Mission
The professional school counselors advocate for all students, in collaboration with educators, families, and community members, by providing guidance and counseling services that enhance student development of academic, career, personal and social skills that improve student success.
Vision
Students will acquire life skills that will enable them to reach their fullest potential to function and thrive as productive members of society.
- Classroom Guidance: Lessons are presented in each classroom throughout the school year to assist all students in succeeding academically. They are developmentally appropriate and are designed to increase students’ awareness and skill in the six goal areas. Guidance lessons incorporate SOLs, and are based upon the national, state, and local guidance and counseling standards of learning objectives. Class lessons allow the counselor to get to know the students, and for them to know the counselor so that they feel comfortable in seeking services when in need.
- Counseling: Individual and group short-term counseling is available for students having personal and/or social difficulties that may interfere with their academic success, and may be requested by students, parents, and/or teachers. Parent permission is required for ongoing individual and group counseling. Some of the groups offered regularly focus on divorce, grief, self-concept, self-control, anger management, friendship, and academic skills. Crisis intervention and prevention is also provided. In addition, we offer peer mediation services for students to learn peaceful problem solving skills with assistance from trained fifth grade peer mediators.
- Consultation: The school counselor is available to meet with parents and teachers to discuss ways to better meet the needs of students.
- Coordination: School-wide programs are offered in collaboration with staff to include WJCC’s Character Education and Bully Proofing Programs, Parenting Programs, and Career Week. The Guidance Advisory Committee consisting of parents, teachers, students, and an administrator meets about four times during the school year to assist in planning and evaluating guidance related programs and services.
- Confidentiality: All counseling and consultation services are handled within professional guidelines for confidentiality