• What is a Professional School Counselor?

    • A person who provides brief, short-term support for kids dealing with crisis, personal concerns, or problems affecting their focus in school
    • A person who advocates to make sure that parents and teachers know how to support kids by providing resources to help
    • A person who advocates for the counseling profession as well as the well-being of ALL kids in school
    • A person who collaborates with teachers, parents & outside agencies
    • A person who is data driven in schoolwide interventions and initiatives
    • A person who does community referrals as needed 

    The role of the Elementary School Counselor

    (A more thorough explanation of the profession)

    Professional School Counselors utilize leadership, advocacy and collaboration to promote academic and personal success for all students. We are “certified/licensed educators with the minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling and are uniquely qualified to address the developmental needs of all students through a school counseling program addressing the academic, career and social/ emotional development of all students”. 

    https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Careers- Roles/RoleStatement.pdf 

    School Counselor NOT Guidance Counselor 

    School counselors have grown and evolved out of Guidance counselor positions and encompass a broader scope of work now a days.  Here is an article that I swiped from a fellow counselor friend that nails it!

    Services School Counselors Provide

    • Classroom Counseling Lessons for ALL students (bullying, conflict resolution, tattling, career exploration, diversity & inclusion, self-regulation, personal space, etc.)
    • Small Group Counseling (grief, divorce, growth mindset, anxiety, self-esteem, impulse control, etc.)
    • Short-term individual sessions about academic, personal & social/emotional issues

    Kids, I am here to help you with...

    • Adjusting to a new school
    • Dealing with peer pressure or bullying
    • Working well with others
    • Feeling good about yourself
    • Setting goals
    • Learning how to make decisions

    • Managing your feelings (stress, worry, anger, etc.)

    Parents, I am always here to...

    • Help explore ways to help your child succeed and feel successful
    • Supply resource materials via TalkingPoints through our Counselors’ Corner monthly newsletter and website
    • Help improve communication between you and your child

    Teachers, I am here to...

    • Developing plans for students with behavior, academic or social issues (504’s, BIPs, etc.)
    • Brainstorming behavioral management ideas for the classroom
    • Providing strategies to use when interacting with students with emotional issues
    • Supplying character education videos and monthly SEL counseling lessons to integrate into daily classroom instruction