The Lower School has a comprehensive counseling program that is integrated into the educational program. The counselor assists students in learning more about themselves, their abilities, their interests and their needs. The counselor creates an atmosphere that allows for individual students to experience and develop academically, personally and socially. Students learn to maximize their personal strengths, develop problem-solving and decision-making strategies and begin to explore career choices and options. The counselor is an advocate for the student and a resource professional for her family.

GOALS of the Lower School Counseling Program are to:

• Help children understand themselves and others;
• Identify children with special needs and facilitate the appropriate intervention;
• Begin the process of career awareness.

The counselor works with students:

• In the classroom setting on topics such as social skills and conflict management;
• In small groups on topics such as anger management, making and keeping friends, changing families and study skills;
• Individually on personal, social or academic concerns.

The counselor works with parents by:

• Providing testing data and its interpretation as it relates to student success;
• Making appropriate referrals to outside agencies;
• Dealing with school adjustment concerns;
• Emphasizing the significance of effective communication.