Elementary school is a time when students develop attitudes concerning school, self, peers, social groups, and family.  It is a time when students develop decision-making, communication, and life training skills and character values. Elementary counselors are responding to today's needs by providing children with comprehensive and developmental school counseling programs.

Elementary school years set the tone for developing skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for our children to become healthy, productive adults. With a comprehensive developmental counseling program, counselors work as a team with school, parents, and community to create a caring atmosphere whereby children's needs are met through prevention, early identification, and intervention.

Source: American School Counselor Association

Misson Statement

My number one goal is to implement a comprehensive developmental counseling program that will meet students’ needs through prevention, early identification, and intervention on academic, social, and emotional levels.   Comprehensive developmental counseling is based on prevention, providing goals which are integrated into all aspects of children's lives. Early identification and intervention of children's problems are essential to change some of the current statistics regarding self-destructive behaviors.  If we wait until children are in middle or high school to address these problems, we lose the opportunity to help them achieve their potential, as well as feelings of dignity and self-worth. For many children, the school counselor may be the one person who provides an atmosphere of safety, trust and positive regard.

 Program Goals

• Helping children develop an understanding of themselves and others
• Giving children an opportunity to talk about and understand their educational, personal, and social concerns.
• Increase multi-cultural awareness and understanding.
• Helping children develop competence in the decision making process.
• Helping children develop awareness of the world of work.

Classroom Guidance Lessons

All classrooms will receive monthly classroom guidance focusing on understanding of self and others; coping strategies; peer relationships and effective social skills; communication; problem solving, decision making, conflict resolution, study skills; career  and multicultural awarenees.

Individual Sessions and Small Group Counseling

Discuss and explore a variety of topics with referred students including but not limited to self-esteem, managing emotions, personal judgement, family issues, interpersonal concerns, academic development, and behavior modification.

Helpful Websites: http://www.kellybear.com/ParentTips.html http://www.teachervision.com http://www.nea.org http://www.kidsource.com   Don't Take It Out On Your Kids is a positive discipline technique for teachers and parents to handle difficult situations with children. http://www.cei.net/~rcox/dontake.html   Parenting Tips for Better Sleep for Children   Good Behavior Charts :   http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~tbushey/tidbits/page1.htm Goodkids is a parenting guide, with many ideas and helpful hints. http://home.flash.net/~goodkids/ ED Publications for Parents includes not only the popular "Helping Your Child..." series for parents (some available in Spanish) but also other booklets and articles available on line on topics ranging from reading to the Internet to financial aid for college. Published by the US Dept of Education. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/ Family Education Network lists information of general interest to parents and students, including homework help, health, and disability "channels".   http://familyeducation.com/home/ Hand in Hand to Educate Children gives ideas for Parents and Teachers to give children the desire to learn and work hard through better communication resulting in a better education. http://www.handinhand.org/tips.html Communication Tips for Parents and Kids has a list of tips aimed at improving communication between parents and their children along with related articles. http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/communication_tips.3.19.html Parent Soup is a general interest site for parents and students, this one features parent chats, surveys, activities, and articles about issues affecting children and families. http://www.parentsoup.com/