Introduce Families to the Counseling Office Before the School Year Begins

A school’s SEL efforts can start well before the first day of school.

One smart use of your communications channel is to send a school newsletter introducing families to your counseling staff in the weeks before school starts. Not all parents know how to access support for their children, so give them the info they need with a Meet the Counselors newsletter.

Here’s what to include:

1. Introductions

Include a photo, contact info, & description of services for each member of your guidance office. For millennial parents especially, it helps to have a visual reference & a way to contact a counselor via email or text message.

2. Logistics

Make sure drop-in hours are clear, as well as how to make an appointment. You want parents to understand how to access a guidance counselor & be able to guide their kids to the guidance office too, if need be.

Easiest way to do this is with a link or a screen shot.

3. Add resources.

Your counseling office may have multiple services: from college counseling to learning support to mental health guidance. Create a section for each service, and add extra info & resources that families might find useful.

Above all, you want families to feel comfortable seeking out support.

And that’s all there is to it! Get started in a click with this template👇🏽.