Thank you for visiting the counselor page for Bierbaum
Elementary. This site will be used to provide information and resources
to the families of Bierbaum. Please check often as we will be updating
information regularly. Remember if you have any questions or concerns,
please contact your child's counselor.
What does your school counselor do?
Bierbaum
Elementary School is fortunate enough to have two counselors that work
very hard for the students of Bierbaum. However, we get asked all the
time what a counselor at an elementary school does. With that in mind,
we created a document that was passed out at Back to School night, but
if you were not able to attend please read below to know how the
counselors can help you and your child!
Overview of the School Counseling Program
- The
School Counseling Program is comprehensive in nature, striving to
provide education for ALL students in three areas: academic,
personal/social, and career.
- The School Counseling Program is
proactive and preventative – helping students develop critical skills to
achieve academic, social, and behavioral success.
- The School Counseling Program provides classroom lessons, student planning, response services, and system support.
Classroom Lessons
- On
a regular basis, your School Counselors provide education to ALL
students in the classroom setting. This provides consistent learning,
language, and skill development. It allows me to get to know all
students in our grade levels.
- Lessons often cover these topics:
emotions, coping skills, communication skills, friendships, conflict
resolution, teamwork, diversity, tolerance, problem-solving,
self-esteem, respect, responsibility, personal safety, healthy choices,
strengths, career interests, and community building.
Student Planning
- Your
School Counselors work with students to evaluate students’ abilities,
interests, skills, and achievement. We do this by coordinating
standardized testing, helping to develop 504 accommodation plans and
behavioral plans, and observing the outcomes of such plans.
Response Services
- Consultation:
As your School Counselors, we consult with teachers, administrators,
support staff, special education staff, school psychologists, social
workers, parents/guardians, community agencies, and medical
professionals regarding strategies to help students and families. We
serve as a student advocate in all consultation situations.
- Individual and Small Group Counseling:
Your School Counselors provide counseling for students expressing
difficulties dealing with relationships, personal concerns, and
developmental tasks.
- Counseling is intended to be short-term to
help students identify problems, causes, coping skills, and develop
goals to take appropriate action.
- We do NOT provide clinical counseling services.
- Crisis Counseling: Your School Counselors provide prevention, intervention, and follow-up.
- We provide counseling to students and families facing emergency situations.
- Referral:
As your School Counselors, we use referral sources to deal with
suicidal ideation, violence, abuse, mental health issues, and family
difficulties.
- Referral sources can be to mental health agencies, social and community services.
System Support
- Professional Development:
As your School Counselor, we are involved in updating and sharing my
professional knowledge and skills through in-service training and staff
meetings.
- Collaboration on Teams: We are a contributing member to many groups and teams, such as:
- SMART team and student support teams
- IEP and 504 teams
- Whole school initiatives like RTI and PBIS
- Crisis Management
- Program Management:
We collect and analyze data to evaluate and improve the School
Counseling Program. This includes planning and management tasks needed
to support activities conducted by the program, such as:
-
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiatives
- CAPP’s (Child Abuse Prevention Program) Safe Touch/Safe Surf Program through Jewish Family and Children’s Services
- NCADA’s (National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse) Anti-Bullying Program
- Committee for Children’s Second Step-Anti-Violence Curriculum
Confidentiality
- As
your School Counselor, we develop confidential relationships with
students. This means that information gathered through meetings with
students and parents/guardians will be shared on a “need-to-know” basis
only.
- We work to maintain the privacy of students and their
families. When information needs to be shared, we will assess who needs
to know and what information needs to be known to best help students and
their families.
Referral for Counseling Services
- As your School Counselors, we prioritize the needs of students based on referrals from:
- Teachers, administrators, support staff
- Parents/Guardians
- Students (self-referral)
- If you would like to refer a child to the school counselors, please email your child’s counselor and explain the reasons for that referral.
The School Counseling Program is aligned to the standards set forth by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model.
These links will direct you to articles written on St. Louis Post Dispatch and Suburban Journal website. The articles cover a variety of topics and provide great information!
Help For Parents Transforms Children
This article is written by Dennise O'Brien a social worker, educator, and therapist. He writes a column for the Suburban Journal to offer advise for parents.
Lutheran Family and Children's Service
Bierbaum is fortunate enough to have a school-based counselor who works with the student's of Bierbaum 5 days a week. If you are interested in this service, please contact your child's counselor.
St. Louis County Children's Service Fund-Keeping Kids First
In November 2008, St. Louis County passed a tax that supports our children with mental health and substance abuse services. This link will show you all the agencies that are supported by this fund! Contact your counselors for more information