Skip To Main Content

What Does A School Counselor Do?

WHAT DOES A SCHOOL COUNSELOR DO?

Middle school is an exciting, yet challenging time for students, parents, and teachers! The school counselors at Asheville Middle School perform many functions to assist students and their families as they navigate this important time for learning and experience. School counselors work directly with students in various capacities to foster positive growth and change, while also offering support to parents, teachers, and other school staff in understanding the developmental needs of middle school students. Collaboration across support networks is a vital component of the school counseling program that contributes to student growth and success.

How AMS school counselors address student needs:

  • Individual Counseling -- Counselors work with students on a one-to-one basis in order to help them effectively manage a variety of personal, academic, and social issues. While each young adolescent student faces his/her own unique challenges, some common issues for middle schoolers involve: confidence/self-esteem, academic pressures, coping with grief, dealing with families in transition, organization, stress/anxiety management, fitting in, communication skills, transitioning to middle school, peer relationships, and crisis management, among others.
  • Group Counseling -- Each school counselor facilitates small group counseling throughout the year. Groups are organized according to student-identified needs and are available to all interested students. Groups typically meet weekly or bi-weekly, and may be ongoing throughout the year or time-structured with a start/end date. Common group topics include; school motivation, study skills, grief & loss, divorce/separation, stress/anxiety management, social skills, and self-esteem, among others.
  • Classroom Guidance -- Periodically throughout the year, school counselors will facilitate lessons in the classroom aimed to address life skills and goals that influence personal and academic success. Bullying prevention, social media responsibility/etiquette, character education & prosocial behavior, preparation for high school (8th grade), career exploration, and personal wellness are just a few examples of topics covered by counselors during classroom guidance lessons.

How school counselors collaborate to maximize students' academic success and overall wellness:

*If you or your child are interested in learning more about the counseling program and services at Asheville Middle School, please contact the the corresponding grade counselor, located on the Who We Are page.