Our Mission:

The mission of Summerour Middle School Counseling Department program is to provide all students with a student focused comprehensive and developmental counseling program in which each student is celebrated, respected, and supported, thereby enabling them to reach their full educational and social potential as motivated lifelong citizens. We are committed to supporting the development and encouragement of intercultural awareness for all students with the emphasis on the college and career readiness needed to succeed in a local, national, and international world. As student advocates, we promote equity and access for all of our middle school students by providing an environment with a focus of pursuing excellence.

Our Vision:

The Summerour Middle School counseling program is dedicated to helping all students obtain the knowledge and skills they will need to graduate from high school ready to enter college or a career. They will enter adulthood as motivated lifelong learners and leaders. They will be locally and globally competitive as they progress from childhood to adulthood and become caring, principled, knowledgeable contributing global citizens.

State Attendance Law

Attendance at school is an important part of student success and achievement. A pattern of absences may put a student at risk of not achieving the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) for their grade level and courses. Certain absences are excused according to state guidelines.

Excused Absences Include:

• Personal illness or attendance in school endangering a student’s health or the health of others

• A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family requiring absence from school

• A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical examination for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school

• Observing religious holidays, necessitating absence from school

• Conditions making attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety

• Serving as a page in the Georgia General Assembly

• A student, whose parent or legal guardian is in military service of the United States or the National Guard, and such parent or legal guardian has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted excused absences, up to a maximum of five school days per year, for the day or days missed from school to visit with  his or her parent or legal guardian prior to deployment or while on leave


Excusing Absences

• If your student is absent from school, parents or guardians need to send a note to the school stating the reason for his/her absence. Should the reason be one noted above, your child’s absence will be marked excused. 
• After 10 absences without a medical note being submitted, a medical note may be requested to excuse an absence.
• All attendance excuses must be turned in within five days of the absence. The school will not accept late attendance excuses.

Attendance Letter

An attendance letter will be sent home when their child accumulates 5, 7 and 10 unexcused absences.  When a student reaches 10 unexcused absences the parents or guardians will be invited to attend a Student Attendance Review Committee (SARC meeting).  When a student accumulates an excessive number of unexcused absences the family may be referred to a community agency for additional support.

Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Student/Parent Handbook outlines attendance expectations

Sincerely,
Summerour Professional School Counselors

Individual Counseling

These sessions are provided to assist students with a variety of educational and personal concerns. The primary purpose of these sessions is to help students explore their concerns, make appropriate plans of action, and be successful in following through with their plans.

Small Counseling Groups

Small groups are offered as part of the school's developmental program. All groups emphasize building a positive self-concept and guiding students to reach their potential. Students may participate with parent permission only.

Classroom

Classroom topics are developmental and designed to support students academically and are aligned with the AKS, GMAS, Quality Core Curriculum, and the state Board of educational Core Values.

Consultations

The counselor consults with parents, teachers and administrators to discuss the educational, social and emotional needs of our students, enhance individual development and academic success, and promote an optimal learning environment for all students.

Home Alone Policy

According to the Department of Family and Children Services, these are the guidelines for leaving a child at home alone.

• Age 8 or under
  • Should never be home alone
• Age 9-12
  • Can stay alone up to 2 hours
• Age 13 and over
  • Can stay alone up to 12 hours and can perform the role of babysitter