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Counseling Department

School Counselors

School counselors are highly educated, professionally certified individuals who help students succeed in school and plan their career. School counselors help students form healthy goals, mindsets and behaviors. With the aid of a school counselor, students learn to develop effective collaboration and cooperation skills, to practice perseverance, to develop time management and study skills, and to learn self-motivation and self-direction habits.*
* Adapted from the American School Counselors Association

Social-Emotional Learning & Mental Health Resources

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.  By promoting responsive relationships, emotionally safe environments, and skills development, SEL cultivates important “protective factors” to buffer against mental health risks.*
* Adapted from CASEL - Fundamentals of SEL

 

School Counseling Model at Dover Sherborn Middle School

3 School Counselors

At the middle school:

  • School counselors provide personal, academic, and social-emotional counseling and support to all of their students. 
  • They serve as an advocate and as a resource for students.
  • They meet with students for a variety of reasons: check-ins, academic, social, and emotional struggles, and significant life events. They meet with students individually and in groups.
  • School counselors also serve as a resource for parents and teachers. They communicate with outside providers to coordinate services to support their students.

2 Adjustment Counselors 

In addition to the school counselors:

  • The region employs two adjustment counselors/licensed social workers to provide additional support and advocacy to students who may benefit from more specialized services. 
  • Adjustment counselors work with students from grade 6 through 12 at the region.

Bridge Program
  • DS Bridge is a short-term transition program that supports students and their families with the process of reentry and reintegration into the DS school community by supporting their academic, social and emotional functioning.