Who is a school counselor?
A school counselor must earn a Master’s Degree in school counseling and hold state certification in school counseling to include counseling theories and practices, human behavior, career education, individual appraisal, and social/cultural issues. Maintaining certification includes on-going professional development to stay current with education reform and challenges facing today’s students. Professional association membership enhances the school counselor’s knowledge and effectiveness.
The primary role of school counselors is to help students learn and develop to their highest potential socially, emotionally, and academically. The school counseling program provides students with early interventions as well as preventative strategies to ensure that all students achieve success in school and in life.
School Counseling Phone Number: (804) 530-4710
School Counselors serve all students through core curriculum guidance lessons! We visit each classroom once a month to teach lessons on various social/emotional, academic, and future-focused topics. Some lesson topics may include:
Group Counseling
Group counseling is used frequently with students experiencing commonly shared concerns and/or developmental difficulties in areas such as interpersonal relationships with peers and adults, home problems, school attendance, and academic under-achievement. In such situations, emphasis is on problem solving and the development of positive attitudes and effective personal skills.
Written parental permission must be obtained before a student can participate in group counseling. Each group will run for approximately six to eight weeks. Sessions will be 30 minutes once a week.
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling provides a confidential setting in which students are encouraged to examine and understand feelings, attitudes, concerns, and behaviors. Students can be referred to us by parents, teachers, or administrators. Students may also refer themselves by filling out the form that will be placed in each classroom.
Parents will be informed when individual counseling is being considered. Written parental permission must be obtained before individual counseling sessions can begin.
