Columbia School District

Special Education and Student Services

School Counseling

We believe each student is a unique, developing, capable individual who will learn from experience and grow personally, socially, and educationally through out childhood and adolescence. The school counseling program respects individual differences. It assists and supports students as they begin to understand themselves, develop decision making and problem solving skills, and plan for their futures. The program seeks to promote each student’s desire to maximize his/her potential in preparation for success. The program shares important educational and career information with students. It helps students to learn communication and life planning skills to help them grow into responsible adults.

School Counseling Services

The School Counselor will:

Collaborate with teachers, parents, administrators.

  • Find effective solutions to learning and behavior problems.

  • Help others understand child development and how it impacts learning and behavior.

  • Promote communication between those involved in a child’s education.

Provide counseling services.

  • Work with children and families to resolve problems in adjustment and learning.

  • Help students, teachers, parents, and administrators to respond to a crisis.

Provide prevention programs.

  • Design programs for children who are at-risk for school failure.

  • Promote tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity.

  • Develop programs to make schools safer and more effective learning environments.

  • Collaborate with school staff and community

School Counselors Can Help Students with:

  • behavior

  • mood

  • coping during challenging situations

  • developmental issues

  • problem solving

  • self advocacy

  • relationships with authority figures, peers and friends

  • academic concerns such as organization, homework completion, study skills, and executive functioning skills

  • following routine

Social/Emotional Curriculum

Each middle school student learns three types of social/emotional curriculum during the school year.

1) Mind Up

Mind Up is a classroom-based social and emotional learning program (SEL) designed to enhance self awareness, social awareness, attention, self-regulation, problem solving, and pro-social behavior (helping, sharing, and cooperating).

2) Advisory Classes

Advisory classes are designed to meet adolescents' needs for autonomy, competence, relationship, and fun.

Each class is designed around the “power of play” to create a safe and structured community based around Cooperation, Communication, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, Engagement, and Self-control.

3) Career and College Exploration

Students at Horace Porter School in Grades 5 to 8 are introduced to career exploration and continuing education.

Middle School students engage in classroom based discussions on the topic of career exploration. These classes center on current school and future career goals.

Studies show that it is important to start these conversations early. Students will participate in goal setting, career inventories, career cluster exploration. They will discuss what they accomplish now and how that can affect their future.

Continuing Education

  • High School Introductions

  • The High School Credit System

  • What is a Trade?

  • The Differences in Private vs. Public Colleges

  • The Differences in College/ University Degrees

Career Exploration

  • What is a Career Cluster?

  • What is your Career Cluster?

  • Students Complete a Career Inventory

  • What is Resume?

  • What is a Personal Budget?

  • Salary vs. Hourly Rate

Use the following link to explore CT's careers with your child at home! Connecticut Department of Labor

Use the following link to explore and play different career games! Career Games