Middle School Counseling

Counseling services, under the guidance of an experienced school counselor (a licensed psychologist), are part of the middle school program. The school counselor works with students and teachers in grades 5-8 — in homeroom classes, in advisory groups, with whole grade-level groups, with special-project groups, and with individuals — on various matters of student life (e.g. social interactions; attitudes, values, and behavior; peer conflict mediation; personal development issues).

An individual student may self refer or be referred by teachers or administrators for direct intervention on a limited basis. The parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be contacted if such a referral is made, and the approval of the responsible adult(s) will be required for the intervention to proceed beyond the first meeting.

Confidentiality

In all cases, counseling services are bound by a confidentiality policy. The policy is subject to the following exceptions:

• Information disclosed to a teacher, counselor, school psychologist, teacher-advisor, administrator, or any other Prospect Sierra School employee serving in a counseling role, may be shared with administrative and/or teaching staff if deemed to be in the interest of the student's welfare.
• Information disclosed to any school employee named above indicating that a student is engaging, or planning to engage, in behavior considered dangerous or injurious to self, to others, or to the property of others, or is likely to place others “in harm's way,” will be shared with the school administration, relevant school personnel, and the student's parent(s) as soon as possible. All mandatory reporting laws of the State of California and the Welfare and Institutions Code apply.

Students will be informed of this limited confidentiality policy at the outset of counseling services.