SVA School Counseling Program 2023-2024

School Counseling Program 2023-2024

What is a School Counselor?

What is a school counselor?

Trained mental health professional with a Master’s degree in Counseling from an Accredited University.

Committed to promoting social emotional growth and academic success for all scholars from Pre-K – 8th grade.

What do they do?

School Counselors wear many hats. They serve to help remove barriers for scholars to help support them academically. Each year, Mrs. Flores works with school administration and uses data to drive the upcoming school year programs. Mrs. Flores will deliver classroom lessons, individual counseling (not ongoing), provide small group counseling, responsive services, makes referrals to outside agencies and crisis interventions. They will also work with parents, teachers, and scholars to help make their year successful.

 Responsive Services:

o Meeting immediate needs and concerns of scholars.

o Support in crisis situations.

o Consultation and collaboration with staff, families, and specialists.

 Academic:

o Classroom behavior support

o Goal setting

 College & Career:

o Explore interests and skills

o Awareness of college & career options

o Development of life skills

 Personal & Social Skills:

o Building Self-Esteem

o Making & Keeping Friends

o Coping Skills

o Bereavement & Grief

o Anger Management

o Problem Solving Skills

o Strengths and Resiliency

o Conflict Resolution

o Peer Mediation

School Counselor FAQs

What is the focus of their services?

School counseling is considered a regular/general educational service provided by the school.  Mrs. Flores may meet with any scholars at the school at any time. The primary focus of the School Counselor is to help scholars be ready to learn.  Focusing on academic development, personal/social development, career awareness and exploration, working with all scholars, either individually, in small groups, or with the whole class.

How are services delivered?

 Classroom Guidance:

Guidance lessons will consist of many of the topics listed above and in the Academic, College & Career, and Personal/Social areas.  The frequency of classroom guidance lessons will vary, but typically 1-2 times per month/per grade level.  Classroom guidance lessons will engage scholars with developmentally appropriate, interactive lessons while creating awareness of self and others.

 Small-Group Counseling:

Generally, a group of 3-5 scholars, formed by grade level and/or sharing a common concern.  Help and support scholars in areas of self-confidence, friendship, grief, attitude, and behavior changes, and more.

 Individual Counseling:

The School Counselor will work 1:1 with scholars, focusing on specific topics to the child's individual needs and area of growth.

How can my child see the School Counselor?

scholars (grades Pre-K to 8th) can request to see Mrs. Flores by completing a referral form located in every class or write a note on a piece of paper and leave it in the mailbox, located on her office door.  Scholars in younger grades such as Pre-K to 1 st may have their teacher fill out the form or their teacher will reach out to Mrs. Flores via phone.  Often though, scholars are seen due to parent or teacher referral. Other times, scholars with quick questions or concerns will drop by and see Mrs. Flores throughout the day.

How often will my child see the School Counselor?

Depending on the scholar, those receiving services will meet with Mrs. Flores between 2-3 times a month for 15-30 minutes per session.  scholars may take part in both a small counseling group & 1:1 counseling or periodical check-ins.  Appropriate adjustments will be made, and all services and sessions will be during school hours and are free of charge.

School Counselor FAQs

Will parents/guardians be notified if their child sees the School Counselor?

Parents are not automatically notified if their child meets with Mrs. Flores. If the scholar starts being seen regularly, Mrs. Flores will inform the parents. While qualified, School Counselors are not to be used as ongoing therapists for scholars. If Mrs. Flores feels that a scholar can benefit from outside counseling, she will notify parents and help support them with community resources. Confidentiality is an essential part of the counselor/ scholar relationship, which is held in high regard. Mrs. Flores will usually ask for scholar permission before sharing with parents. However, if a scholar is a danger to themselves or others, parents are always notified immediately.

Will everyone know that my child is seeing the School Counselor?

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the School Counseling Profession. For the scholar to feel comfortable, it is vital to safeguard their information. Mrs. Flores will only share information with teachers and parents with scholar permission. If a scholar is a danger to themselves or others, parents are notified immediately, regardless of if the scholar wants that information shared.

Is my child in trouble if they see the School Counselor?

Mrs. Flores does not handle discipline or give consequences for scholar behavior. Scholars should not view coming to see Mrs. Flores as a negative experience. If a scholar receives discipline from an administrator, Mrs. Flores will usually see the scholar within a few days as a follow-up. It is not to reinforce the consequence but to talk about what happened and help brainstorm ways to positively handle similar situations.

When is it appropriate to contact my child’s School Counselor?

Parents and guardians are encouraged to contact Mrs. Flores with questions or concerns regarding issues that may be affecting your child’s academic progress.  Such topics could include family changes, social difficulties, or mental health problems.  Opening the door of communication to your child's challenges is beneficial to the services that the School Counselor can provide to your child during the school day. Mrs. Flores can be reached via ClassDojo, cell phone (602)585-7641 or email, lflores@sunvalleyacademy.org

How is a School Counselor different from a therapist?

School Counselors help scholars be ready for learning by providing short-term assistance with particular issues that may be roadblocks to their education.  Therapists treat mental health disorders on an ongoing, usually regularly scheduled basis. If a child is upset or distressed in school, Mrs. Flores will work with the child to help the child be ready to learn.  For issues beyond School Counseling's scope, Mrs. Flores can provide community resources to the scholar's parent or guardian.

School Counselor FAQs

Do you make mental health diagnoses?

No, School Counselors do not make mental health diagnoses. However, they use direct observation, input from parents, teachers, other staff, and information from the scholar to create a portrait of the scholar in the school environment. This information is used in conjunction with the teachers to determine strategies to help scholars succeed in the school setting.

Will you recommend mental health resources?

While not making recommendations, Mrs. Flores will provide parents with a list of local mental health resources upon request, or if there is a concern.  The choice of practice or agency is strictly the decision of the parent or guardian.

Can School Counselors provide financial help resources to parents?

School Counselors can provide parents and guardians with community resources and contact for assistance with food, clothing, or medical coverage. Periodically, anonymous community members will donate/provide services to parents that display a need in other areas such as utilities, transportation, etc….

If your family requires help, please contact Mrs. Flores at (602)585-7641 or  lflores@sunvalleyacademy.org

Are School Counselors available to assist scholars with grief or trauma?

Absolutely.  School Counselors are concerned for scholars as individuals and for their preparedness to learn and be successful in the school setting.  Grief and trauma are roadblocks to the brain’s readiness to learn. Mrs. Flores will work with scholars to process grief and provide community resources for families should the grief need further attention.

What is the School Counselors' role in reducing/preventing bullying?

School Counselors work with the school population through classroom lessons &/or assemblies to raise the scholars' awareness regarding strategies to reduce bullying, identify the roles played in a bullying situation, and appropriate responses.  Mrs. Flores will also work with scholars in small groups or individually to help scholars recognize their roles in a particular situation and discover ways to relate to others more positively.

School Counselors and Social Emotional Learning

What is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)?

SEL is the process of learning to:

Recognize and Manage Our Emotions

Build and Maintain Relationships with others

Make Thoughtful, Responsible Decisions

Avoid Negative Behaviors

What are the benefits of teaching SEL?

SEL incorporates evidenced based skills that provide the foundation for developing positive relationships with others in school, at home, and throughout our lifetime. Teaching SEL skills empowers scholars, increases their academic success, reduces emotional distress and disruptive behaviors, and promotes a positive classroom learning environment.

The foundational SEL skills are:

Recognizing and Managing Emotions

Developing Empathy Towards Others

Developing Interpersonal Skills and Social Awareness

Decision Making Skills

Mindfulness

School Counselors Teach SEL Skills…

In Individual Sessions with scholars

In Small Group Settings

In Classroom Presentations, where scholars learn to incorporate SEL skills in school and at home

Does this mean Leader In Me is going away?

No, Leader In Me is NOT going away. By teaching SEL skills, this will enhance the Leader In Me program.

Where can I get more information on SEL?

Arizona Department of Education - https://www.azed.gov/SEL

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning - www.casel.org

I can be reached by calling or texting (602) 585-7641. Calling my office at (602) 692-4914

ClassDojo

Or by E-mail: lflores@sunvalleyacademy.org For