How to Start a Middle School Counseling Program

Middle school counselors provide a variety of services.

Middle school is a time of great transition for students. Students of this age are growing physically as well as emotionally and intellectually. For this reason, middle school counseling programs are extremely important. Counselors help students navigate this time of transition through discussion and leadership by example. Though the process of beginning a middle school counseling program is arduous, the potential rewards in the lives of children make it well worth the effort.

Instructions

1. Appeal to the community for funding and support. Bring the issue up at town meetings, school board meetings and other public forums. Hold a rally or start a grassroots door-to-door or letter campaign. Mobilizing the community behind you will increase the likelihood of your proposal being accepted by the school district.

2. Present your proposal for a middle school counseling program to the school district. Emphasize the need for such a program as well as the community support you have gathered.

3. Outline the procedures of your middle school counseling program. Include specific information on how the students will interact with counselors and how the counselors will handle various situations.

4. Establish long-term goals. Consider additional services that the middle school counseling program could offer in five or ten years.

5. Determine the number of counselors needed. If it is a large middle school, you may need to assign one counselor per grade level.

6. Communicate openly and frequently with the middle school principals and teachers. Emphasize the teamwork necessary for a counseling program to succeed.

7. Introduce the counselors to the middle school student body. Let each counselor address the students. Emphasize that a counselor's office is not for disciplinary purposes. Be sure the students know where the counselors' offices are located and encourage them to interact with the counselors.

8. Accept evaluations from administrators and teachers. Be open to their suggestions and look for ways to improve the counseling program.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider creating incentive programs to increase points of contact between students and counselors.

References

• American School Counselor Association: Why Middle School Counselors
• Lake Braddock Secondary School: Middle School Counseling Services
• School-Counselor.org: Middle School Counseling