Mission Statement
The mission of the New London Intermediate Middle School - School Counseling Department is to provide a proactive, comprehensive, and developmentally appropriate program to address students' academic and career goals in addition to supporting their personal and social needs. This is accomplished through a partnership with parents/guardians, staff, and community members to enable all students to become successful, productive, contributing citizens and lifelong learners in a diverse and changing world.
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The School Counselor's Role
School counselors design and deliver school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. They lead, advocate and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their school counseling program to the school’s academic mission and school improvement plan. They uphold the ethical and professional standards of ASCA and promote the development of the school counseling program based on the following areas of the ASCA National Model: define, deliver, manage and assess.
School counselors, at the Intermediate/Middle School, reach out to students individually, in small groups or through classroom instruction regarding social-emotional topics, and post-secondary and career planning. Social-emotional topics that are discussed are determined by the needs of the students, however there are common topics that are discussed at every grade level. For example, ways to deal with stress and feeling anxious, having healthy relationships, how to communicate with peers, making goals and advocating for their needs.
Additionally, the Student Services staff assists in coordinating Bulldog of Character events and activities to support character education within the school district and community.
Further information about the importance of having middle school counselors in schools can be found at www.schoolcounselors.org.
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Therapy for Individual Students
Because school counselors are for ALL students, we provide short-term, brief solution-focused counseling. We support and educate students in the areas of academics, healthy social and emotional well being, and post secondary success. Our goal is to help students grow to be successful and productive citizens in our community.
Students who need additional support are referred to the school counselor for assistance by school staff, parents, or student self-referrals. The frequency that a school counselor will meet with a student depends on the needs of that individual, however counselors are not licensed to provide long-term therapy to students.
School counselors will reach out to parents/guardians if a student should need to be referred to an community based mental health organization. Many times, school counselors partner with students' therapists, with signed release from parents, to ensure consistent mental health intervention used in the school setting.
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Classroom Lessons
Intermediate Middle School Counselors provide frequent lessons to grades 5-8. Lessons and presentation are created based on the American School Counseling Association Mindset and Behaviors Standards. Lesson topics are fluid and adjusted to meet the needs of the students at a given time.
Below are some of the research-based curriculum resources that the School Counselors use:
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