Direct Services

• Instruction: Counselors participate in teaching an evidence-based curriculum to all students in all buildings. Lessons reflect student standards from the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success.

  • Classroom Curriculum: Curriculum covers age appropriate topics to provide direct instruction through lessons and learning activities aimed at social-emotional, academic, and career development

    • Scope and Sequence

• Appraisal: Work done with students to assess their abilities, interests, skills, and achievement done through student test or inventory

  • Common assessments analyzed are student interest inventories that inform students of potential career interest pathways

  • Our school counselors identify and employ appropriate appraisal method for individual and group interventions to support student development K-12

• Advisement: The process of a counselor making potential recommendations based on appraisal of tests or inventories that may aid students in making successful decisions on their futures

  • Our school counselors use assessment in the context of appropriate statistics and research methods, follow ups, and measurement to advise appropriate use of testing in recommendations

• Counseling

  • Small Group: Counseling small groups run periodically throughout the year at all levels, generally meeting 1-2 times per week over the course of several weeks. Staff and parents may recommend a student to participate in small group counseling sessions

    • Areas addressed

      • Academic: study skills, goal-setting, motivational support, etc.

      • Career: small groups focusing on specialized activities that provide experiences for specific career interests

      • Social-Emotional: stress management, anxiety, healthy living, self-regulation, overcoming obstacles, social skills, etc

  • Individual: Individual counseling is available to students on a limited, short-term basis to support students in a variety of areas. Students may request an appointment through counselors' online portals or in the counseling office before/after school or during class break times.

    • Areas addressed

      • Academic: academic monitoring, skill building, adapting to change/transition, etc.

      • Career: individual assistance aiding students in career research, post-secondary planning, college or career application, etc.

      • Social-Emotional: relationship skills, conflict resolution, coping skills, etc.

Indirect Services

• Consultation: Providing information or recommendations to individuals who may support student needs or reaching out to an expert regarding student needs.

  • School counselors use consultation to seek information on student needs and identify strategies to best promote improvement in targeted areas

• Collaboration: Multiple individuals working towards a common goal sharing responsibility in a task

  • Teams- Classroom teachers, support staff, and counselors work closely to ensure students feel supported within the school environment (504, PBIS, PLC, ect)

  • Parent Workshops- connecting with parents to highlight student strengths and build plans for success

  • Community Partnerships- collaborating with community agencies that align with positive student development and care

    • 360 Community Family Support, River Falls Community Food Pantry

  • Crisis Response- Our Crisis Response Team meets quarterly to train, assess policies and procedures, and ensure student safety within our schools

• Referrals: Counselors utilize referrals to outside professionals when a students' need may extend beyond the training or responsibilities of the school counseling role.

  • May include academic support such as tutoring referrals, career support through employment training, or social-emotional support through community mental health agencies that treat areas such as suicidal ideation, depression, violence, etc.