Counseling Center Services  

Classroom Guidance
Counselors assist teachers in promoting healthy student development through a variety of classroom guidance lessons.  Example topics are study skills, decision making, peer pressure, sexual harassment, stress management, test-taking skills, self-esteem, conflict resolution, communication skills and bullying.

Committee/Conference
The counselors are active participants on the Instructional Leadership Team, the Student Support Team, the School-Based Planning Committee, grade-level planning meetings, and parent/teacher conferences.

Crisis Intervention
The counseling staff is ready to implement the crisis intervention plan when needed.  Services include counseling, media communications and outside referrals.  

Group Counseling
Small group counseling sessions are provided according to need.  Examples of group topics include family transition, making friends, anger management, and dealing with grief.  Parent permission is required for student participation.

Independent Conferences
Counselors conference with individual students when referred by teachers, administrators, parents of self-referred.  Forms to request a conference with a counselor are readily available to students in the guidance office.

Peer Diversity
Counselors work with administrators, teachers, and students to teach tolerance and respect for individual differences.

Peer Mediation
Students trained as "conflict managers" assist peers in resolving differences.  These conflicts may occur at school or during transportation to and from school.

Professional Resource Center
The counselors have resource information regarding the school social worker, psychological resource personnel, private tutors, homebound instruction, summer school and workshops.  A resource center with books and videos focusing on specific needs is located in the guidance office.

School Transition
Elementary to middle school and middle to high school transition activities give parents and students the opportunity to become acquainted with the new school environments.  Students gain knowledge through school visitations and presentations.

Standardized Testing
Counselors help coordinate the standardized testing program.  These tests includes: the Eighth Grade Writing Assessment;  the eighth grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS); and the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT).

Suspended Students
Counselors work with students who have served suspension consequences with the purpose of eliminating repeat offenses.