Special Programs and Services

Guidance and Counseling

The purpose of the counseling program is to help each student realize his/her full potential as a responsible person in a rapidly changing world. The goals of the school counselor are to assist students in the following ways:

➣ understand themselves and others

➣ develop communications, decision making and interpersonal skills

➣ establish and maintain healthy relations with others

➣ develop problem solving and coping skills

➣ gain optimal educational, social, and personal benefit from their school experience

A certificated school counselor assists students by providing both personal counseling and academic and vocational guidance. The school counselor accomplishes this by working directly with students and by working with parents, teachers, administrators, and community professionals and agencies. The counselor is a coordinator of resources and a change agent enabling the goals and needs of all students to be realized. The counselor also provides prevention and intervention services to meet the educational needs and maximize the potential of students within Moline District No. 40.

The counselor provides services through individual counseling, group counseling and large group guidance to all seventh and eighth grade students. Individual counseling is available to all students on an as-needed basis. Group counseling is developed and based on referrals, self-referrals, teacher referrals, administrative referrals, parent referrals, and consists of developmental groups (addressing normal development skills) and special concern groups (topics or problems that students have in common). Groups are conducted during RAP times and/or while having lunch with the counselor. Large group guidance is necessary when important information needs to be delivered to a whole grade level, i.e., registering for high school.