• A School Counselor (no longer called Guidance Counselor)

     
    WHO IS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR?
     
    * A NYS certified, specially educated and caring professional.
     
    * A school person who provides emotional support and guidance to all students.
     
    * A resource person, facilitator, teacher.
     
    * A person who helps teachers, parents, administrators and students.
     
     
    WHAT DOES A SCHOOL COUNSELOR DO?
     
    * Serves the general population
     
    * Conduct social emotional learning lessons in the classroom
     
    * Conduct character education lessons in the classroom
     
    * Provide individual and group skill-building to students with academic, social and behavioral needs
     
    * Help identify student skill deficits and supports response to intervention
     
    * Promote positive attitudes and values among students
     
    * Collaborate with teachers and parents to help students succeed
     
    * Help students relate to others and build peer relations
     
    * Advocate on behalf of students and their needs
     
    * Provides crisis support for emotions and behaviors
     
    HOW DOES A STUDENT SEE A SCHOOL COUNSELOR?
     
    * Teacher or other staff referral
     
    * Parent referral
     
    * Administrative referral
     
    * SST referral
     
    * Self Referral (by asking the teacher to see the counselor)
     
    Not all issues are appropriate for counseling in a school setting.  We do refer parents to outside agencies for more intense or specific counseling.
     
     
    WHO SEEKS HELP FROM THE COUNSELOR?
    Students...
    * I'm new and can't seem to make friends.
     
    * I get picked on and I don't know what to do.
     
    * I don't have a problem, I just wanted to tell someone that my dog died.
     
    * I just have to talk to someone that will listen to me and not laugh.
     
     
    Parents...
    * Jim has been bullied and needs to develop some coping skills.
     
    * Toni's grandfather passed away and she needs someone to talk to.