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School Counseling Department Vision Statement
It is the vision of the Irvington School Counseling Department that students from Irvington will become independent, socially conscious, civically minded members of society. With the help of school, family, and community, students will strive for their best selves, having developed the skills needed to maximize their academic success and social/emotional development.
School Counseling Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Irvington School Counseling Program is to develop and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program that cultivates in students the knowledge and skills necessary to experience success in academic pursuits, social/emotional development, and career and post-secondary aspirations. We are committed to building strong relationships with students, families, teachers, and the Irvington Community as we foster student self-awareness and self-reliance through collaboration, support, advocacy, and education.
The Elementary School Counselors:
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facilitate short-term, small group counseling
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provide immediate, short-term individual and crisis counseling
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teach classroom lessons in academic, career, and social-emotional development
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work collaboratively with teachers, staff, school psychologists, the district wide social worker, and administrators
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consult with parents/families/family systems
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participate in district wide initiatives i.e., lead learners, restorative practices, character education etc.
Comprehensive School Counseling Program Grade Level Goals
2022-2023
Kindergarten
Essential Question: Where am I?
Student Goal: Become a part of the class and school community.
Grade 1
Essential Question: Why should I?
Student Goal: Actively engage in the class and school community
Grade 2
Essential Question: What if?
Student Goal: Make choices that foster a positive sense of self within the class and school community.
Grade 3
Essential Question: Where do I fit?
Student Goal: See the connection between sense of self and acceptance of others that fosters a positive classroom and school community.
The elementary years are a time when students begin to develop their sense of self and belonging in their school environment. These are vital, formative years as students are developing a variety of skills that include decision-making, communication, and life skills, as well as character values. It is also a time when students shape and acquire attitudes toward school, academic learning, self, peers, social groups, and family.
The elementary k-3 school counselor delivers a comprehensive, developmental, and systematic program of services based on the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors Standards. All students have access to our school counselors through ongoing classroom lessons, and our Response to Intervention/ Multi-Tiered System of Support (RtI/MTSS) program.
As the journey begins, starting in kindergarten at Dows Lane, the school counselor supports students to become a part of their new school community with a first exposure to social awareness, self-awareness, self-management, and relationship skills. In first grade, we build upon foundational skills and a common language with students becoming actively engaged in the classroom by using responsible decision making, growth mindset, and coping strategies to fully engage in self-exploration to optimize academic learning. In second grade, our students learn to make positive choices that foster a strong sense of self within the class and school community as they become more self-aware, socially aware and feel empowered to make positive choices. In third grade, students culminate their Dows Lane experience by developing the important connection between sense of self and the acceptance of others that fosters a positive classroom and school community. This is when social emotional learning, school wide habits of mind and character values come together.
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