The Role of a School Counselor

Role of a School Counselor
The role of a school counselor is multi-faceted.  "Professional school counselors are certified/licensed educators with a minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling, making them uniquely qualified to address all students’ academic, career and personal/social development needs by designing, implementing, evaluating and enhancing a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student success." (ASCA Website: www.schoolcounselor.org)

School counselors address the needs of students in the areas of:

• Academic
• Career 
• Personal/Social Development

Click here for an article by the American School Counselor Association. 

Confidentiality
According to the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors, School Counselors should:  "c. Recognize the complicated nature of confidentiality in schools and consider each case in context. Keep information confidential unless legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed or a breach is required to prevent serious and foreseeable harm to the student. Serious and foreseeable harm is different for each minor in schools and is defined by students’ developmental and chronological age, the setting, parental rights and the nature of the harm. School counselors consult with appropriate professionals when in doubt as to the validity of an exception." (www.schoolcounselor.org)