The Life-Changing Magic of School Counselors

Parents and caretakers are a child’s first and best learning coaches, but especially during the high school years, school counselors can help you and your student call the plays.

High school counselors can take on the more unique challenges that coincide with the teenage years, like finding the best college, landing on a job that completes you or coping with a parent’s death or divorce.

School counselors deal with the litany of challenges and changes that can brighten and darken a high school student’s academic achievement. They do it in tandem with a host of team players in the school universe.

High school counselors have earned a master’s degree and state certification in school counseling. Maintaining that certification demands ongoing professional development to stay abreast of newly arising reforms and challenges.

They also can help students deal with academic pressures as they stare down high-stakes testing, the stress of college admissions, the scholarship and financial aid application process, and entrance into a competitive job market.

For ninth- through 12th-graders and their families, school counselors provide:

Classroom guidance

This can include academic skills support and help with organizational, study and test-taking skills. Counselors also identify at-risk students and can work with parents to help resolve school issues.

Career and educational planning

Counselors can help your student prepare for the next step in their educational career as well as for the world of work, including helping set up job shadowing opportunities and assistance with finding part-time jobs. Look to school counselors for assistance with helping your child set goals, academic plans, SAT preparation, problem-solving, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and aid with transition plans. Counselors can provide invaluable help with college applications, scholarship searches and the financial aid process.

Help with interpersonal and social skills

It’s not easy being a teenager, and school counselors can help students develop coping strategies and develop effective social skills that can help with peer relationships. These skills extend to communication, problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution and study skills.

Crisis counseling

School counselors are there to help when students are having problems either at home or in school. They can provide individual and small-group counseling that can include the student and parents. Counselors also are a good resource for finding additional help. More than just a destination for scholarship seekers, school counselors can be an important link in the school-to-college-to-career-to-community galaxy.

Kimberly Rogusky’s Primary Position: Coordinator of College and Career Counseling.
She has a Master's Degree and has been teaching at CCA since 2012.

Founded in 2003, Commonwealth Charter Academy is a Pennsylvania public cyber charter school with year-round open enrollment. CCA is a family service organization with deep expertise in education and strives to deliver a personalized educational experience that engages the entire family, preparing learners to succeed in school and life. For more information, please visit www.ccaeducate.me.