Cartersville Primary School Comprehensive Developmental

School Counseling Plan 2021-2022

The CPS Professional School Counselors deliver a comprehensive program that addresses the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. The program is designed to be proactive in nature, while providing a safe place for problem solving which values individual differences and needs. The School Counselors work in partnership with other educators, parents and families of CPS students, and other professionals in the community.

During the primary years students begin to develop character values, academic and social self-concepts, as well as feelings of competence and confidence as learners. Early identification and intervention with children experiencing academic and/or social and emotional difficulties is essential for removing barriers to learning and promoting academic achievement and future success.

 Counseling Caseloads:

Every month we will teach a lesson in the classrooms. Our lessons will reinforce the character word each month. We will also teach a school counseling lesson relating to academics, personal/social development or on careers.   

The Counselors provide the following services for their caseloads:

**Monthly core curriculum lessons which focus on the CPS character words and American School Counseling Association standards addressing personal safety and bullying, substance abuse education, career awareness and development of empathy, self-esteem, appropriate social skills, coping strategies, and problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

**Individual counseling (brief, solution focused, short-term counseling) with students struggling with personal, emotional, family or behavioral issues that are preventing them from achieving academically. A referral to see a counselor may be made by a student, parent, teacher, or administrator.

**Counseling small groups of children with similar concerns who can offer each other support.

**Consult with teachers and parents to assist them in understanding and meeting individual student needs.

**Collaborate with teachers, administrators and social workers to identify barriers to achievement and providing interventions for students who require them.

**Promote the development of healthy families by offering guidance and support to parents and furnishing information regarding community resources and professionals as needed.

**Facilitate the resolution of individual, family and/or school crises.

 The Counselors coordinate the following programs at CPS:

- Character Education Program

- Mentoring Program

- Rainbows Grief and Loss Counseling Groups

- Attendance Support Team Meetings

-Orientation for new students

-College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) 

Please call your counselor if you need help for your child and your family.

We are here for you!