The Role of the Guidance Counselor

The Carroll County Public Schools have counseling services available to students in all elementary, middle, and high schools. The role of the counselor is to guide, advise, recommend, consult, and assist with the nearly limitless variety of concerns that students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the school community may have. Specifically, the thrust of the counseling program in Carroll County is defined by three major goals:

Students will exhibit personal and academic growth including knowing how to cope with stress, how to study, and how classroom behavior effects academic achievement.

Students will develop educational and career decision-making including knowing how to make decisions, formulating and modifying a personal career development plan, and selecting appropriate educational and/or vocational training programs.

Students will develop interpersonal skills such as knowing how to resolve conflicts. How to communicate, and how their behavior effects others.

Counselors address these goals through the delivery of many services including appraisal, consulting, counseling, information management, program management, public relations, and referral.

The components of the school counseling program are:

• Guidance Curriculum
• Responsive Services
• Individual Student Planning
• System Support

Counseling offers a means for the student to grow in knowledge of self and others, thus enabling the student to develop a sense of responsibility needed to live effectively in today's world. The counselors' functions are varied as they help students better understand themselves and the world around them and to be more receptive to leaning in the classroom.

Although most counselors provide similar services, some counselors are given the responsibility for specific tasks such as coordinating the testing program, overseeing the peer facilitator program, or serving as the liaison to the Carroll County Career and Technology Center. A listing of specific counselor responsibilities are available from those schools where more than one counselor is employed.

In schools where there is more than one counselor, students are divided among the available counselors. However, if a student and/or parent(s) desires for the student to see a specific counselor, the change in counselor may be arranged by contacting the guidance department chairperson or the principal. If a student is assigned to a different counselor, the originally designated counselor will continue to maintain the student's school record.

Students may choose to make an appointment with the counselor or the counselor may make an appointment with the student based upon a referral from a teacher, administrator, parent of other individual who makes a legitimate referral. Although students are encouraged to keep appointments, they may decline an appointment by notifying the guidance counselor or another professional in the guidance office and stating the reason that the appointment is declined. Classroom presentations by guidance counselors are considered a part of the mandated guidance and counseling program as outlined in the Maryland Code of Regulations (COMAR); therefore, all students are expected to stay in the classroom during these presentations.

Parents and students are urged to contact the school counselor to discuss any area of concern. Questions, concerns, or comments regarding the guidance program should be directed to the Supervisor of Guidance (410-751-3125) or the building principal.