Never Fear, the Counselor's Here!
How can I help?
I am here to help all our students succeed in school.
It's that simple! I can do this in a number of ways- in order to do well in school, students may need assistance with their social, emotional, or academic needs during the school day. My comprehensive counseling program is designed to meet these needs through the following services: individual sessions, group counseling sessions, and school counseling core curriculum lessons.
- Individual sessions: I can meet with students to discuss any number of concerns. Students can self-refer to me by filling out an appointment request form. Parents and teachers can also request that I meet with a student. I will provide you with an "appointment slip' on the morning of the meeting and, if necessary, coordinate a good time to meet. For the most part, students will come directly to me for these meetings, but sometimes I will come to pick them up.
- Group Counseling Sessions: I meet with groups of students for structured, scheduled group sessions that focus on a particular skill like strategies for academic success or stress management techniques. I will offer one series of the groups in the fall and another one mid-winter. We meet once a week,on a rotating schedule, for about 7 weeks. Parents sign students up for these groups and you are welcome to recommend any student for the program if you think they would benefit from the experience.
- School Counseling Core Curriculum Lessons: I am scheduled to come teach lessons in your classroom every two weeks and I will provide you with this schedule and the topics for the year. Should we miss a class because of a holiday or absence, I will do my best to make it up.
In addition, I work with parents and outside professionals (pediatricians or therapists) to ensure that students' needs are met in the school setting.
Here are some fun lessons we did last year!
Career Exploration
Learning about Respect
Research Skills and Career Exploration
I am also here to help teachers and staff!
Here are just a few of the ways I can help you:
- Student Concerns: Do you have a concern or question about one of your students? Please let me know and we can discuss ways to assist your student. Please use a student referral form to document your concerns:
Student Referral Form: Google Document (printable form) - Classroom observations-do you have concerns about a particular student in the classroom setting? I can do an observation and we can collaborate to address these issues.
- Behavior Management: We can work together to create and implement classroom behavior plans or individual behavior contracts.
- Integrated lessons: we can integrate academic skills into my classroom lessons to review and reinforce particular skills
- Parent/Teacher conferences: I am happy to join you for parent meetings
- Class Meetings: If you would like assistance planning or facilitating these meetings, please let me know!
- Creative ideas and strategies: follow me on Pinterest for some great teaching ideas!
What is comprehensive school counseling?
Comprehensive School Counseling
Contacting the Counselor
Beth Mertens, M.A.Ed, NCC
Email: mertensminute@Gmail.com
Twitter: @mertensminute