Welcome to the PHMS School Counselor's Office
Counselor's Corner
The School Counselors at Prospect Heights Middle School are super excited to work with all of our students and families during the 2023-2024 school year! Through the development of a comprehensive school counseling program, counselors deliver classroom lessons, conduct small counseling groups and provide individual counseling sessions that best support the social/emotional and academic needs of all students. Please see below for more detailed information in regards to our services. If you have additional questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us! We are happy to help in any way we can!
PHMS School Counselors
Please contact us with any questions regarding your child. We look forward to meeting and working with you and your child this year!
|
Mrs. Vanessa Ward
Grades 6th & 8th
540-661-4400 Ext. 2380
|
Miss Karmen Byrd
Grades 7th & 8th
540-661-4400 Ext. 2385
|
School Counselor Role
School Counselors work with students in three basic areas: Social & Emotional, Academic and Career Development, and College Awareness. Throughout the year, classroom lessons will be offered that cover a wide-range of topics to include bullying prevention, social skills, conflict resolution, decision-making, setting SMART goals, school success, and career exploration.
Individual and small group counseling are offered at Prospect Heights Middle School. Counseling sessions in individual or small-group settings help students overcome issues impeding achievement or success, help students identify problems, causes, alternatives, and possible consequences so they can make decisions and take appropriate actions, are planned and goal-focused, and are short-term in nature.
School Counselors do not provide therapy or long-term counseling in schools to address psychological disorders. However, School Counselors are prepared to recognize and respond to student mental health crises and needs. School Counselors address those barriers to student success by offering education, prevention and crisis and short-term intervention to include group counseling until the student relates to available community resources. When students require long-term counseling or therapy, School Counselors make referrals to appropriate community resources (ASCA, 2019).