Elementary School Counselors foster student learning through the development of skills and attitudes necessary to be successful learners and exemplary citizens through classroom lessons, small group counseling, individual counseling, social lunch bunches, and collaboration with school professionals.

School counselors serve as the student’s advocate and they adhere to the Code of Ethics of the American School Counseling Association. Confidentiality is important to the counseling relationship because it facilitates trust; therefore all information shared will be taken in confidence.

School counselors promote excellence through their work in four program areas:

• Responsive Services: personal and crisis counseling, small group counseling, 504 and support services
• Life Skills Curriculum: engaging classroom lessons for every student that promote safety, character education, social and emotional development, and strategies for academic success for every grade level
• System Support: collaboration with teachers and staff and fostering community relationships
• Individual Planning: test planning and interpretation as well as goal setting

The counselors facilitate classroom guidance lessons on the Specials rotation that adhere to the Williamson County Schools Scope and Sequence. 

K-5 Lesson Topics:

• Self-awareness
• Emotional regulation and feelings
• Study Skills
• Stress and worries
• School Preparedness
• Goal setting
• Real-world safety
• Communication strategies and expression
• Online safety
• Healthy Choices
• Peer Pressure
• Conflict Resolution
• Manners
• Friendship

Small groups are organized to help students meet certain challenges they may be facing. These groups give student’s an opportunity to share and acquire specific skills in a confidential setting. They usually meet once a week in groups of three to seven students. The duration of the group can last from four to eight weeks. Examples of small groups:

• Friendship groups to help children build social skills
• Anger management groups to help students learn how to deal with anger
• Self-esteem groups to help children feel positive about themselves
• Grief groups to help children cope with the death of a loved one
• Changing families to help children adjust to the challenges of divorce, remarriage and step-families

Please contact your child’s teacher or one of the EES Counselors if you feel your child could benefit from a small group setting.  First round of groups begin in October and end in December.  Second round of groups begin in February and end in April.

All students are free to talk with one of the EES Counselors about personal concerns they may have. Students may be referred by teachers, parents, or self-referral.

The Edmondson Elementary School Counselors host several special events throughout the school year.

• Character Assemblies
• Parenting Enrichment Opportunities
• Kids on the Block Assemblies
• I.C. Hope – Mental Health America of Middle Tennessee
• Service Projects through Student Council
• 5th Grade Transition to Brentwood Middle School

Children need a worry-free environment in order to do their very best in school.  Unfortunately, teasing and bullying are facts of life for your students.  While these actions are not prevalent, any incident can be discouraging to a child and disruptive to the learning process. The learning of appropriate social skills is a vital part of the educational process.

Bullying can include behaviors initiated by one or more students against a victim that are deliberate and hurtful, and are repeated over time. The key components of bullying are that it is unprovoked and that the physical or psychological intimidation occurs repeatedly over time and creates a pattern of harassment or abuse. Consequences for a student who commits an act of harassment or bullying shall be unique to the individual incident and will vary in method and severity according to the nature of the behavior, the developmental age of the student, and the student’s history of problem behaviors. Actions taken shall be designed to:

• Correct the problem behavior
• Prevent another occurrence of the behavior
• Protect the victim of the act
• Help the student understand how the other person feels

We believe it is imperative for the home and school to work harmoniously in helping students evolve into responsible individuals who can demonstrate good character traits while weighing the rights and interest of others at the same time. This learning related to character developments is as important as academic achievement. Parents, students, teachers, and administrators contribute to a positive environment where children feel safe and have an opportunity to learn.  Developing good character traits will allow students to learn empathy and celebrate everyone’s achievements. It is our goal to ensure our school environment is a place where students want to be and where they see themselves as capable of success.

If a student needs help resolving a conflict or if a student feels that he/she is being bullied, he/she should communicate with his/her teacher, one of our guidance counselors, or administration.

A Fairview Elementary school counselor is encouraging her students to stop and think, and the district is encouraging others to embrace the concept as well.