Elementary School Counselor

Micah Stipech
906-482-0456 extension 3450
email: mstipech@hpts.us

The school counselor supports the positive growth and development of the entire child including his or her academic, social and emotional well-being within his or her school, home and community. To meet this goal, counseling services are provided through classroom guidance lessons and activities, individual counseling, small group counseling, as well as consultation with parents, school personnel, and outside service agencies.

How does a student see the School Counselor?

• Self-referral

• Teacher referral

• Parent referral

• Administrative referral

Detail of Services

Classroom Guidance Lessons
Developmental guidance lessons and activities designed to help students understand and deal with normal developmental tasks and issues. Examples include character education, communication skills, peer relationships, conflict resolution, and personal safety. These lessons are delivered in the classroom for all students through a collaborative effort between the counselor and teachers.

The Second Step Program, a research-based social skills curriculum, is an example of one of the curricular areas delivered in the classrooms. This particular curriculum is divided into the following three units:

Unit I: Empathy Training:
Unit II: Impulse Control and Problem Solving
Unit III: Anger Management

Individual Counseling
The counselor works one-on-one with a student to help find early solutions to their problems and developmental concerns. This is accomplished by assisting the students in developing problem-solving and decision making skills and building their coping skills. The relationship is built upon mutual trust, and respect. Counseling sessions are confidential. This service is intended to be a short-term intervention, and does not entail intensive therapy.

Small Group Counseling
Group counseling allows a counselor to have contact with a small group of students (3-5 students) in a shorter period of time than individual counseling.

Social Groups
The counselor arranges various groups during times such as lunch allowing students to socialize with one another and the counselor without the structure and limitations of a formal counseling group. No formal counseling takes place.

Referral Assistance
The counselor maintains a comprehensive list of outside service agencies who may be helpful in the event of a concern beyond the scope of school counseling services. Outside service agencies may include: family services, mental health and medical services.

School-Based Consultation with school personnel, parents, and specialists

Confidentiality

CONFIDENTIALITY means the information disclosed by the student to the school counselor belongs to the student. Students may share information with others as they wish, but they have a right to privacy. Student's privacy will be guarded as much as permitted by the law, ethics, and school rules. We recognize the legal rights and responsibilities of parents in doing what is in the best interest of their children. If students ask that information be shared with others, school counselors will only offer information the student is comfortable with. School counselors are obligated to breach confidentiality if a student poses imminent danger to self or others, state laws mandate reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect, or a court of law required testimony or student records. School counselors occasionally consult with other school professionals, but in such cases only information necessary to achieving the goals of the conference will be shared. In addition, school counselors keep informal notes regarding conferences, notes that are stored in a secure, locked location and treated with confidentiality.


When CONFIDENTIALITY must be breached:

1. In cases of suspected abuse or neglect

2. If a student poses imminent danger to self or others