What is an elementary school counselor?

  • A certified, specially trained professional educator who has a minimum of a Masters Degree in School Counseling or the equivalent.
  • A special friend when a child needs someone to listen.
  • An advocate for students.
  • A caring person who provides help and guidance to teachers, parents, students, and administrators.
  • Someone who counsels with students both individually and in groups.
  • A teacher of social-emotional learning curriculum.

What does an elementary school counselor do?

  • Offers the student body a wide range of school counseling services that are developmentally appropriate for each grade level, and are generally preventative in nature.
  • Conducts a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate guidance and counseling program based on the American School Counseling Associations national model.
  • Collaborates with staff to support students.
  • Utilizes referral services and helps families and students to access community resources.
  • Conducts parent and teacher conferences.
  • Provides guidance lessons to each class and works with identified groups of children with specific needs.
  • Provides brief individual counseling to:
    • help students develop effective communication skills;
    • help students develop positive interpersonal relationship skills;
    • help students set positive goals, exercise responsibility and improve academic success;
    • help provide support during a crisis.

A child may see the counselor for:

  • Any social or emotional problems that they may be experiencing that are impacting the student’s academic performance and functioning at school.
  • Ongoing social difficulties and/or conflicts.
  • Divorce or changing family issues.
  • A loss of a family member or close friend.
  • Decision-making and problem-solving skills.
  • Improvement and aid in the development of positive self-esteem.
  • Family concerns or fears.
  • Developing and increasing social, self-regulation and organizational skills as it relates to functioning at school.
  • Review and discussion of academic needs and concerns.
  • Individual counseling at school is short-term in nature. Should a student need long term, on-going therapy, a referral can be made to an outside mental health provider. Individual counseling referrals for students can be made through the request of a student, parent or teacher.

CPS Bullying Prevention & Intervention Plan

Counseling Resources at Chelmsford Public Schools