February 2019 - School Counseling

By Sara Stockwell, Ed.S., Director of Student Services and Well-Being, Perrysburg Schools

School counselors are valued and respected members of our educational community. Their goal is for students to thrive academically, emotionally and socially. They believe each student is valuable and unique and they continually strive to be a positive, caring and reliable support in each student’s life.

Our school counselors are passionate about equipping students with resilience-building skills. Their philosophies in counseling share a common theme of positive thinking, growth mindset principles and goal-setting. The theoretical orientations that guide their work include Cognitive-Behavioral, Brief Solutions Focused and Family Systems Therapy.

School counselors believe that each student can learn and is given the opportunity to reach their greatest potential at Perrysburg Schools. They address this learning and growth through a variety of supports and services.

School counselors teach classroom units covering relevant and developmentally-appropriate topics. Examples of some lessons include:

Kindergarten - Independent Learner; Peer Relations
1st - Respect to Self, Respect to Others
2nd - Understanding and Expressing Emotions; Friendship Skills
3rd - Decision-making; Teasing and Bullying
4th - Responsibility; Careers
5th - Relationships
6th - Growth Mindset/Jump Start to Junior High
7th - Health and Career Lessons
8th - Career Lessons

At the high school level, academic and career counseling also includes: meetings to discuss plans for the future and 4-year plans, using Naviance software for career and college planning, credit reviews to ensure graduation, College Credit Plus counseling, organization and scheduling.

School counselors provide small group counseling for topics such as: anger management, family changes, friendship, girls/boys groups, grief/loss, impulse control, resilience-building, self-confidence, stress management and suicidal ideation awareness.

Individual counseling sessions address topics such as: anxiety, emotional self-regulation, family concerns, friendship, growth mindset, self-esteem and social skills.

School counselors have a variety of other responsibilities, such as 504 coordination, tutoring and homework clubs, crisis response, new student transitions, scheduling, testing coordination, growth and development, drug prevention, trauma training, leadership teams and career advising.

Our school counselors are dedicated individuals who advocate for the well-being of each student. They work tirelessly every day to impact students with the goal of high school graduation and beyond. We appreciate all of the work that they do for our students and families, and value their adaptability, advocacy, knowledge and expertise!