A certified, specially trained professional educator who has a minimum of a Masters Degree in School Counseling or the equivalent.
A special friend when a child needs someone to listen.
An advocate for students.
A caring person who provides help and guidance to teachers, parents, students, and administrators.
Someone who counsels with students both individually and in groups.
A teacher of social-emotional learning curriculum.
What does an elementary school counselor do?
Offers the student body a wide range of school counseling services that are developmentally appropriate for each grade level, and are generally preventative in nature.
Conducts a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate guidance and counseling program based on the American School Counseling Associations national model.
Collaborates with staff to support students.
Utilizes referral services and helps families and students to access community resources.
Conducts parent and teacher conferences.
Provides guidance lessons to each class and works with identified groups of children with specific needs.
Provides brief individual counseling to:
help students develop effective communication skills;
help students develop positive interpersonal relationship skills;
help students set positive goals, exercise responsibility and improve academic success;
help provide support during a crisis.
A child may see the counselor for:
Any social or emotional problems that they may be experiencing that are impacting the student’s academic performance and functioning at school.
Ongoing social difficulties and/or conflicts.
Divorce or changing family issues.
A loss of a family member or close friend.
Decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Improvement and aid in the development of positive self-esteem.
Family concerns or fears.
Developing and increasing social, self-regulation and organizational skills as it relates to functioning at school.
Review and discussion of academic needs and concerns.
Individual counseling at school is short-term in nature. Should a student need long term, on-going therapy, a referral can be made to an outside mental health provider. Individual counseling referrals for students can be made through the request of a student, parent or teacher.
