Why School Counseling?
School Counseling has come a long way over the years. Why is it critical for your child to know who their counselor is?
Elementary school students are characterized by rapid growth, curiosity about their world and an emerging self-identity. Through a comprehensive developmental school counseling program, counselors work as a team member with school staff, parents and the community to create a caring, supportive climate and atmosphere whereby students can achieve academic success. School counselors enhance the learning process and promote academic achievement. School counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals and realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the world community. The professional school counselor holds a master’s degree and required state certification in school counseling. Maintaining certification includes on-going professional development to stay current with education reform and challenges facing today’s students.
"Today’s young people are living in an exciting time, with an increasingly diverse society, new technologies, and expanding opportunities. To help ensure that they are prepared to become the next generation of parents, workers, leaders, and citizens”, every student needs support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change. Students face unique and diverse challenges, both personally and developmentally, that have an impact on academic achievement.
Meeting the Challenge
School counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. School counselors do not work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve success in school. Professional school counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program. The ASCA National Standards in the academic, National Model: A Framework For School Counseling Programs, with it’s data driven and results-based focus serves as a guide for today’s school counselor who is uniquely trained to implement this program.
School Counselors Implement the Counseling Program by Providing:
School Guidance Curriculum
Academic skills support
Organizational, study and test-taking skills
Education in understanding self and others
Coping strategies
Peer relationships and effective social skills
Communication, problem-solving, decision-making and conflict resolution
Career awareness, exploration and planning
Multicultural/diversity awareness
Individual Student Planning
Goal-setting/decision- making
Academic planning
Career planning
Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses
Transition planning
Responsive Services
Individual and small group counseling
Individual/family/school crisis intervention
Peer facilitation
Consultation/collaboration
Referrals
System Support
Professional development
Consultation, collaboration and teaming
Program management and operation
School Counselors Collaborate With:
Parents
Parent information nights
Communication/networking
Academic planning programs
Parent and family education
One-on-one parent conferencing
Assessment results interpretation
Resource referrals
College/career exploration
Teachers
Assistance with students’ academic plans
Classroom guidance activities on study skills, career development, etc.
Academic support, learning style assessment and education to help students succeed academically
Classroom career speakers
At-risk student identification and implementation of interventions to enhance success
Parent communication/education
Administrators
School climate
Behavioral management plans
School-wide needs assessment
Student data and results
Student assistance team building
Leadership
Students
Peer education
Peer support
Academic support
School climate
Leadership development
Community
Service learning
Crisis interventions
Referrals
Parenting classes
Support groups
Career education
Elementary school students are characterized by rapid growth, curiosity about their world and an emerging self-identity. Through a comprehensive developmental school counseling program, counselors work as a team member with school staff, parents and the community to create a caring, supportive climate and atmosphere whereby students can achieve academic success. School counselors enhance the learning process and promote academic achievement. School counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals and realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the world community. The professional school counselor holds a master’s degree and required state certification in school counseling. Maintaining certification includes on-going professional development to stay current with education reform and challenges facing today’s students.
"Today’s young people are living in an exciting time, with an increasingly diverse society, new technologies, and expanding opportunities. To help ensure that they are prepared to become the next generation of parents, workers, leaders, and citizens”, every student needs support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change. Students face unique and diverse challenges, both personally and developmentally, that have an impact on academic achievement.
Meeting the Challenge
School counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. School counselors do not work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve success in school. Professional school counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program. The ASCA National Standards in the academic, National Model: A Framework For School Counseling Programs, with it’s data driven and results-based focus serves as a guide for today’s school counselor who is uniquely trained to implement this program.
School Counselors Implement the Counseling Program by Providing:
School Guidance Curriculum
Academic skills support
Organizational, study and test-taking skills
Education in understanding self and others
Coping strategies
Peer relationships and effective social skills
Communication, problem-solving, decision-making and conflict resolution
Career awareness, exploration and planning
Multicultural/diversity awareness
Individual Student Planning
Goal-setting/decision- making
Academic planning
Career planning
Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses
Transition planning
Responsive Services
Individual and small group counseling
Individual/family/school crisis intervention
Peer facilitation
Consultation/collaboration
Referrals
System Support
Professional development
Consultation, collaboration and teaming
Program management and operation
School Counselors Collaborate With:
Parents
Parent information nights
Communication/networking
Academic planning programs
Parent and family education
One-on-one parent conferencing
Assessment results interpretation
Resource referrals
College/career exploration
Teachers
Assistance with students’ academic plans
Classroom guidance activities on study skills, career development, etc.
Academic support, learning style assessment and education to help students succeed academically
Classroom career speakers
At-risk student identification and implementation of interventions to enhance success
Parent communication/education
Administrators
School climate
Behavioral management plans
School-wide needs assessment
Student data and results
Student assistance team building
Leadership
Students
Peer education
Peer support
Academic support
School climate
Leadership development
Community
Service learning
Crisis interventions
Referrals
Parenting classes
Support groups
Career education