SERVICES
THREE MAIN TOPICS OF FOCUS FOR BSMS COUNSELING OFFICE
1
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT
2
PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
3
CAREER/COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT
Middle school can be a challenging time for many students. There are higher expectations, more responsibilities, and greater pressures, along with a multitude of changes that occur during the middle school years. The Counseling Office is a great resource for students to receive help and support with whatever challenges they may face.
To get in contact with me in the counseling office, students can go to the main office and sign up on the "Counselor Sign-Up Sheet." Once a student has signed up, I will send a pass for them to come see me. Teachers, staff, and parents can also refer students to me if they believe it is necessary. This can be done by calling the Counseling Office, emailing, or scheduling a meeting with me. My contact information can be found at the bottom of the page.
WHAT DOES THE COUNSELING OFFICE DO?
COUNSELING:
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT
Academic development is a strong focus of the BSMS counseling office. My role is to help students be successful by providing support and resources on the following areas:
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Organization
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Study Skills
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Scheduling (see below for valid and invalid reasons to make a schedule change)
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Academic Planning
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Stress Management
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Time Management
PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Middle school students undergo numerous changes personally and socially. Students are more than welcome to seek help and support from me regarding their struggles and triumphs. Some common topics students come to the counseling office for are:
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Friend Issues
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Family Issues
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Mental Health Concerns
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Personal problems
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Self-Esteem
CAREER/COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT
College, career, and postsecondary plans may seem far off in the future to middle school students, but it's never to early to start thinking about and exploring possible options!
All students will have the opportunity to participate in "Career Day" in the spring. This event is during the school day, and various members of the community come into the school to share information about their careers with students.
7th and 8th grade students also spend some time during the year creating and updating their Education Development Plans (EDPs). This is done through the Career Cruising website.
SCHEDULES
CONFIDENTIALITY
Valid reasons for schedule change:
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Your schedule is missing a class or period.
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You have been scheduled for a duplicate class.
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You have been scheduled for the incorrect grade level.
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Other special needs/concerns.
Invalid reasons for schedule change:
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Changing a class to be with friends.
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You have changed your mind since signing up for these classes last year and now you want to change.
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You forgot to hand in your Course Request Form at the end of last year and prefer to be put in different classes.
As a school counselor, students often confide in me with their personal information. I take confidentiality very seriously - what is said in the counseling office, STAYS in the counseling office. In an effort to make sure all students stay safe, there are three circumstances in which I must break confidentiality:
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A student shares that they are being harmed.
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A student shares that they want to harm themself.
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A student shares that they want to harm others.