What is a school counselor?
School counselors are partners in the educational process along with students, parents, and fellow educators. The school counselor’s primary focus is to assist in ensuring that the holistic needs of the students are met. Professional school counselors are certified/licensed educators with a minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling making them uniquely qualified to address all students’ academic, personal/social and career development needs by designing, implementing, evaluating and enhancing a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student success (American School Counselor Association, 2009).
What services does a school counselor provide?
Overall, school counselors are an integral part of the total educational program. They can help students to explore career options, enhance personal confidence, identify barriers to success, and increase academic progress. Examples of some of the school counselor’s areas of specialization and expertise include character education, study skills, focused programmatic presentations, college and career readiness, transcript evaluation, anger management, crisis intervention, social skills acquisition, small and large group sessions, guided imagery, and information concerning community agencies and activities.
What is the role of the school counseling program?
The school counseling program operates in support of the school mission and vision. School counselors are trained in advocacy, intervention, consultation, and prevention. Their ultimate goal is to enable students to achieve success in school and to become responsible and productive members of society. Some of the greatest assets that school counselors possess are their ability to listen, communicate, and follow through. These skills are essential for success in diffusing and hopefully resolving many of the situations they encounter. Counselors strive to provide balance, harmony, and productivity within the learning environment. Their broad base of knowledge and abilities helps to render them an indispensible resource to the school community as a whole. Currently, there are approximately ninety-five professional school counselors in fifty-three educational sites within our school system.
