Guidance and Counseling - MAES

Classroom Guidance and Counseling

The school counselor teaches classroom guidance lessons in the regular classroom setting to all students in each grade level throughout the school year to help students gain an awareness of self, others, and the world around them. The focus of classroom guidance and counseling are to foster students' academic, social, emotional and career development through a planned series of guidance activities. Specific topics may be addressed in different grade levels. Topics include, but are not limited to:

Group Counseling

The school counselor also conducts small group counseling sessions to enhance developmental areas such as friendship skills, personal adjustment, anger management skills, interpersonal concerns, academic development, behavior modification, self-image and self-confidence. Group counseling can also address concerns about family issues, such as separation, divorce, grief, and loss. Many other group counseling topics may be offered, inquire with the elementary school counselor if you and your student have a need for a particular group. Parents, teachers, administrators, para-professionals may refer students to group counseling. Students also may self-refer. If the student is referred for this service by someone other than the parent and it is appropriate to be part of small group counseling sessions, the parent will be contacted for permission before group counseling begins.

Individual Counseling

The school counselor works with individual students to help them better express their concerns and problems, to better understand themselves and others, and to work toward positive educational, personal, and social development. A parent can access this service for their child by contacting the elementary school counselor. Students also may self-refer for an individual brief counseling appointment. Other school professionals may refer a student for an individual brief counseling session. If a child has been referred for these services by someone other than the parent and continued counseling is needed the parent will be contacted for permission.

The goals and objectives for the classroom guidance and counseling program can be found in the Morris Area Elementary School's Classroom Guidance and Counseling Scope and Sequence.