Skip to main content

School Counseling

Contact Information

Phone: 301-766-2966

The WCPS School Counseling Program is committed to promoting academic success, career guidance and skills for personal/social growth that enable all students to reach their full potential and open doors to a world of endless opportunities. School counselors serve as leaders, advocates and collaborators to help students better understand themselves and develop skills needed to become productive citizens.

Role of the School Counselor

Comprehensive - The school counseling program is designed to meet the needs of all students while focusing on academic, career, personal and social development.  School counselors are responsible for delivering effective methods within their counseling program that includes the following: consultation, collaboration, coordination, case management, and classroom curriculum as well as program evaluation.  

Individual - Counselors provide a safe, trusting environment that respects the privacy, rights and integrity of all students; allowing them the opportunity to freely explore ideas, express feelings and behaviors.

Small Group Counseling - Counselors facilitate small groups that consist of five or more students together for at least six to eight weeks. Group members are selected to participate in group discussions, designed around a particular topic that can be related to personal/social development and academic success. Small groups provide students an opportunity to learn from each other, share ideas, give and receive feedback as well as practice skills that can be used in their learning environment and community.

School Counseling Curriculum - Counselors deliver lessons to elementary, middle and high school students in classrooms and advisory groups. Lesson are aligned with Common Core goals to address social skill competencies in the academic, career and personal/social domains.

Responsive Services - School counselors work with students who might be experiencing barriers to learning such as poor academic performance, absenteeism, health concerns, bullying, family issues and peer conflicts

School counselors also consult with school staff and parents to provide information and community resources in addressing student needs. 

Social workers engage families in partnership to encourage academic, personal and social growth. They advocate for change that will enable children to achieve to their fullest potential. Social workers partner with the community to encourage collaboration between school and home.

How Does My Child See The School Counselor or School Social Worker?

Students in Washington County can request to meet with their school counselor at any time throughout the school year. Students can also be referred by teachers, administration or parent/ guardian. All counselors can be reached at his or her school by email or telephone. 

School Counseling Department Social Workers

School social workers acknowledge family involvement as a necessary and integral part of the learning process for every student involved in a world-class education.  By building on family strengths, through social work intervention, students will be supported in academic achievement.

  • School social workers encourage family support of the child to increase academic achievement
  • School social workers engage families in partnership to enhance each child's learning process.
  • School social workers support family strengths to encourage academic, personal and social growth.
  • School social workers advocate for change that will enable children to achieve their fullest potential.
  • School social workers partner with the community to encourage collaboration in a child's education.
  • School social workers conduct services according to professional standards for school social practice and NASW Code of Ethics.
  • School social workers will collect accurate data regarding services provided and evaluate to improve service delivery.

Washington County Crisis Response Team

The Washington County Crisis Team is committed to providing trained professional support to all students and staff in Washington County Public Schools, in the event of any traumatic incident, to assist the school environment in its return to normalcy.

The Washington County Crisis Team believes:

  • both students and faculty/staff should be provided with professional support in times of crisis and should be allowed the opportunity to process through their emotional reactions to the crisis.
  • that people respond to crisis in varying ways.
  • that CISM is an effective intervention approach to sustain normalization in schools.
  • that academic instruction can/should continue in the face of a crisis OR that academic instruction should be encouraged to continue as much as possible in the event of a crisis situation.