Meeting The Challenge
Secondary school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. Secondary school counselors do not work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program.
Secondary School Counselors Implement the Counseling Program by
Providing: Classroom Guidance
- Academic skills support
- Organizational, study and test-taking skills
- Post-secondary planning and application process
- Career planning
- Education in understanding self and others
- Naviance training
- Personal Educational Plans
- Peer relationships and effective social skills
- Communications, problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution and study skills
- Multicultural/diversity awareness
Individual Student Planning
- Goal setting, academic, & career plans
- Problem solving
- Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses
- Post-Secondary transition plans
- Educational counseling
- College advising/Senior conference
- Career counseling, which may include career information and job information
- Coordinate parent, teacher conferences & student-teacher conferences
- Student recommendations
- Work permits
- New student enrollment
Responsive Services
- Individual and small-group counseling
- Individual/family/school crisis intervention
- Peer facilitation
- Consultation/collaboration
- Counseling referrals
- Mediation
System Support
- Professional development
- Consultation, collaboration and teaming
- Program management and operation
Secondary School Counselors Collaborate with:
Parents
Academic planning/support
Post-secondary planning
Scholarship/financial search process
School-to parent communications
School-to work transition programs
One-on-one parent conferencing
Referral process
Students
Academic support services
Program planning
Peer tutoring program
Crisis management
Transition programs
Teachers
Providing recommendations and assisting with the post-secondary application process
Classroom guidance lessons on post-secondary planning, study skills, career development, etc.
School-to-work transition programs
Academic support, learning style assessment and education to help students succeed academically
Classroom speakers
Administrators
Academic support interventions
Behavioral management plans
School-wide needs assessments
Data sharing
Student assistance team development
Community
Job shadowing, work-based learning, part-time jobs, etc.
Crisis interventions
Referrals
Career education
Why High School Counselors?
High school years are full of growth, promise, excitement, frustration, disappointment and hope. It is the time when students begin to discover what the future holds for them. Secondary 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.