Mission Statement:

The mission of the Lewis Elementary School Counseling Program is to assist students in overcoming barriers to learning and to provide a safe and nurturing environment that promotes growth in the academic, career, and social/emotional domains. Through delivery of a comprehensive and developmental program, the Lewis counselors facilitate the support system necessary to ensure that all students are empowered with the skills and knowledge they will need for a successful and productive future.

Services:

School Counselors are uniquely qualified to remove barriers to learning. We offer different services to enable us to address the needs of all students.  

Counseling Core Curriculum Lessons 

The School Counselors teach lessons to each class one to two times per month for 30-45 minutes. The foundation for this instruction comes from the American School Counselor Association's Mindsets and Behaviors. The lessons are based on our local school’s needs as identified through needs assessments and are designed to match the developmental levels of our elementary students. Our lessons cover three domains of academic success, career exploration, and social/emotional development. 

Group Counseling

The counseling department offers a variety of small groups throughout the school year based on the students' needs. Parents, teachers, or the counselors may refer students for specific groups. In order for a child to be in a group, we must have parent/guardian permission on file. Typically, groups meet 30 minutes, once a week, for six to eight weeks. The groups we offer vary based on need but may include study/organizational skills, friendship/social skills, anger management, anxiety, grief and loss, and self-esteem groups. If you feel your child may benefit by participating in one of these groups, please contact the counseling department to find out more.  

Individual Counseling 

Occasionally a student may need to see the School Counselor individually. Students may request a counselor appointment or they may be referred by the classroom teacher or their parents. We work with the child's teacher to determine the best time for these sessions to take place. Sessions typically last about 15 -20 minutes. The situation may be resolved in one session or a student might see the counselor for 3-4 follow-up sessions. If the situation requires more than this we may suggest that the student join a small group or we will talk with the parents about other recommendations. These sessions are kept confidential unless the child discloses that he/she is being hurt, is hurting someone else, or wants to hurt him/herself. In these cases we are legally obligated to report the information. If the student shares other information we feel the teacher or parent needs to be aware of, we discuss it with the child before sharing this information. If you feel your child would benefit from individual counseling please contact the counselor by email or phone.  

Parent Consultations

Sometimes a student's needs can be best served by a parent consultation with the counselor. Parents are the main influence on a student and many student situations need the parents' involvement. In addition, the school counselor has a unique perspective on the student and school issues that can be helpful. The counselor will be glad to talk with you, please call or email for an appointment.

The Lewis School Counseling Program should…

* address goals and objectives that are based on national standards and are developmentally appropriate to K-5 students

* be focused on primary prevention

* be planned and coordinated by the school counseling team, in partnership with other educators, parents and guardians, and community representatives

* be delivered through classroom counseling lessons, small group and individual counseling, responsive services, and system supports by the school counselors

* use available resources, both school and community based, in the delivery of the program

* utilize the Advisory Council to review and modify program goals, receive feedback, and discuss implementation of the School Counseling Curriculum

* be evaluated annually by the school counseling team

* use data to drive future program development

* establish a framework for monitoring student progress  

The school counselors at Lewis Elementary will…

* ensure that all students’ abilities are recognized and that opportunities to reach their fullest potential remain within their reach

* abide by the ethical standards as set forth by the American School Counselor Association

* participate in professional development activities and growth opportunities in an effort to maintain a quality school counseling program