Middle School Counseling

 

The middle school counseling program is designed with our students at the center.  We want our students to feel valued, cared for, and connected to our learning community. We want our students to grow into individuals who know themselves as learners and are able to set and achieve goals.  We want our students to understand their personal value systems as well as their responsibilities as a world citizen. We want our students to practice working with each other in respectful, open-minded ways to solve real-world problems.  We want students to recognize their emotions and find healthy ways to experience and express them. We want students to build strong, positive friendships that support them during this challenging period of rapid physical and emotional growth. The goal of our counseling program is to create experiences, which motivate our students to become an integral part of our caring community of creative, open-minded, responsible, and excellent learners and people.

 

There are a variety of programs from which all middle school students and families benefit.  There is a daily advisory program designed by the middle school counselor and delivered by middle school teachers.  This program focuses on academic, personal development, and career topics. There are transition programs for all students entering and exiting the middle school. There is a monthly MS leadership meeting during which all students are monitored for academic, social, and emotional progress.  There are parenting workshops, Jag Journal articles and resources posted on the ISD counselor website to help families support their middle school students.

 

There are some experiences designed for those students or families who may require more services.  Individual student meetings are available for academic guidance, brief problem-solving strategy discussions, as well as for more in-depth emotional support.  Small group meetings are arranged for students who require extra intervention to build stronger social skills. Student-Teacher-Counselor problem-solving meetings are set for students who are experiencing academic or behavioral challenges. Individual family meetings are arranged so students, teachers, and families can build a strong partnership to address academic, social, and/or emotional student needs.

​

High School Counseling

The High School Counseling Center aims to help individual students achieve academic and personal success. The primary role is to assist students with academic, personal, social, emotional or family concerns, and to develop the skill of making good decisions. The counselor also plays a large role in college and career counseling. The open-door policy of the High School counseling offices encourages students to see their counselors throughout the year.

​

From school-related problems, as individuals or small groups, whether academic, personal, social or family conflicts, the counselor is there to help. Gaining insights into their behaviors, understanding attitudes, interests and capabilities, or learning how to make intelligent decisions, the counselor works with students through issues. So, if students come in sharing common problems like adjusting to school, changing peer relationships, managing parent expectations or needing to develop study habits, the high school counselor is there.

 

​

College Counseling

The future planning and college counseling program at ISD builds on self-exploration from Grades 9 through 12. The futures and college counseling program begin more formally in 11th grade when students begin to think about and develop plans for potential future paths. The counselor helps students make informed choices about "best fit" plans that match their strengths and needs. At the beginning of Grade 12 students refine and finalize plans, with the counselor guiding the university application or gap year planning process.