Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Counseling Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Counselors and families urge Kingston board not to cut middle‑school counseling positions
Summary
School counselors, parents and students told the board that proposed shifts of counselors to the high school would raise middle‑school caseloads above recommended levels and reduce supports; speakers requested the district preserve four middle‑level counselors and asked for clearer budgeting and communication.
Dozens of parents, school counselors and students asked the Kingston City School District Board of Education to reconsider plans that would reduce the number of counselors at each middle school.
"Reducing from four counselors to three would make that cohort model unsustainable," said Charlene Wolford, a district school counselor and Kingston High School alumna, describing how counselors provide daily mental‑health support, attendance work and connections to outside partners. "Students need consistent adults who provide them with healthy strategies to manage anxiety and build resilience."
Megan Williams, a parent and school counselor, told the board two counselor positions had been abolished at the May 15 meeting and described projected caseloads: she estimated counselors at one middle school would carry about 308 students and at Miller about 275 if the cuts proceed, above the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended ratio of 250 but below the contractual maximum of 350. "We are asking the district to reimagine this plan," Williams said, citing retirements and possible grade‑structure shifts that she said could reduce disruption if timed with hiring.
Other speakers—including Kelly Darling, a Miller Middle School counselor, and several students—said counselors are often the first point of contact for students in crisis and that shifting counselors to cover high‑school vacancies would intensify counselors' non‑counseling duties such as Medicaid billing and attendance follow‑up.
Speakers also pressed the board for clearer communication about layoffs and program changes (including dual‑language program staffing) and asked the administration to involve classroom staff and families earlier in budget and personnel decisions.
The board did not take a vote on counselor staffing at the meeting; public comment closed after roughly 30 minutes. Trustees signaled awareness of the issue during subsequent presentations and committee reports; no formal staffing decision was announced at the meeting.
