The role and challenges of school counselors in public education

¶ … school counselor/School psychologist in the school?

The role of the school counselor is multi-faceted. As a counselor, I support a student's social and emotional well-being. While people might assume I just help students feel better or help them deal with personal problems, I also aid students when it comes to their career development and academic success. By following the ASCA National Model, I have gained an excellent framework from which I can assist students. The first thing I do is set up monthly and annual calendars ensuring I prioritize my time as well as meet the needs of the students that come and see me. It can get very hectic as I tend to a case load of 250 students.

How are guidance services or psychological services provided in the district level and school level?

They are provided by first doing an initial assessment and partnering with a local community health organization. The school gets some of its funding for these kinds of services from the government and the HRSA Health Center Program. By partnering with a community health organization, medical professionals like nurses can come in and attend to student health problems.

C. What is your ideal role? How does the role differ from your ideal role?

My ideal role would be to do individual counseling more often than I do. I enjoy being able to help people on an individual basis. The problem is, group counseling can be just as helpful and students may not be willing to open up when it is just them and myself. Students sometimes feel more open to discuss their problems when they feel they are surrounded by their peers. It can be challenging doing group counseling as sometimes I have students that are not interested and want to not participate.

D. What is the educational preparation needed for the role within the school setting? (If the person needs clarification, ask them about the courses they have taken).

I have a Bachelors in counseling and a master's degree in school counseling. I also had to become licensed according to state requirements. I had to do a number of supervised hours if I recall, I took courses on group counseling and human growth and development. There was also a background check when I got the job.

E. What are the ethical challenges in the public schools?

Bullying is a major concern in public schools. I think the slew of school shootings, and the lawsuits that come from parents angered by lack of school intervention, have had a profound effect on how school policy is formed with regards to bullying. It is a challenge to try to help students without overstepping professional boundaries. When a student is suicidal or discusses being picked on, it is hard not to intervene in a personal way, but instead stick to protocol and try to discuss things with the principal or the student's parents. There is always a need to maintain an attitude of professionalism in order to keep things from falling apart and that is for me, a major ethical challenge.

I also think bullying is so hard to identify and with some public schools adopting a zero-tolerance policy on bullying, it may have negative effects on students and school staff. Students are not always in the right mindset and as they mature, they learn from their mistakes. For example, the other day a student brought a utility knife to school. While it was clear he had no intentions of harming anyone, it was taken from him and he had to endure disciplinary action. What seems like a harmless act now is taken as a serious matter.

L. What is your role in threat assessment of students?

With individual counseling, I feel I get a better indicator of how well I am helping the student and addressing their concerns. However, considering I have such a large caseload each year, just doing individual counseling would be impossible. It is unfortunate because threat assessment is much better handled on an individual level. Instead, I try to gather data from best practices to help identify potential problems.

M. What is the school policy regarding threat assessment?

Research is important. Understanding behaviors that lead to attacks and how to identify these behaviors is crucial to threat assessment. The steps for threat assessment is to identify, assess, and manage.

N. What is your role in crisis intervention?

I would say my role is to deescalate a situation. I would try to get help from school security or other school personnel and try to keep things from getting too out of hand. I am only a counselor and am not trained to restrain anyone, but if I had no other option, for example in a school shooting, I would try my best to escort students out and provide a way to keep students from being harmed.

O. What is the school policy regarding crisis intervention?

Here at the Chariho Regional School District, the main objective is to maintain a safe school environment. While there are guidelines in place to help students and school staff during an emergency, the policy does not prohibit any school agent, employee, or teach from using reasonable force to safeguard students, themselves, or others from serious, imminent physical harm. From what I can recall, in terms of restraint procedures, physical restraint may only be used after ever attempt is made to alert additional school personal for assistance or observation. When every effort is made to avoid escalating or prolonging the situation, and isolating the restraint situation. Obviously someone restraining a student or other cannot be excessively violent and should follow safety procedures to minimize or avoid physical harm.

P. What Mental Health programs are available at the district and/or school level?

There is a school-based health center. These kinds of programs are typically operated as a partnership between a community health organization and the school. The program offers health promotion and education, case management, nutrition education, and substance abuse counseling along with metal/behavioral health care and even primary medical care. Aside from that, there is no specific mental health program available, but there are many online resources.

Q. How are students with learning, or behavioral difficulties referred to guidance services or psychological services?

They first need to be assessed by a psychiatrist. A psych evaluation usually provides information for behavioral or mental disabilities. Physical disabilities are proven through a physician evaluation. From there they get the appropriate help and options that will enable the best educational outcomes for them.