Counseling will be offered in different ways to each and all students:

• Guidance Lessons: These lessons are an integral part of any elementary school counseling program. I will spend time in each classroom numerous times throughout the school year discussing things like social skills, character, anger management and recognizing emotions, career and academic success, peer relationships, and stress. These lessons are preventative in nature and are designed to reach all students on every level.

• Individual Counseling: I will be available to meet at different times throughout the school day individually with students who needs me. While a school counselor can not provide on-going counseling, it may be appropriate for a student to need short-term and solution-focused assistance through individual sessions. When more attention is needed and intervention is required, school counselors act as a referral and connection to the outside community resources available. Students themselves, teachers, staff, and parents can all discuss referrals for individual sessions with the school counselor.

• Small Group Counseling: Small group counseling sessions provides a safe environment for children, along with their peers, to increase awareness, and improve their skills. It is amazing what children can learn from each other. Some of these groups may occur during lunch or recess, and will never interfere with the educational process.

• Community Resources: As a school counselor my goal is to ensure educational success of all students, however; I am also a mother of three and understand that sometimes homework, grades, and test scores come after issues going on at home or in the family. I am here to assist anyway that I can to extend outside resources, help, or emotional support to all parents, staff, and students. I have contact with outside agencies in the area as well as resources that aren't local. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

School Anxiety

Anxiety Disorders are one of the most common psychiatric conditions among kids, and often school, or the beginning of the new school year can be a major factor in a child's symptoms.

Q: How do parents recognize true anxiety in a child? A: Often, kids will have a range of stress or anxiety related symptoms. The child may express fear about leaving home or a parent for school or ask for repeated assurance about whether you will be back to get them or if you can stay with them throughout the day. Many children develop physical symptoms because of their anxiety such as headaches or an upset stomach or become unusually clingy.

Q: How should you handle it when a child says they are too sick to go to school? A: Always have recurrent physical symptoms checked out by a pediatrician to rule out medical problems, but assuming kids are healthy physically, parents should work towards being firm about attending school. Attendance is extremely important in the educational success of all children. Explain to children that we ALL have a job in the family. As ours is to raise our children, work, and take care of our family...their job is to go to school and learn! Explain to the child that it is normal to feel a little scared about new situations, but nervousness doesn't mean they should stay home or they won't enjoy themselves at school. Remind them of the times when they dealt well with new situations and how although stress may be difficult at first, they are eventually able to overcome it. If there are concerns at home or at school that a parent has for their child, the school counselor is available to talk.

Q: When should a parent/guardian seek professional help? A: If for several weeks all suggestions have been tried and anxiety is still interfering with your child's everyday life, it would be recommended to seek professional help. School anxiety is not a psychiatric diagnosis, but when it is severe it may be a symptom of an anxiety disorder.

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