The School Counseling Services Department provides support and guidance for students to help develop their full educational potential, including the students’ interests and career objectives, while supporting their immediate personal concerns and social development.  The counselor team also supports the efforts of teachers, staff, parents and other members of the community in promoting the educational, career, personal and social development of students.

North Lamar ISD School Counselors follow the Texas Comprehensive Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs 5^th edition.  Their program consists of four components:  Guidance Curriculum, Responsive Services, Individual Planning and System Support.

The State of Texas has mandated part of the guidance curriculum to include:

• Anti-Bullying and Anti-Victimization,
• Drug and Alcohol Awareness,
• Healthy Relationships (including Dating Violence),
• Healthy Emotions (including Suicide Prevention), and
• Post-Secondary Planning

Also, lessons are provided that promote the Essential Eight, build Social Emotional Learning skills, and incorporate the following additional character traits and personal skills:  Trustworthiness, Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Good Citizenship, and School Pride.

North Lamar ISD school counselors hold a professional certificate in counseling issued by the Texas Education Agency on the recommendation of the college or university where the counselor has obtained a master’s degree in counseling.

Counselors continually update their skills by attending workshops and conferences in an effort to further their education in areas such as trauma and loss, conflict resolution, crisis management, educational planning and student development.

The mission of North Lamar ISD school counseling program is to provide support and guidance to all students as a means to foster academic success, post-secondary and career preparation, and personal social and emotional development through guidance curriculum, responsive services, individual planning and system support, which will prepare them to lead successful and productive lives.

The North Lamar Independent School District is dedicated to the belief that an effective program of Guidance and Counseling is an integral part of the total educational program of each student.  These services assist all pupils directly or indirectly in making use of their abilities for their own development and for the good of our society.  The guidance program is directed toward the personal, social, emotional, intellectual, career and aesthetic adjustment and growth of each student.

As Professional School Counselors, we:

• Through guidance curriculum, we will facilitate awareness, skill development, and application of the skills needed in everday life.
• Through responsive services, we will address immediate concerns of students with prevention and intervention strategies.
• Through individual planning, we will assist students in student planning and goal setting.
• Through system support, we will provide consultation and education
• Through character education development and guidance lessons our counselors provide social-emotional learning.

What Is Social-Emotional Learning?

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. SEL teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work effectively and ethically.

These skills include:

● recognizing and managing our emotions,

● developing caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships,

● making responsible decisions, and

● handling challenging situations constructively and ethically.

SEL is about more than positive interactions. SEL is our systematic approach to building a safe school culture, providing trauma-informed practice, and establishing Tier 1 behavior instruction.Through character education development and guidance lessons our counselors teach these important life skills. People with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. From effective problem-solving to self-discipline, from impulse control to emotion management and more, SEL provides a foundation for positive, long-term effects on kids, adults, and communities. Children thrive. Schools win. Workplaces benefit. Society strengthens. All due to social-emotional learning. In North Lamar ISD, stakeholders will work to support the development of social-emotional skills in our students by implementing SEL strategies as a part of a developmental guidance curriculum, during classroom instruction, and in a partnership with home. Our goals are to empower students to have a meaningful impact on the world, pursue their individual gifts and abilities, become productive, responsible citizens and to be relentless, self-directed learners.