| Contact: |
Cedric Slay |
 770-651-4633 |
 Email |
Digital Learning Assignment for April on the right.
Counseling Services
The elementary school guidance program in Douglas County is developmental in grades K-5. All children in the process of growing up face normal developmental problems. How they are able to deal with these daily experiences influences their future living, goals, choices, and plans. Even though we feel guidance in the elementary school is a shared responsibility, we also feel that elementary counselors have special training to assist children on an individual or group basis. Counseling, consulting, and coordinating services are provided to parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, and students by the counselor.
The elementary school counselor consults and collaborates with parents, guardians, teachers, and significant others, such as school psychologists, special education personnel, school social workers, and medical specialists. They are also involved with classroom performance and behavior, child growth and development, a positive school climate, study groups for parents and guardians, identification of exceptional children, interpretation of test results, psychological reports and other relevant data, and communication between home and school.
Through classroom guidance lessons, children learn life skills such as independence, understanding self and others, cooperation, study skills, career awareness, problem solving, decision making skills, and personal safety.
Personal safety lessons emphasize the difference between good and bad touching. Students are taught refusal skills to use in risk situations and what to do if their personal safety is threatened. Parents or guardians may request to view materials used in the personal safety lessons by calling the school counselor, Cedric Slay.
In group counseling, the elementary counselor works with children on self-concept, shyness, personal hygiene, making and keeping friends, and interpersonal skills. Other small groups may address specific needs or crises, e.g., divorce, death, alcohol and drug misuse. Students participate in these groups as a result of referrals from teachers, parents/guardians, self, and other staff members. Information on group counseling is available to parents and guardians.