South Portland Schools

Elementary Student Support Services

Wellness Welcome

You found us! This is the place to find information about ways to socially and emotionally support students, staff, families and self. Our site is maintained by district PreK-5 School Counselors, Social Workers, and School Psychologists. Within these pages, you will find contact information, crisis management, and a variety of activities and resources to support student growth and health.

Who does what?

Here are some of the differences and similarities in the roles of Student Support Services Staff...

School Counselors: Available for ALL students in a school, so typically the first point of contact for staff in regard to student need. We can provide classroom lessons for all students aimed at the three domains of development: academic, career, and social/emotional. We facilitate small groups and short-term individual work (NOT therapy) for students. We also consult with administrators, staff, families and other service providers. We provide crisis assessment/intervention and assist with coordination of services and supports for students.

School Social Workers: In all schools K-12, we provide social emotional support for students with IEPs to help them access their learning goals. At the high school there is a social worker who is not accessed through the IEP process, but is available to all students in need of emotional support.

School Psychologists: We apply our training in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. We work closely with families, staff, and community providers in order to further assist with the needs of our students. Consequently, our role in the district can run the gamut of conducting various psychoeducational assessments when a student is referred for special education evaluation or reevaluation in order to aid in identifying targeted instruction, being an active IEP Team member, assisting with positive behavior supports, supporting social-emotional learning, and consulting with staff.

Sweetser Social Workers (private pay, separate agency): Therapeutic services rendered at school by a clinician from an outside agency.