Middle School Counseling Information
The middle school counselors facilitate responsive services for students. These services may include, but are not limited to: short term individual and small group counseling for students; participation in the Student Intervention Team meetings; and collaboration with and referrals to local area child service and/or mental health agencies.
Part of the goal of the school counseling department is to compliment classroom learning. This is accomplished, in part, by attending weekly team meetings with grade level teachers. Counselors may also attend core team parent conferences and IEP meetings. The school counselors are available to students in the guidance office every day during school hours. They are also available to parents for scheduled appointments, before, and during school hours.
The middle school counselors are assigned by teams in all three grades. For the 2016-2017 school year, Mrs. Jacobs will be the 6th grade Olympian team and seventh grade counselor and Mrs. Dick will be the 6th grade Spartan team and 8th grade counselor.
Part of the goal of the school counseling department is to compliment classroom learning. This is accomplished, in part, by attending weekly team meetings with grade level teachers. Counselors may also attend core team parent conferences and IEP meetings. The school counselors are available to students in the guidance office every day during school hours. They are also available to parents for scheduled appointments, before, and during school hours.
The middle school counselors are assigned by teams in all three grades. For the 2016-2017 school year, Mrs. Jacobs will be the 6th grade Olympian team and seventh grade counselor and Mrs. Dick will be the 6th grade Spartan team and 8th grade counselor.
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Please contact your child’s grade appropriate school counselor if:
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Crisis Counseling |
Resources |
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In crisis counseling, our middle school counselors will provide information about coping strategies for students who have undergone some element of stress or tragedy. They will also aid in the development of students' abilities to create positive peer relationships. There are also community agencies, which are available for consultation and short term counseling, by referral.
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Grief Group Counseling: The small group sessions go through several lessons helping students learn how to deal with loss in their lives.
Making Positive Choices
Middle school counselors provide support and services in a variety of ways. One high priority for middle school counselors is to help students create strong decision-making abilities. A difficult problem for any parent or educator of middle school students is the fact that during this age, many students begin relying more closely on their peers for guidance and acceptance than parents. Therefore, helping students make positive choices on how they affect others is a preference for middle school counselors.
Choices Program – Youthville Organization
The Choices program is a combination of common-sense lessons and thought provoking ideas aimed at helping individuals learn to make good decisions. The program utilizes a discussion learning format allowing individuals to actively participate by encouraging them to stop and think about the consequences prior to making decisions.
The Choices program is a combination of common-sense lessons and thought provoking ideas aimed at helping individuals learn to make good decisions. The program utilizes a discussion learning format allowing individuals to actively participate by encouraging them to stop and think about the consequences prior to making decisions.
Academic Support & Career Planning
Our middle school counselor will also provide academic skills support through classroom sessions, on study and test-taking skills, and will discuss career planning options along with helping students develop individual portfolios.
Student e-PortfolioStudents are required to include evidence that showcases their learning and growth throughout middle school years (6th, 7th and 8th grades) in all four categories. Students will begin building their e-Portfolios in their Connect classes. Over the three middle school years, they will select work for their e-Portfolios, reflecting on the work, reviewing, and adding to the e-Portfolio. During their 8th grade year, all students will demonstrate their personal success during their e-Portfolio presentation given to a team made up of community members, educators, and parents. In this presentation, students will display and discuss the contents of their e-Portfolios.
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ResourcesGrade 6 Academic Requirements
Grade 7 Academic Requirements
Grade 8 Academic Requirements
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Bully Prevention & Character Development
One further task that has become a priority for middle school counselors is Bully Prevention and Character development. Our school believes in providing physically safe and emotionally secure environments. For this reason, we require a school plan to address bullying and have developed specific programs, including a provision for the training and education of school staff members and students.