Welcome to School Counseling at Mount Mourne School!
Middle and high school are dynamic times for both students and parents. They can be times of both excitement and frustration. The role of the school counselor is to support the student and help the student develop resiliency and problem-solving skills that will serve the student long after formal education is complete.
The counselor can be a resource to help students find answers, a sounding board to listen to ideas, and a collaborator to assist with developing next steps. A school counselor never tells students what to do, but rather will lead students in drawing their own conclusions that will work best given their family context and future goals.
At Mount Mourne School the school counselor serves many functions:
The counselor helps students with personal issues ranging from balancing academics and extra-curricular activities to interpersonal relationships and personal concerns.
- Assisting with the Community Service Experience
The counselor serves as a “clearing house” and makes sure students are exposed to various populations and experiences as well as assists students in tracking their hours and processing the meaningfulness of the experience.
- School-Wide Academic Testing
The counselor at MM serves as the testing coordinator and assists with all state and district tests given throughout the academic year.
- Consulting With Parents and Teachers
Often times the school counselor is asked to consult with teachers and parents about a specific issue regarding a student because it may be within the counselor’s area of expertise. Examples of this may include exceptional children policies and practices or testing interpretation.
Via inventories and one-on-one interviews, the counselor can assist students in deciding what careers might best suit them and help them determine what to study in college.
- College Planning/Military Options
The counselor begins the college planning process with students at the 9th grade. She demonstrates to students and their parents how they can take pro-active steps during each grade that will make the college application and selection process much easier and within their control.
