Counseling
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How to see your Counselor
- Students will go to the Sun Valley Middle School Webpage and on the right-hand side click on the quick link named “SVMS Counseling Form”
- The form is also accessible here: Counseling Request Form
- Parents can either call the school or email their student’s counselor:
- 6th Grade Counselor: Shemika McManus
- 7th Grade Counselor: Karianna Mosley
- 8th Grade Counselor: Julie Hatfield
About the Counseling Department
Purpose
- To help each individual student achieve his/her highest growth academically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.
- We try to do this in several ways:
- Helping a new student feel at home in our school with new teachers and peers in a different setting.
- Individual conferences whenever a student, a teacher, or the counselor deems it necessary.
- A testing program designed to help the student learn as much as possible about his/her abilities.
- The counselor welcomes the opportunity to talk things over with any student, parent, or teacher.
Counseling Services
- Counseling services at Sun Valley Middle provide students with opportunities to break down academic and social barriers.
- Individual Counseling
- Small Group Counseling
- Classroom Guidance Lessons
Counseling and Student Services
Definition: We focus on the individual student. We help him or her to discover the way to overcome obstacles that may hinder school success. We work in the classrooms with guidance lessons, we work with small groups, and we provide individual counseling. Counselors work to promote success in school, decision-making and problem-solving skills, career awareness, cooperation, and collaboration between school and home. The school guidance program is sensitive to the issues facing middle school students and their families and attempts to help balance the demands for academic, career, and social competencies. There are four components that provide structure to a comprehensive school guidance program: guidance curriculum, responsive services, individual planning, and system support.
Counselors Help
- Students--develop an understanding of self and others in order to strengthen decision-making and problem-solving skills; ...understand their abilities, identify goals for learning and develop study skills; ...adjust to the change from elementary to middle and begin to understand the changes from middle to high school.
- Parents--learn about their child’s abilities and progress in school; ...become aware of attitudes and behavioral changes of their child; ...understand the school counseling program and procedures.
- School Staff--understand the student’s individual needs, behavior, and ability; ...develop communications through parents and/or student conferences; ... support a team effort to address student needs.
Special Programs/Services
- Duke Tip Identification/Nomination
- Homeroom Helpers Program (current students provide tours and orientation for new students)
- McKinney Vento/Foster Care Management
- 504 Coordination
- Naviance (college and career readiness technology)
- CATA and UCEC Recruitment
- Club Coordination
- Individual Counseling
- Small Group Counseling
- Classroom Guidance
Major Job Responsibilities
- Counsel individuals and groups of students toward academic and career development. Counsel individual and small groups of students toward personal/social development and emotional growth. Consult with and train teachers, parents, and staff regarding the individual needs of students. Refer children and families to special programs, specialists, and community agencies when appropriate. Participate in, coordinate, and conduct activities that contribute to the effective operation of the counseling program. Participate in the intervention team process. Plan and evaluate the counseling program. Pursue continuous growth.
Resources
- Connect with Kids
- Internet Safety
- Seven Habits for Teens
- Red Cross
- Chameleon's Journey- a free annual grief camp
Confidentiality Statement
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School counselors recognize their primary obligation for confidentiality is to the student but balance that obligation with an understanding of the family or guardians’ legal and inherent rights to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives (ASCA Code of Ethics).
The role of the school counselor in regards to confidentiality is:
- To support the students right to privacy and protect confidential information received from students, the family, guardian and staff members
- To explain the meaning and limits of confidentiality to students in developmentally appropriate terms
- To provide appropriate disclosure and informed consent regarding the counseling relationship and confidentiality
- To inform students and the family of the limits to confidentiality when: Student poses a danger to self or others, Court ordered disclosure, Consultation with other professionals in support of the student i.e. colleagues, supervisors, treatment teams, and other support personnel
- To keep personal notes separate from educational records and not disclose their contents except when privacy exceptions exist
- To seek guidance from supervisors and appropriate legal advice when their records are subpoenaed
- To assert their belief that information shared by students is “confidential” and should not be revealed without the student’s consent
- To adhere to all laws protecting student records, health information, and special services (i.e., HIPAA, FERPA, IDEA)