What is Counseling?

Elementary school is one of the first steps on a long journey--a new and winding path full of challenges, surprises, and hopefully a little magic. As your school counselors, we are trained to help the children discover their own special magic and strengths.

Our counseling program is developmental and preventive. A visit to the counselor does not spell doom! As the students mature, they naturally face social, emotional and academic tasks to be achieved. It is our professional responsibility to support the children as they navigate the normal, developmental joys and frustrations that go hand in hand with growing up. We wish to equip each child with a set of skills to ease this transition, encouraging them to be life-long learners.

Counseling provided within the school setting is an educational service designed to assist in addressing social, emotional, and learning difficulties which may be interfering with a student’s educational process. Counseling services often improve communication and interaction among the child, family, and school personnel, enabling a child to be more productive in school.

Indeed, it is our school-wide mission to promote and enhance student learning and development. We urge you to involve yourself in the counseling program. When we join forces, the students stand the best chance of academic and personal achievement--a chance at creating some magic for themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section contains answers to common questions of students and parents. 

Counselors are only for emergency crisis situations, right?
Wrong! Your counselor is an everyday part of your elementary life, here to help you handle the normal challenges you face in school and at home.

How can I let my counselor know that I need to talk with her?
It's easy!

• You can fill out a referral slip from the counselor poster in your classroom and drop the note off in your counselor's mailbox, or...
• You can tell your teacher, who will let your counselor know, or...
• You can write and drop off your own note to your counselor.

When can I talk with my counselor?
Before you are picked up from your class, your counselor will check with your teacher to find the best time for a meeting. If you are dealing with an emergency, please let your counselor or teacher know, as your counselor will meet with you ASAP!

How can I be a part of a counseling group?
A student can be referred for a counseling group by:

• Parents
• Teachers
• Administrators
• Counselors
• Themselves ~ that's right! If you are interested in particpating in a small group, let your counselor know!

Once referred, the student will need to have a group permission slip signed by a parent or guardian.

Classroom Guidance Lessons

Classroom Guidance lessons are presented once a month to students.  These lessons are developmental and preventive in nature and based on academic/career and personal/social objectives with the goal of helping students progress in their educational environment.  At Aldrin our lessons focus on the 6 Pillars of Character: Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Fairness, Trustworthiness and Citizenship.  Other topics that we often cover are bullying, conflict resolution and internet safety.

Small Group Counseling

If you are interested in learning more about the groups offered, please contact your counselor.

Small counseling groups are facilitated by Mrs. Alyssa Teitsma and Ms. Celeste Thompson throughout the school year. Students can be recommended for a group by their parents, teacher, and/or administrators.

Just the facts, ma'am...

• Group counseling sessions for children often focus on building self-esteem, study skills, friendships, and addressing family changes.
• Small groups generally consist of five to eight students of similar age and developmental stage.
• Groups meet once a week, for six to eight sessions of 45 minutes. Your child's counselor will collaborate with the classroom teacher to find a group meeting time that works best with the student's academic schedule.
• In order to participate in a small group, the student will need to return the signed parent permission form.

Individual Counseling

Individual Counseling usually consists of 6 to 8 meetings with a student.  Counseling is educationally based and focuses on goal setting and problem solving. It is not therapy. All individual counseling requires parent permission.

In the event of a mental health emergency or for a list of community resources, please see the information located at FCPS Mental Health Resources and Emergency Services Information

Resources

• American School Counselor Association
• CharacterCounts!
• Greater Herndon Community Coalition website
• NetSmartzKids
• Sesame Workshop
• The Parent Channel

*This website contains links to one or more webpages that are outside the FCPS network. FCPS does not control the content or relevancy of these pages.