Saint Ignatius’ Catholic School Counseling Program

Saint Ignatius offers a comprehensive school counseling program supporting the education of the whole child by encouraging all students’ academic, social, emotional, and career development. The counselor works with students, teachers, and the administration to provide students with a supportive and safe learning environment.

The goal of a comprehensive school counseling program is to help all students maximize their individual student achievement and assist in removing any barriers to their success. Services provided by the school counselor include: individual and group counseling and responsive services, classroom guidance lessons, consultation with staff members and parents, community referrals, and work on the Student Success Team.

In accordance with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) code of ethics, school counselors understand the complicated nature of confidentiality with minors in school settings. The priority is to maintain students’ confidentiality except in the following situations: disclosure of abuse, abandonment or neglect; disclosure about intent to harm self or others; to comply with a court order or subpoena; disclosure of the commission of a crime. The counselor will make the child aware of these limits to confidentiality. Students in Idaho are granted “privileged communication” under Idaho Code 9-203.6.

Individual and small group counseling and support is offered on an open-door basis to all Saint Ignatius’ students, as well as by self-referral or referral by a teacher or parent. School Counseling services are short term, solution focused services with the goal of more effective education and socialization of the student. These services are not intended as a substitute for diagnosis or therapy. The counselor offers community referrals to the parents for more intensive therapeutic needs. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to determine whether additional or different services are needed. If a student consults with the school counselor more than three times regarding an issue, a parent is contacted to receive permission for further counseling or support.

The school counselor provides confidential services while operating with the understanding that parents are the first and primary guides of their children, therefore keeping lines of communication open with parents. If you do not want your child to be included in counseling services, please contact the school office.