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Westview's Guidance and CounselingProgram

Dear Friends,
 
The Guidance and Counseling Department at Westview is designed to meet the unique needs of every student and is an important part of Westview's total educational program.  Your counselors offer a variety of activities and services to help students acquire the life-long learning skills necessary to be successful learners as well as healthy, happy, well-rounded adults.  
 
Here are just a few services that we provide:
  • Counselors teach developmental classroom guidance lessons (K-5). 
  • We offer small group and individual short-term counseling.  
  • We provide referrals to community agencies. 
  • Counselors can offer support and guidance to parents on how to handle concerns, where to go for resources, or by providing information on a variety of child-related issues.
  • We respond to personal crises as well as provide support to school-wide programs benefiting our students and families.  
 
Read on to learn more about our curriculum and services.  Call us anytime. We care and we are here to help!

 

Sincerely,



Margaret Solis and Angie Smith

Westview's Professional School Counselors

Counseling and Guidance Program Philosophy

The Excelsior Springs School District recognizes that each student is unique and will benefit from a wide range of learning experiences including those that develop social and emotional skills. The Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program is designed to assist individuals with total development which prepares them to lead productive lives and possess feelings of self-worth. The district recognizes that guidance and counseling is a systematic process of aiding and preparing all students to make appropriate life choices, plans and adjustments.

 

Recognizing that guidance is an integral part of the school’s instructional offerings, ESSD develops and implements programs to incorporate the following:

 

  • Guidance is regarded as joint responsibility of all members of the school staff.  Counselors have responsibility for organizing the guidance and counseling aspects of the school program.

  • Self-development over the lifespan of each student implies continuous development in areas of intellectual, physical, social and emotional growth as well as career planning, preparation, and placement.

  • Administrators, parents/guardians, teachers, students, and community organizations are to be made familiar with the philosophy and purposes of the Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program.

  • Processes and experiences which assist students to continually assume greater responsibility of themselves will enhance their individual growth and development.

  • Provisions for individual differences and cultural differences are essential in promoting student growth and development.

  • Guidance is a continuous process with a major emphasis on meeting the developmental needs of all students (K-12) as well as assisting students with their short-term immediate needs.

 

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Program Components

The Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program is a Board of Education approved educational program in the Excelsior Springs School District.  It is developmental by design and includes sequential activities K-12, organized and implemented by certified professional school counselors in close collaboration with parents, teachers, and administrators.  As a developmental program, it addresses the guidance and counseling needs of all students by facilitating and enhancing their academic, career, personal and social development, as well as helping to create positive and safe learning environments.  At the same time, the program assists students as they face issues and resolve problems that may hinder their healthy development.

 

Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program activities and services are delivered through the following four program components:

 

  1. Guidance Curriculum – large structured group and classroom activities

  2. Individual Student Planning – appraisal, educational and occupational planning, and placement

  3. Responsive Services – individual counseling, small-group counseling, consultation, and referral

  4. System Support – program management, fair-share responsibilities, professional development, staff and community relations, consultation, committee participation, community outreach, and research and development.

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CONFIDENTIALITY

Counselors at Westview Elementary understand the importance of having trusting relationships and good communication with students and parents.  Therefore, every effort is made to protect the confidentiality and privacy rights of our students and families.  Our work is governed by the ethical standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).  These guidelines state that the counselors within the Excelsior Springs School District have certain responsibilities to students, parents/guardians, colleagues, professional associates, the school and community and to self (see the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors at www.schoolcounselor.org).

 

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