Guidance Counseling and School Psychology

School Counselors:

Gill-Montague Regional School District provides a comprehensive school counseling program (K-12) that promotes academic, college/career, and social/emotional growth for all students. Please contact your student's school if you need contact information for the counselor/ school adjustment counselor assigned to that building.

Effective school counseling programs are a collaborative effort between the school counselor, families, community stakeholders and other educators to create an environment resulting in a positive impact on student achievement. Education professionals, including school counselors, value and respond to the diversity and individual differences in our societies and communities in culturally sensitive and responsive ways. Comprehensive school counseling programs in both the brick and-mortar and virtual settings ensure equitable access to opportunities and rigorous curriculum for all students to participate fully in the educational process. We are committed to ensuring that students are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to be effective and responsible citizens, productive workers, and life-long learners as members of a changing society.

School counselors focus their skills, time and energy on direct and indirect services to students.
1) Direct Services With Students
Direct services are face-to-face or virtual interactions between school counselors and students and include the following:

  • School counseling core curriculum
  • Individual student planning
  • Responsive services 
  • Short-term individual counseling 
  • Small group counseling

2) Indirect Services for Students
Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselors’ interactions with others including:

  • Referrals for additional assistance
  • Consultation and collaboration with families, teachers, other educators and community organizations
  • Other activities that fall in line with the appropriate duties of a school counselor

 For more information, please view these American School Counseling Association resources:

School Psychologists

Gill-Montague employs two licensed school psychologists that support our district elementary and secondary school programs.  These skilled providers play a key role in our district's contiuum of student support services. Contact information for our school psychologists are listed on our department webpage at http://www.gmrsd.org/welcome-gmrsd/departments/pupil-services-family-engagement

What is a School Psychologist?
School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.

What School Psychologists Do
School psychologists work to find the best solution for each student and situation; they use different strategies to address student needs and to improve school and district-wide support systems.

School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. They also work with teachers and parents to discuss effective teaching and learning strategies, techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom, working with students with disabilities or with special talents, and preventing and managing crises.

In addition, most school psychologists provide the following services.

Consultation

  • Collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to find effective solutions to learning and behavior problems.
  • Help others understand child development and how it affects learning and behavior.
  • Strengthen working relationships between teachers, parents, and service providers in the community.

Evaluation

  • Evaluate eligibility for special education services.
  • Assess cognitive skills and aptitude for learning.
  • Determine social-emotional development and mental health status.
  • Evaluate learning environments.

Intervention

  • Provide psychological counseling to help resolve interpersonal or family problems that interfere with school performance.
  • Work directly with children and their families to help resolve problems in adjustment and learning.
  • Provide training in social skills and anger management.
  • Help families and schools manage crises such as death, illness, or community trauma.

Prevention

  • Promote tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity within the school community.
  • Develop programs to make schools safer and more effective learning environments.

Research and Planning

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of academic and behavior management programs.
  • Identify and implement programs and strategies to improve schools.
  • Use evidence-based research to develop and/or recommend effective interventions.
  • Adapted from the National Association of School Psychologists website (www.nasponline.org).

Online Resources for Parents:

http://www.nasponline.org/families/index.aspx   Provides downloadable articles on a variety of topics including back-to-school transitions, anxiety, behavior, stress and coping, mental health, resilience.
http://www.mspa-online.com/hub/articles.html  Additional downloadable articles on a variety of topics.
www.ldonline.org/parents  A great website on learning disabilities.
http://www.allkindsofminds.org/ptk/index.aspx Parent toolkit from the All Kinds of Minds website.