health: Insight Counseling. Referral form

Drug and Alcohol: Altruistic Recovery. Contact

Prevention programs and curriculums such as Toolbox, Character Traits, Sources of Strength, Needs Assessments, Tigers Matter, Screening Brief Intervention, and Referral to Services, are provided throughout the school year with a focus to support student emotional and mental health.

District Social Emotional Curriculum: Wayfinder

Vision/Mission/Philosophy

The Ontario School District has aligned the counseling program to the American School Counseling Associations (ASCA) National Model. The mission and vision statements are aligned with the Oregon’s Department of Education Framework for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.

Mission
The OSD Comprehensive School Counseling Program is an integral component of the district’s overall educational program. Professional school counselors will provide developmental and systematic support through a coordinated CSCP to ensure all students receive academic, career, social/emotional development, achievement, and support participation in the broader community. The CSCP will be proactive and preventative and will assist students to acquire critical skills for lifelong learning and success. The goal is that each student will leave the kindergarten through twelve-grade system with skills and knowledge to live, learn, work, and contribute in both local and global communities. The OSD Comprehensive School Counseling Program is an integral component of the district’s overall educational program. Professional school counselors will provide developmental and systematic support through a coordinated CSCP to ensure all students receive academic, career, social/emotional development, achievement, and support participation in the broader community. The CSCP will be proactive and preventative and will assist students to acquire critical skills for lifelong learning and success. The goal is that each student will leave the kindergarten through twelve-grade system with skills and knowledge to live, learn, work, and contribute in both local and global communities. 

Vision

The Professional School counselors at the Ontario School District (OSD) are dedicated to empowering every student reach their maximum potential by using a comprehensive school counseling program. This is accomplished through strategic partnerships with parents/guardians, staff, and community members to enable all students become successful, productive citizens and lifelong learners in a diverse and changing world in both local and global communities.

Philosophy

As professional school counselors and social workers of the Ontario School District, we believe:

·   All students are unique and should be treated with dignity and respect

·   Learning is a lifelong process and every student can succeed 

·   Education is a responsibility shared by students, parents, staff and community 

·   The diverse needs of all students must be addressed through the school counseling program

·   CSCP provides important benefits to individual students by addressing intellectual, emotional, social, physical, and psychological needs

·   The CSCP will use data to drive program development and evaluation

·   OSD counselors will personify the highest level of ethical behavior and follow the guidelines set forth by ASCA. 

·   Students are valued, counselors will promote the growth and success of all students without bias to cultural, religious, socioeconomic, gender, sexual orientation, special needs or academic differences