Collaboration for Success
The school counselor collaborates with and provides services to students, parents, school staff, and the community. This may be through:
direct, in-person interactions with students through classroom curriculum and group activities,
individual planning sessions to assist students to meet specific needs and goals, or
responsive services to address students' immediate needs and concerns.
The school counselor does not provide therapy for students but can provide resources for families looking for private counselors or therapists.
The school counselor helps plan and schedules student classes and coordinates support services to help ensure students have appropriate access to education.
The school counselor may also answer questions regarding:
Student social and emotional development
504 plan process and eligibility
Suicide risk assessment
Confidentiality and professionalism
Coordination of support services
The school counselor maintains confidentiality with regard to all interactions unless consent is given or an individual is at risk of self-harm, harm by others, or as required by law, as in the case of suspected abuse or neglect or criminal activity.
Parents have the right to refuse counseling services for their child. If parents do not want their child to access counseling services, they simply need to write a letter indicating that preference. It is the parent's responsibility to renew this information at transition points in the child's education. Refusing counseling services will not exclude students from meeting with a counselor for concerns about academics or the classroom curricular component.