Adams Hill Elementary

Since children may experience a variety of concerns at different developmental stages, Adams Hill Guidance & Counseling Program offers many services that assist students in acquiring knowledge and skills necessary for healthy emotional and social development. Guidance and counseling services are offered for all children in grades PreK-5th grade.

The guidance and counselling program at Adams Hill Elementary is designed to be proactive and preventative as well as developmental. The counselors at Adams Hill work with students in three different settings:

1. All students in PreK-5th grade receive classroom guidance lessons.

2. Students may be invited to participate in a small group counseling setting. In small group counseling, the counselor teaches specific skills to 3-6 students at a time. These groups meet during the school day for six to eight 30 minute sessions.

3. The counselor sees individual students when they have a social or emotional concern, which may interfere with their ability to learn or concentrate in school. An appointment may be made to see the counselor by the student, teacher, parent or invitation by the counselor.

Guidance classes are a part of Northside's Comprehensive Guidance Program in which the counselors teach students different skills to enrich their educational and social emotional lives. These skills are taught to the entire class. The guidance curriculum is intended to support the objectives of academic instruction and to help students develop to their full educational and personal potential. Parents are invited to preview the materials that are used for guidance lessons during Parent Preview at Meet the Teacher or by appointment.

Guidance lessons are intended to cover the following four skill goals:

Intrapersonal Effectiveness

• Positive student self-concept
• Effective executive functioning skills
• Appropriate behavior to the situation and environment

Interpersonal Effectiveness

• Effective interactions with diverse populations
• Effective and appropriate communication skills
• Recognition of personal boundaries, individual rights and privacy needs of others
• Effective conflict resolution skills

Post-Secondary Planning and Career Readiness

• Motivation to succeed in personal endeavors
• Demonstration of career exploration skills
• Possession of the knowledge and skills to gather information for the purpose of postsecondary education and career planning
• Demonstration of awareness of the importance of postsecondary education
• Understanding of the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community

• Development of healthy relationships

Personal Health and Safety

• Incorporation of wellness practices into daily living
• Demonstration of resilience and positive coping skills
• Possession of assertiveness skills necessary for personal protection

The counselors at Adams Hill Elementary offer two types of small group counseling. The first type is developmental. These groups address developmental topics such as social skills, time management, organizational skills, and other skills to help students succeed in school.

The second type of small group counseling offered is specific to a special concern or need. These groups are offered to students who share a common concern. Topics include, but are not limited to family changes, military deployment, managing feelings, adjusting to grief or loss, friendship and building self-confidence.

As part of our responsive services, we also provide individual counseling to help students resolve problems and cope with situations that may cause an interruption in their learning or functioning throughout the school day.

The following are some common issues school counselors may work with students in an individual setting:

• Stress
• Managing Feelings
• Anxiety
• Self-confidence issues
• Identity issues
• Body image
• Difficulty creating and developing healthy friendships or relationships
• Abuse
• Cultural issues
• Unhealthy or unsafe choices and behaviors
• Family issues

After an individual counseling session, the counselor may find the issue or concern beyond what they are able to provide in a school setting and may refer parents or guardians to outside services.

Students can be referred for small group or individual counseling by parents, teachers, counselors, administrators or through self-referral. Students will not be seen in a small counseling group without the written permission of a parent or guardian. All meetings with the school counselor are confidential.

Here are some websites you might find helpful. They include resources for discipline, student safety, school success, kid's health, and other materials you might find useful. Please call or email anytime you or your child need help.