Welcome to Mrs. Sawyer's School Counseling website!
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BELIEF STATEMENT
It is the belief of the North Columbus Elementary Counseling Program that all students have the ability to learn, achieve, and to be successful in life. We believe that students should have access to a high-quality education and a school counseling program. The counseling program meets the needs of students through individual, small group, and classroom counseling, as well as through consultation and collaboration with teachers, families, and other school personnel. The NCES School Counseling Program strives to advocate for every student, using data to inform program decisions and ethical standards to guide work.
VISION STATEMENT
The vision of the North Columbus School Counseling Program is that students will feel loved, known, empowered, and prepared for their futures academically, socially, and in their careers. North Columbus students will have confidence in themselves to reach for their dreams in every area of life. Student will treat others and themselves with love, respect, and kindness. They will focus on their strengths and use those strengths to become successful students, workers, and adults.
MISSION STATEMENT
The North Columbus Counseling Program’s mission is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. All students should be known, valued, and inspired. Student success is founded on collaboration between students, teachers, and families. It is the mission of the counseling program, school, and district that all students’ needs are met, and that they grow intellectually, ethically, physically, socially, and emotionally.
School Counseling FAQ's:
What exactly do you do? Every day is different! That's one of the things I enjoy about my job. On a typical day, I visit anywhere from two to four classrooms and provide 50 minute Counseling Core Curriculum lessons for students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. We focus on many different topics throughout the year, including bullying, life skills, internet safety, career exploration, body safety, friendship, etc. The rest of my time is spent providing brief, solution-focused individual counseling to students, small group counseling, and responding to crises within the building. I also consult with teachers, parents, and other support staff to help meet the needs of students.
Do elementary students really need a school counselor? I get this question a lot, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY. Children can have many of the same mental health issues adults have. School counselors help children to cope with life's issues, learn to solve their own problems, communicate with others, and handle big feelings. In the world we live in today, children are seeing and hearing more from outside influences than ever before. This can be a tough thing for them to navigate alone.
What do you do in a counseling session? It depends. Some students just need someone to vent their feelings to for a minute, and then they feel better and head back to class. Others are in the middle of a crisis situation and need a lot more help and attention. Sometimes we draw, sometimes we play, sometimes we do games/activities, and sometimes we just talk. I always look for opportunities to teach students how to cope with their problems and handle them in healthy ways. A school setting does not allow me to provide intensive, long-term services, so if I feel that might be helpful for a student, I will consult with the parent and provide outside resources.
Do you diagnose students? No. I am not a medical professional. I do, however, provide parents with outside resources to assist in getting a student the help they might need. I am an advocate for all students, and do my best to support and help them any way that I can.
BELIEF STATEMENT
It is the belief of the North Columbus Elementary Counseling Program that all students have the ability to learn, achieve, and to be successful in life. We believe that students should have access to a high-quality education and a school counseling program. The counseling program meets the needs of students through individual, small group, and classroom counseling, as well as through consultation and collaboration with teachers, families, and other school personnel. The NCES School Counseling Program strives to advocate for every student, using data to inform program decisions and ethical standards to guide work.
VISION STATEMENT
The vision of the North Columbus School Counseling Program is that students will feel loved, known, empowered, and prepared for their futures academically, socially, and in their careers. North Columbus students will have confidence in themselves to reach for their dreams in every area of life. Student will treat others and themselves with love, respect, and kindness. They will focus on their strengths and use those strengths to become successful students, workers, and adults.
MISSION STATEMENT
The North Columbus Counseling Program’s mission is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential. All students should be known, valued, and inspired. Student success is founded on collaboration between students, teachers, and families. It is the mission of the counseling program, school, and district that all students’ needs are met, and that they grow intellectually, ethically, physically, socially, and emotionally.
School Counseling FAQ's:
What exactly do you do? Every day is different! That's one of the things I enjoy about my job. On a typical day, I visit anywhere from two to four classrooms and provide 50 minute Counseling Core Curriculum lessons for students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. We focus on many different topics throughout the year, including bullying, life skills, internet safety, career exploration, body safety, friendship, etc. The rest of my time is spent providing brief, solution-focused individual counseling to students, small group counseling, and responding to crises within the building. I also consult with teachers, parents, and other support staff to help meet the needs of students.
Do elementary students really need a school counselor? I get this question a lot, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY. Children can have many of the same mental health issues adults have. School counselors help children to cope with life's issues, learn to solve their own problems, communicate with others, and handle big feelings. In the world we live in today, children are seeing and hearing more from outside influences than ever before. This can be a tough thing for them to navigate alone.
What do you do in a counseling session? It depends. Some students just need someone to vent their feelings to for a minute, and then they feel better and head back to class. Others are in the middle of a crisis situation and need a lot more help and attention. Sometimes we draw, sometimes we play, sometimes we do games/activities, and sometimes we just talk. I always look for opportunities to teach students how to cope with their problems and handle them in healthy ways. A school setting does not allow me to provide intensive, long-term services, so if I feel that might be helpful for a student, I will consult with the parent and provide outside resources.
Do you diagnose students? No. I am not a medical professional. I do, however, provide parents with outside resources to assist in getting a student the help they might need. I am an advocate for all students, and do my best to support and help them any way that I can.
