Carroll Johnston Middle School - Counseling and Guidance -

Role and Purpose:

The role of the Johnston Guidance and Counseling Department is to assist every student to derive the maximum possible benefit from their educational experience by removing, or by assisting to over come, obstacles that interfere with learning. We also serve the larger goal of supporting students in becoming responsible, productive citizens through realistic goal planning, college and vocational guidance and assistance with social/emotional concerns.

Services:

Individual counseling
Small group counseling
Teacher/Parent Consultation
Classroom guidance activities
Recognition/Awards programs
Community referrals/School Bell
Information dissemination
Academic monitoring

Individual Counseling: Teachers or parents may refer students (or students may self-refer) for individual (one-to-one) counseling. This counseling is for immediate, acute problems that can be resolved in a relatively short period of time. It is not within the scope of the Johnston Guidance and Counseling Department to provide long term, on-going counseling to individual students and these services must be referred to an outside agency. If determined necessary, the counselor will contact the student's parent/guardian and assist in providing referrals to appropriate private or community agencies.

Small Group Counseling: Small group counseling (4 - 8 students) is provided according to the identified need of the school population determined through either questionnaires or student requests. These groups usually meet once a week over a six to eight week period and focus on such topics as anger management, grief and loss, self-esteem, or social skills. In order to participate in small group counseling, students must have a signed permission form from their parent or guardian.

Teacher/Parent Consultation: Counselors work with parents, teachers, administrators and other professionals to plan and implement strategies and programs to help student success.

Classroom Guidance Activities: Counselors provide classroom guidance activities to individual classrooms (or several classes together) on specific topics identified by the school district, administration, or teachers. These guidance activities may include such topics as test taking strategies, preparing for high school and college, conflict resolution, avoiding sexual harassment, or career information to mention a few possibilities.

Recognition/Awards Programs: The Johnston Guidance and Counseling Department is responsible for over seeing and implementing several school wide recognition/awards programs.

These programs include:

Student of the Month - a monthly luncheon attended by the administration for students who have been identified by their teachers as deserving special recognition for their achievement, effort, or behavior.
Quarterly Straight "A" - Usually a field trip for those students who have received all "A"s on their quarterly report card.
Quarterly Straight "O" - An ice-cream social for those students who have received all "O"s on their quarterly report card.
Honor Cards - students who receive a 3.00 G.P.A. on their quarterly report card with no "D"s or "F"s and nothing less than "S" s in citizenship receive a card entitling them to special privileges and a "Johnston Honor Student" bumper sticker.
End of the Year Awards ceremony - a formal evening event where students are recognized for outstanding year long achievement, citizenship or special contribution to Johnston Middle School.

Community Referrals: The Johnston Guidance and Counseling Department works closely with outside community agencies who provide social/economic services above and beyond which can be provided in a school environment. One such program is Operation School Bell which provides economically challenged students necessary school supplies, grooming aides and clothing.

Information dissemination: One of the most important functions of the Johnston Guidance and Counseling Department is to assist parents, students and staff stay abreast of the most current information regarding such topics as magnet schools, High School graduation requirements and planning, college preparedness including the Millennium Scholarship, summer school, promotion/retention and available community resources just to name a few. This is accomplished through newsletter articles, the school web site, and direct meetings with parents and students.

Academic monitoring: Counselors monitor every student for academic success and to ensure they are on track for promotion to the next grade. Identified students who are at risk for retention are conferenced with individually and in small groups throughout the year. Academic contracts are signed by both the student and parent/guardian which may prescribe the use of daily or weekly progress notes, after school credit retrieval classes, the replacement of an elective class for another core academic class, participation in "Homework Club" and/or mandatory Summer School attendance. Teachers may also refer a student to the counselor due to a lack of academic success. This may be the first step in assessing the student for a possible referral to the Student Intervention Program (SIP) and/or assessment for Special Education Services.

General Information:

Assignment of students to counselors: Students are assigned to a counselor alphabetically by last name. The actual division of the alphabet will be determined each year by an equal distribution of the students to the available counselors. Assigning students to counselors by last name, as opposed to assigning students to counselors by grade, provides several benefits. First, it allows parents/guardians to access only one counselor for all their children enrolled in the school. Two, it allows counselors work with the same students (and siblings) from school year to school year. Lastly, it facilitates the counselors working together as a team and being informed of any activity regardless of grade level involved.

Referring students to the counselor: Teachers can refer a student to the counselor by completing a "Counselor Referral Form" and giving it to the Counselors' Secretary. The student will be called down to the counselor's office as soon as feasible. Due to the possibility of the counselor being in conference or on other duties, please do not send a student down to the counselor's office unless the situation warrants immediate attention by a counselor. Students may also request to see their counselor by filling out a "Counselor Request Form" and giving it to the Counselors' Secretary either before or after school or during "Locker Book Exchange". Students exhibiting extreme emotional distress or depression, harm to one-self or others, or possible neglect or abuse should be sent to the counselor's office immediately and will be seen by the first available counselor.

Confidentiality: All information disclosed to the counselor will be regarded confidential and privileged except for those situations which require disclosure by State or Federal law. Situations requiring mandatory reporting include: possible abuse or neglect, possible danger to self or others, and court order.

Possible abuse or neglect: Federal and State law requires any suspicion of child abuse or neglect be reported to the proper authorities. The law is very clear that it is not the role of the reporter to pass judgment on the truthfulness of the alleged abuse or neglect, but simply make a report if there is any possibility or suspicion. The counselors are available to assist in making a report if necessary and can provide support/counseling to the student during this time. It is always recommended that the school administration be informed whenever an abuse/neglect report is made regarding one of the school's students.

Progressive discipline: A referral to the counselor is considered a part of the progressive discipline process but should not be confused as a disciplinary step in itself. The role of the counselor in progressive discipline is to conference with the student to assist them in gaining a full understanding of the consequences of their behavior and problem solve appropriate solutions. Once this step has been completed, further instances of the problem behavior should be dealt with in the classroom or through the deans' office. If the behavior is so severe or flagrant to warrant removing the student from class, a referral to the deans' office should be considered.

Schedule changes: Schedule changes are only considered if a student is improperly placed in a class academically and never for personal preferences. Schedule changes will not be made due to conflict with a teacher or other students. If deemed in the student's best interest, a teacher may swap periods with another one of the student's teachers if parental permission has been given. At first quarter teachers may make recommendations for students who may benefit from a move to accelerated classes. It is the teacher's responsibility to notify the parent/guardian of the recommended move.