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Counselors tell board rising mental‑health needs and high caseloads hamper student supports
Summary
School counselors and administrators told the board that student mental-health needs and high counselor-to-student ratios (350–400:1 at the high school; ASCA recommends 250:1) are limiting services; presenters asked the board to protect counselor time, reduce non‑counseling duties, and support preventive programs. The meeting also highlighted resource‑officer engagement, Centerstone partnerships, and career-readiness activities.
Amanda Felton, a sixth‑year school counselor at Cordon Central High School, told the South Harrison board that modern school counseling covers academics, social-emotional development and college/career readiness and stressed the difference between historical 'guidance counselor' roles and today’s comprehensive counseling practice. "At the high school we're between 350 and 400 students per counselor," she said, referencing the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1.
Felton described rising mental-health needs — anxiety, depression, trauma and executive‑functioning challenges — and gave examples of students who improved academically and emotionally through counseling interventions. She recommended moving staffing ratios closer to 250:1, protecting counselor time for direct services, reducing non‑counseling duties and supporting preventive mental‑health programming.
Elementary presentations reinforced the high demand for services. Laura Kelly and Mr. Roads described the South Central Elementary strategies: a resource officer who engages informally with students (Officer Clay, described as a daily presence), a Centerstone counselor on campus, classroom social‑skills lessons, a career-on-wheels day for younger grades and a kindergarten roundup to build early connections. The district noted Centerstone staff changes this year, with Melissa Price joining Centerstone and serving students across grade levels.
Board members praised counselor work and the FFA and mock‑interview programs, and several members reiterated concerns about counselor caseload. The meeting recorded no formal policy votes tied directly to the recommendations; several routine approvals (consent, field trips, fundraisers) proceeded separately.
The board said it will continue to consider ways to support counselors and preventive programs; no binding staffing or budgetary changes were adopted at this meeting.
