Last week (Feb 7-11) was National School Counselor Week. What better time to discuss all the fun and craziness that surrounds our school counselor, Mrs. Zaruba during the school year!
You might be asking yourself, what does a school counselor do? School Counselors design and deliver school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. They lead, advocate, and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their school counseling program to the school’s academic mission and school improvement plan (ASCA). Mrs. Zaruba’s school counseling program includes classroom (CAPS) lessons, small group instruction, individual solution focused counseling, resource navigation, and collaboration with fellow staff on committees like PBIS and Building Leadership Team. Classroom lessons vary in topics from friendship to problem-solving to bully prevention. Small groups focus on specific skills like classroom survival, growth mindset, and emotion management. Individual solution-focused counseling helps students process big life events or focuses on skills that the individual student needs to find success at school.
Mrs. Zaruba also connects families to resources in our district and community to help remove barriers that they may face. One thing we know for sure is that every day Mrs. Zaruba has a smile on her face and a willingness to do what needs to be done for her students (and families!). Mrs. Zaruba is so thankful for the amazing staff at Longfellow who always puts their students' needs first and are always supportive of her School Counseling Program.
