Counseling Services and Supports
The Counseling Program exists to help students understand and accept themselves, make decisions, develop educational and career plans, and resolve special concerns they have as individuals. We align our programming services and supports to the American School Counselors Association (ASCA) National Model, “which guides school counselors in the development of programming that:
- are based on data-informed decision making
- are delivered to all students systematically
- include a developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on the mindsets and behaviors all students need for postsecondary readiness and success
- close achievement and opportunity gaps
- result in improved student achievement, attendance and discipline”
There are twenty Student Success Counselors and seven Behavioral Health Specialists who work with students in Grades 9-12. Our high school Counselors serve haumāna, ʻohana and kumu in four major areas:
1. Counseling
To prevent as well as to reduce haumāna challenges through advising in registration process and course selection, monitoring activities and progress, discussing supports with teachers, working with haumāna to help them realize and meet their responsibilities, and assisting with post-secondary financial aid and admissions.
2. Instruction and Advising
To ensure that all haumāna receive appropriate, timely and consistent information, counselors provide mandatory advising sessions at all grade levels. Based on the needs of our haumāna, counselors will provide small group and individual supports accordingly.
3. Referrals, Consultation and Collaboration
To advise kumu and faculty on counseling and advising techniques and inform them of any special concerns that students may have and well as to receive support when needs are outside of our scope of work.
4. Program Planning and School Supports
To coordinate and follow through on necessary and desired contacts with our kula and with ʻohana, including engagement on topics such as stress, communication with teens, and more.
The advising curriculum at the 9th and 10th grade level includes sessions in self-esteem and motivation, goal setting, values clarification, coping with stress, understanding aptitude and achievement test results, decision-making, four-year planning, peer relationships, volunteer work, and discussions about careers and the local/national job market. The 11th and 12th grade curriculum focuses on post-high school planning. Topics include planning for the future, choosing a college, college and career resources available to students, resumes and recommendations, summer options (work, school, volunteer, etc.), financial aid, and entrance test registration.