Ms. Nicole Winterland
Ridgeview Junior and Senior High School
Ridgeview Junior and Senior High School
WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR'S CORNER!
At Ridgeview Junior and Senior High School, the school counselor’s role is built on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. The ASCA national model emphasizes supporting students’ academic, career, and social-emotional development. The school counselor works closely with students, families, and staff to remove barriers to learning and promote success for every student.
Through individual counseling, group sessions, classroom lessons, and academic planning, the school counselor helps students develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in school and beyond. Following ASCA standards, the Ridgeview school counseling program is data-informed, student-centered, and designed to ensure all students are prepared to graduate ready for college, career, and life.
Greetings, Ridgeview families and students! I’m so excited to serve as your junior and senior high school counselor! I’ve had the privilege of working with youth for over 25 years, including the last nine years here at Ridgeview, where I served as a 4th-grade teacher. I currently hold a Bachelor of Science in Education from Illinois State University and a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction. I’m currently over halfway through my Master’s of Education in School Counseling. Some of my core professional interests are supporting student mental health and well-being, assisting students with their academics and learning, and helping all students be college and career-ready.
The Assess component is an important part of the ASCA model. Assessing different parts of the school counselor program is a great way to ensure accountability and encourage improvement by evaluating if the counseling program is effective. School counselors can use program assessments and annual results reports to analyze data and determine the program's impact. By looking at these outcomes, school counselors can guide the design and delivery of future programs to meet students' evolving needs. The assessment results are also shared with stakeholders to communicate the program's value.