Counseling & Guidance

School Counseling & Guidance Staff

Each of School District 197’s eight schools has a counselor on staff to promote a proactive approach to positive and safe school environments. 

Elementary School Counseling

Elementary school counselors:

  • Provide needs assessments to monitor the needs of their school's student population and make program adjustments to support those needs
  • Teach classroom guidance lessons to directly support goals related to school climate, testing/achievement, and the acceleration of excellence
  • Offer individual counseling to support achievement and excellence goals by addressing barriers to learning
  • Facilitate support groups to foster cultural assimilation
  • Coordinate activities to ease the transition to middle school
  • Provide consultation and advocacy to make sure each student finds something in school that delights, inspires, excites, and motivates them to pursue excellence
  • Advise student groups such as the Kindness Patrol, Peer Helpers, Kids’ Council, and other extracurricular groups promote kindness and enhance the school experience
  • Recruit volunteers to support the school community
  • Conduct accountability and climate surveys within each building
  • Analyze student discipline and conflict management issues and counselor success

Middle School & High School Counseling