Our Gratitude for High School Counselors

A recent story by National Public Radio brought attention to the enormous value high school counselors provide within our schools and to our students and families.
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A recent story by National Public Radio brought attention to the enormous value high school counselors provide within our schools and to our students and families.

In addition to course registration, counselors are asked to be experts on so many topics and are expected to be prepared for academic and career guidance including questions regarding SAT tests, college preparation and more.

In fact, the “more” is creating even greater concern.

Indeed, school shootings make big headlines — and amplify the attention on student mental health, social isolation and the role of families.

At College Parents of America – we seek to advocate for greater insights and outreach.  It seems to us that the best place to start is in our support of high school counselors.  Their work with students places them on the front line and yet too often most are under-resourced for the responsibilities we ask of them.

According to the story, “school counselors like her work with school nurses, school psychologists, and school social workers to make sure that students struggling in and out of school get the help that they need. But all of these staff work with huge caseloads. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, school psychologists work with about 1,400 students each across the country. The American School Counselor Association recommends that counselors work with 250 students each, but just three states follow that advice.”

In our view, we are grateful for the individuals who listen and engage our students.  Who spend face–to–face time building relationships with students, identifying students who are at risk or who may be isolated, and working with families to support their students towards not only completing high school but preparing them for life beyond.

We publish this post with sincere thanks to all of the high school counselors who, often overworked, find time to reach out to an at-risk student, to make that call to a parent or answer questions on so many topics.  Thank you for the support you provide and for the concern you demonstrate across the nation.