Meeting With Your Counselor

We always encourage students to come to talk to their counselor about any issue(s) that may be affecting them personally, socially or academically. Students can request to see their counselor by stopping in the counseling center during their learning labs/lunch or  before and after school. We make every attempt to see students within 24 - 48 hours of their initial requests.

 

What Do I Do If I Need The Counselor?

It's a good idea to know about the school counselor, even if you don't need any help right now.  If you're unsure how to contact the counselor, ask your teacher, your parent or one of the people who work in the school office.  Batavia Middle School has more than one counselor. As a student you are assigned to a counselor based on what grade you're in. You are assigned a counseling when you enter 5th grade based on your homeroom.  When you move up to 6th grade you are assigned a new counselor who will stay with you until your graduate from BMS.

Generally, counselors meet students in:

  • in a private setting

  • group counseling setting with kids who are dealing with the same problems/issues (such as friendship, organization or social skills)

  • classrooms, where the counselor teaches a class on a subject that affects everyone (such as bullying) 

What Will the Appointment Be Like?

The most common setting to meet with a counselor is in a private meeting. The meeting could be just you alone, or other students, your teacher, or your parent could be there.

You don’t need to know exactly what's bothering you when you talk with the school counselor. You may just be feeling bad or not doing as well in school as you know you can — and that's OK. The counselor will try to help you figure out what's going on. When you do, he or she will have ideas for how to make things better. Sometimes that means finding other people (tutors, learning specialists) who can provide the help you need.

Will the Counselor Keep a Secret?

Confidentiality means that the privacy of information that you share with your counselor belongs to you.  You may share information with others as you wish, but we understand that you have a right to privacy.  We will guard that privacy as much as is permitted by the law, ethics and school rules. 

You should know that there are exceptions where we are obligated to break confidentiality. These include times where there is potential risk of harm to or by an individual, and state laws mandate reporting of child abuse.  

What Else Do Counselors Do? In addition to helping kids with problems, school counselors help kids learn about:

  • A counselor helps students when they have to schedule questions, problems or conflicts

  • A counselor helps students to work out problems with school, with friends, and with personal matters.

  • A counselor makes classroom presentations about topics like bully, staying healthy and making good choices.

  • A counselor works with students to help them get organized so that they can get better grades and be the best they can be!

  • A counselor is someone you can talk to!