Information about Counseling: 

Policy

Thank you for visiting the school counselor page. Per Idaho Code 33-6001 public school districts have the responsibility to notify parents/guardians of any change to a student’s health or well-being. 

How does a student receive counseling at school?

Students may be referred to the School Counselor for individual and/or small group counseling by their parents/guardians, school staff, a concerned friend, or they may refer themselves. 

Who provides the counseling at school? 

Counseling services are provided by Mr. Nelson a School Counselor for the State of Idaho Education Association. Mr. Nelson has a Master’s in Social Work with an emphasis on Community Mental Health. School Counseling focuses on the academic development, social/emotional development, personal safety, and career development of students. 

Is Counseling required?

It is your choice to give consent for your child to receive counseling. 

What will my child do in counseling and possible outcomes?

Our program is designed to help children learn resiliency through growth and solutions. In this process,  your child may be taught strategies to help him or her make more effective and healthier decisions, increase the ability to set and reach goals, build better relationships with others, and be more successful in school. Counseling may include small group or individual sessions. During the sessions, your child and Mr. Nelson will work together to understand the problem, the present and future consequences, develop goals for change and a plan of action for change. We all must realize that changes take time; his or her problem did not develop overnight, nor will it disappear overnight. Counseling is most successful when students, school counselors, teachers, and family members work together. We all care about your child and willingness to work together as a team is vital in the process.

How is Information Shared (Confidentiality):

Trust is the basis for effective counseling. The ethical guidelines of the American Counselor Association and American School Counselor Association emphasize the importance of confidentiality between school counselors and students at the same time recognizing the rights of families. Your child must know and trust that what is shared with the counselor will stay with the counselor unless the counselor suspects the child is in danger of being hurt by others, hurting themselves, hurting others; parents are notified immediately. 

Counseling records do not become a part of the permanent record of the student except as required by school safety policy. 

A record may indicate that a student was seen by the School Counselor; however, the topics discussed are not included unless required by the school board safety policy. Mr. Nelson may likely talk with the parent/guardian and classroom teacher about how he or she can help your child in the classroom and at home; however, specific information will not be shared. 

Changes to Student’s Health or Well-Being:

Dear Student,

Thank you for visiting the counseling office. Per Idaho Code 33-6001 public school districts have the responsibility to notify parents/guardians of any change to a student’s health or well-being. Because conversations with counselors often cover these topics, we want you to be aware that any conversation about a change to your health or well-being will be reported to your parent/guardian. Aside from the reporting to parents/guardians required by law, conversations with school counselors will remain confidential.

Dear Parents,

Please contact me if you want more information or have ideas about how we can better help your child. Sawtooth Elementary School Counselor contact information: Mr. Nelson - School Phone: 208-733-8454, Ext. 5804 - Email: nelsonjon@tfsd.org 

Sawtooth Elementary School Counselor 

Hello Sawtooth Parents and/or Guardians: As the Sawtooth Elementary School Counselor, I work with students, parents, school staff, and the community to create a safe, responsible, and successful learning environment in order to assist all children reach their academic, social, emotional, and civic potential. I assist students in reaching these goals by consulting and collaborating with teams, providing responsive services to those in need, and by providing classroom guidance curriculum to all students approximately once every other week. The following is a look at the projected classroom guidance program for the year, but is subject to change. Please keep in mind all classroom guidance curriculum is evidenced based to fit each developmental stage, age, and grade level.

Classroom Curriculum

Second Step Elementary Curriculum: Children benefit from social-emotional learning (SEL) at any time, but today it’s especially important to help them develop the skills they need to connect and thrive. Second Step Elementary is a leading research-based SEL curriculum for students in Kindergarten–Grade 5. 

Schedule: K (Fall), 1-5 (Winter-Spring). 

Too Good for Drugs Curriculum: Skills development is at the core of Too Good for Drugs, a universal K-12 prevention education program designed to mitigate the risk factors and enhance protective factors related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) use. The lessons introduce and develop skills for making healthy choices, building positive friendships, developing self-efficacy, communicating effectively, and resisting peer pressure and influence.

Schedule: K-5 (October-Red Ribbon). 

Safer, Smarter Kids Curriculum: Follows a developmentally appropriate sequence of instruction for elementary school students, helping children develop skills to stay safe as their world expands. At the crux of the program, children are taught how to identify the difference between safe and unsafe feelings, situations, and behaviors – and how to then access help if they are ever made to feel unsafe.

Schedule: 1-5 (Fall), K (Winter-Spring).

Bully Blockers Curriculum: The Tough Kid Bully Blockers shows teachers and other staff how to prevent and reduce all forms of bullying, from gossiping and exclusion, to physical aggression, and cyberbullying. The Tough Kid Bully Blockers includes a field-tested set of 15-minute lessons, carefully crafted to teach students six skills proven to reverse bullying. More than 50 reproducible posters, forms, homework assignments, and worksheets make the program easy to implement and customize.

Schedule: K-5 (February-Kindness Month).

Energy Bus for Schools: Research clearly shows that culture and leadership greatly influence a school’s learning environment and students’ academic success. We are creating a school culture where school leaders, students and educators develop as positive leaders. Positive school climates are linked to increased high school graduation rates, turnarounds in low-performing schools, reduced school violence, and increased communication among students, families and faculty.

Schedule: K-5 (Monday Specials)

Kelso’s Choice: Kelso’s Choice is a leading K–5 educational program that empowers children to navigate life’s challenges through three foundational curricula: Conflict Management, Character Building, and Emotional Regulation. 

Schedule: K-5 (Monday Specials)

Events

Red Ribbon Week: Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, smoking, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. It began as a tribute to fallen DEA special agent Enrique Camerena in 1985. Sawtooth Elementary students engage in classroom lessons and participate in schoolwide dress up days. 

Schedule: K-5 (October).

November Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month: November is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, which includes National Homeless Youth Awareness Month and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. The Sawtooth Elementary event includes a food and hygiene drive for school district food pantries to bring attention to the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. 

Schedule: K-5 (November).

Kindness Month: February is National Random Acts of Kindness Month, a time to perform kind acts for others without expecting anything in return. Sawtooth Elementary students engage in classroom kindness lessons, anti-bullying lessons, and participate in schoolwide acts of kindness activities. 

Schedule: K-5 (February).

Careers: School counselors recognize career education begins in kindergarten and is exemplified by students who are knowledgeable about options and are prepared to enroll and succeed in postsecondary experiences without the need for remediation. Engagement in hands-on activities increases student motivation in school as students make tangible connections in their classroom learning to the real world.

Schedule: K-5 (April).