Some
people may wonder "What exactly does an elementary school counselor
do?" Many of us did not grow up having a counselor in our elementary
school, so it is hard to imagine how an elementary school counselor spends his/ her day. To help answer this question I have listed below many,
though not all, of my responsibilities at W.D. Williams Elementary
School:
- Provide short-term individual counseling to students for normal developmental issues
- Refer to community mental health agencies, as needed
- Work with community agencies to help provide referred students with additional support at school; consultation with personnel
- Offer counseling group to students who may share the same concerns (example - friendships)
- Consult with teachers
- Consult with parents
- Offer support at teacher/ parent meetings
- Help connect families with community resources
- Coordinate the Manna Backpack program, as well as our own school pantry, to help support food insecure students
- Chairperson
of the K - 2 T.I.P.S. Committee - this committee, which is made up of
teachers across grade levels/ disciplines, helps to put interventions in
place for students needing extra support
- Chairperson of
C.H.A.P.S. (Child Help and Parent Support) - this committee, which
consists of our administration and student support personnel, helps to
support our families and students various services
- Chairperson of P.B.I.S. (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support)
- Member of the School Crisis Team
- Sponsor of the Student Council
- Teach classroom guidance lessons for kindergarten through 5th grade
- Offer school tours to prospective W.D. families
- Serve as a liaison to community organizations that assist our school, such as Hand in Hand and the Black Mountain Rotary Club
- Coordinate with C.A.P.S. (Child Abuse Prevention Services) for K - 5 safety and abuse prevention lessons
- Assist 5th graders with transition to middle school by coordinating meetings and tours
- Health Fair coordinator
- School liaison for Kids on Campus/ Big Brothers/ Big Sisters programs