Counselors describe preventative work to keep students academically engaged amid growing social-emotional needs

A district counselor provided a brief overview of the school counseling role across grade bands and how counseling services support academic success.

Rebecca Olsen, counselor at Daybreak Middle School, told the board primary counselors focus on executive functioning for young students, middle school counselors concentrate on changing bodies and social-emotional development, and high school counselors focus on credits, postsecondary planning and graduation readiness. Olsen described counseling as “often preventative in nature” and as work that helps “protect instructional time by providing support for the classroom teacher.”

Board members thanked counselors and noted counselors’ work has grown with increased technology, screen time and social pressures. The board did not take formal action but acknowledged counseling capacity should be considered when weighing levy restoration priorities.