The purpose of school counseling is to develop mindsets and behaviors in support of academic, social/emotional and college/career readiness development. School counseling services in Chesterfield County Public Schools are provided by licensed professional school counselors.
Academic counseling and advisement help students and parents learn about curriculum choices, plan an appropriate program of studies, arrange and interpret academic testing and seek postsecondary academic opportunities. School counselors also work with students, teachers, administrators and parents to address obstacles to student learning and teach skills that improve academic achievement.
College and career counseling helps students acquire information about a range of postsecondary options, access career planning resources and develop decision-making skills to plan for and access postsecondary education and career opportunities. Students also learn how coursework and career technical training opportunities offered in Chesterfield County Public Schools can help them explore career pathways of interest and earn industry credentials before graduation.
Social and emotional counseling helps students develop an understanding of themselves and others and how their choices affect themselves and others. Students learn how to resolve conflict constructively and define individual goals that reflect their interests, abilities and aptitudes. This counseling may be provided in core counseling curriculum lessons (for example, all fifth-graders learn mindsets and behaviors for a successful transition to middle school) in which universal issues of social development are addressed or through structured individual or small group counseling sessions that focus on specific student concerns (for example, adjusting to family transitions, acclimating to a new school and managing strong feelings in appropriate ways at school).
Classroom lesson plans and materials to be used at each grade level are available for review. Parents can review the lesson plans at specific grade levels for each classroom group guidance activity. To review lesson plans or school counseling materials, parents should contact their student’s counselor to set up an appointment for the review. Parents may exclude their child from personal or social counseling and classroom lessons facilitated by the counselor. If a parent does not want a child to participate, a request should be made in writing to the principal before the scheduled classroom lesson. Alternative lessons will not be provided.
Participation in small group counseling requires written parental permission for all students. Parental consent is not required for any student for brief social/emotional counseling that is needed to maintain order, discipline or a productive learning environment.
The school counseling curriculum of Chesterfield County Public Schools is aligned with the Standards for School Counseling Programs in Virginia Public Schools, which are online at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/school_counseling/counselingstandards.pdf.