WELCOME!
And thank you for visiting this site! After all, school counseling is a team experience involving students, parents, school staff, and community members. Our focus is on helping to develop happy, healthy, capable, and productive youth who are intelligent and can effectively interact with others, appreciate differences, and resolve conflict peaceably.
At BES school counseling:
 builds on and reinforces each youth's ability to reason and communicate;
recognizes that no one is independent, instead, we all are interdependent and must live in this world with each other;
encourages students to dare to dream, to try, and to revise efforts as needed to achieve their goals; and
is directed at helping children identify difficulties and effectively cope with challenges.
At BES students are welcome to see the school counselor to chat about things/events they are celebrating or things that challenge or concern them. They are welcome to invite friends to lunch. This way, the school counselor becomes a familiar face and a predictable and trusted resource. The hope is to create an open-door philosophy that recognizes 1) that everyone needs help sometimes, and 2) that knowing how to access appropriate help when assistance is needed is a sign of intelligence and strength. Students often will self-refer. Sometimes class behavior prompts a teacher referral. Sometimes parents contact the counselor with concerns. Referrals demonstrate awareness, support, and concern for the student.
When a specific issue is identified, that work may be accomplished in individual, small group, or classroom sessions. These sessions focus on particular skill sets (for instance: emotional awareness, social skills, coping skills, or study skills). Sometimes a student may benefit from creative approaches or additional supports. The IMPACT team (AKA: Educational Support Team, EST, or Act 117) is available to work with parents in developing such plans. (Read more at: IMPACT.)
In short, school counseling at Bradford Elementary School is concerned about the whole student as an individual. We seek to act as a facilitator or guide on their journey to maturity. The task is not to do for the student (for instance, not to tell them what to do or how to do it) but rather to assist them in discovering the benefits and detriments of the options available to them and learning how to make decisions that serve both themselves and the world well. Your involvement is essential to this process. Please contact the school counselor with any suggestions or concerns you may have.
Thank you for all you do on behalf of Bradford youth!
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(Please check out the Guidance Resource Links to the right of this section!)
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