What does a School Counselor do?

A question I get a lot when I tell people about my profession is, "What exactly does an Elementary School Counselor do?"  The shortest and most complete answer I can give is this... 

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A School Counselor is both a Counselor and an Educator.  We have special skills in listening and helping students find solutions to life’s problems.  Whether it is academic, personal, social, or career challenges, a School Counselor works side by side with parents, teachers, and the community to help ALL students achieve their goals.

Voyager Academy School Counseling Department
​Mission & Vision

The vision of Voyager Academy’s Counseling Department is that all students will be college and/or career ready upon graduation, academically successful and motivated to become responsible, empathetic, and productive citizens through collaboration and leadership.

The mission of Voyager Academy’s counseling program is to serve all students K-12 with a comprehensive and developmentally age-appropriate school counseling program that addresses all students’ academic, personal/social and career needs, while providing a supportive and nurturing academic environment as they develop the competencies needed for college and/or career readiness.

Student Services

Individual Counseling

Let me just get one thing straight.  Though I have training in therapy and have a Master’s degree in Counseling, a School Counselor is not a Therapist.  Let me say that again, School Counselors are not Therapists.  So then, what’s the difference between what I call “therapy” and “school counseling?”

Group Counseling

Is this when we sit around in a circle and share our feelings? 

Ok, so yeah, kind of.

Classroom Guidance

Parent - “What did you do today at school?”
Student – “I had Guidance!”
Parent – “What’s that?”
Student – “I dunno.”

Is this a conversation you’ve had with your student?  Well, I can finally answer the question for you.