Services we provide...
The Meadowdale Counseling Department is an integral part of the education for all students in our school. Our mission is to provide programs and services that support the success of all students as they navigate the middle years and prepare for the future. Middle school can be an exciting yet challenging time for students with their need to explore a variety of interests, connecting their life and classroom learning to its practical use in their life and work and finding their identity.
We coordinate guidance activities that help students plan, monitor and manage their learning process to promote academic, personal, social and emotional success while working in partnership with school staff and families.
Each counselor stays with the same students and monitors their progress throughout their two years at Meadowdale. Our program is proactive and seeks to prevent problems by developing skills in areas such as communication, decision making, conflict resolution, cross cultural effectiveness and personal safety. Our program includes the following components:
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT PLANNING
In a confidential setting, we assist students in areas such as:
- goal setting and decision-making
- academic planning
- career planning
- understanding self, including strengths and weaknesses
- planning for transition - into middle school and into high school
- developing positive attitudes and behavior
- dealing with interpersonal relationships
- crisis intervention
CLASSROOM GUIDANCE
Through a series of planned classroom learning experiences, counselors assist teachers with activities targeting the personal/social academic, and career development of students. This planned, sequential program may focus on topics such as:
- career awareness, exploration and planning
- testing information
- interpersonal skills
- organizational, study and test taking skills
CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION
This aspect of our program is a key vehicle we use in addressing the needs of the middle school student. We consult with parents, teachers, and other educational professionals. We provide in-service for staff and parents in issues relevant to this age group and their development, assist at parent conferences and provide information to staff about how to meet the needs of students experiencing academic and emotional challenges. Through consultation, we provide for the mutual sharing and analysis of information and ideas to assist in planning strategies to help students succeed.
The coordination facet of our program involves managing various aspects of indirect services that contribute to student success. Counselors serve as a liaison between teachers, parents, support personnel and community resources. This may include assisting families in obtaining needed services for their student through a referral process. In this role, counselors may:
- help identify resources needed by parents, students and teachers
- provide interpretation of standardized test results
- assess and facilitate the distribution of information related to student needs
- provide professional development for staff
- consult, collaborate and team with staff
RESPONSIVE SERVICES
The middle school years can be challenging at times for students with their peers and families. The role of the counselor is to offer support to assist each student in finding ways to handles these situations by:
- providing individual and small group counseling
- crisis intervention
- peer facilitation
- referral
- consultation and collaboration