Benefield Counseling Team

Mission and Vision

The mission of the Benefield Elementary school counseling program is to remove personal and societal barriers in order to help develop productive citizens in our community. The counselors provide a professional, safe, caring and supportive environment that helps students develop academic knowledge, skills, and behaviors that foster lifelong learning. Our comprehensive counseling program coincides with the American School Counselors Association (ASCA) and meets the unique needs of all Benefield students in the areas of academic career and social/emotional development.

Meet Our School Counselors

Consultation

Counselors consult and collaborate with a number of individuals including teachers, other counselors, school social workers, DFACS, parents, and administrators in an effort to support our students and remove any barriers to learning.

Individual Counseling

Counselors can see students for an individual session or short-term counseling at the request of a teacher, parent, or student. Counselors may also provide resources and make referrals to outside agencies when requested by a parent or when they feel it is necessary.

Small Group Counseling

Students are referred by teachers or parents to participate in small group counseling. Permission slips must be on file. Group topics focus on academic study skills, as well as personal/social skills that may affect a student's learning.

Our Program

A comprehensive counseling program includes a variety of elements. Classroom guidance lessons designed to build personal competence, small group counseling designed to address individual needs, individual counseling to provide just-in-time support, and crisis intervention services are all important parts of a comprehensive counseling program.

The Benefield School Counseling program closely aligns with the American School Counselor Association's model. We partner with teachers, administrators, parents, and community members to ensure we are meeting the needs of all students. Our goal is to help remove barriers to learning in the most efficient, timely manner possible.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) helps support school counselors' efforts to help students focus on academic, social/emotional, and career  development so they achieve success in school and lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. Benefield Elementary was awarded the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) in 2019 for the delivery of a comprehensive and data-drive counseling program.

Roles of the School Counselor

As school counselors, we perform the following roles in order to promote positive development in academic, career, and life-skills domains:

• Individual counseling
• Small group counseling
• Classroom guidance (large group counseling)
• Attend and participate in Student Support Team Meetings
• Consult and collaborate with parents, teachers, administrators, social workers, and students
• Provide information and resources to parents on a variety of issues
• Respond to school crises or emergency situations