Dear Families,
The elementary school years set the foundation for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for children to become healthy, competent and confident learners. Elementary school counselors have an impact on these years by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program and collaborating with school staff, parents and the community to create a safe and respectful learning environment. By providing education, prevention, early identification and intervention, elementary school counselors help their students achieve academic success, develop an understanding of career opportunities and develop social/emotional skills in response to issues they face.
Along with your child’s teacher, I want your child to be as successful as possible at school. Success in school is not just about reading and math. It is also about knowing how to learn and how to get along with others. As part of the comprehensive counseling program at Cassingham, I will be visiting classrooms on a regular basis to teach classroom guidance lessons.
Classroom guidance lessons will focus on learning and practicing skills to help students learn, focus attention, listen carefully, and be assertive when asking for help with school work or social situations. Students will learn to identify and understand their own and other’s feelings and specific skills for coping with strong feelings such as anxiety or anger. Students will also learn skills for building friendships and solving problems with others in a positive way. Throughout the year you will receive several updates on what your child is learning during classroom guidance. Look for these “home links” in your child’s backpack.
I also offer mini courses (small group counseling) on a variety of concerns and short term individual counseling. I maintain a parent resource library and facilitate outside resources as well as our school based mental health services through our NCBH clinician. I am also the 504 building coordinator.
If you have any questions about the school counseling program, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information. I can be reached at 614-237-4309 ex. 2140 or at
[email protected]. I am at Cassingham every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.
Thank you for supporting your child as they learn and refine the skills that leads to success in school and in life.
-Erica Hecker, School Counselor
For more information about comprehensive school counseling go to:
www.schoolcounselor.org/ascanationalmodel.org
www.schoolcounselor.org/effectiveness
www.cfc.org