Counseling

“School counselors play a critical role in ensuring schools provide a safe, caring environment and that students have the necessary mindsets and behaviors to advance academic achievement outcomes. School counselors work collaboratively with stakeholders* to ensure equity, access and academic success of all students.” (ASCA, 2019)

*Stakeholders include: Parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, coaches

Junior High

Classroom Guidance: All 7th- and 8th-grade students receive Second Step lessons twice per month, delivered by the counseling department in partnership with their classroom teachers. While the lessons are considered social-emotional in their content, they are designed with academic development and success in mind. Emotional awareness and regulation, communication skills and interpersonal skills all impact academic success.

All Students

Support is available to all Clyde Hill students in 7th-12th grades through 1:1 meetings for the following areas of growth:

• Organization
• Time management
• Conflict resolution with teachers and peers
• Study skills
• Referrals to Student Academic Services if we believe a student might need evaluation for a learning disability or additional support beyond our scope of practice.
• Course advising: Begins for students the spring of their 8^th grade year, and continues each year following. Students work with their parents using the Academic Catalog to select coursework they are interested in. Counselors partner with students and parents/guardians to map out a four-year plan that is developmentally and academically appropriate. Counselors work with students to develop academic and college/career goals, and to select courses that align with these goals.

Junior High

The 7th- and 8th-grade Second Step lessons for social/emotional development: These lessons cover a wide range of developmentally appropriate topics including but not limited to: identity development, social skills, goal setting, conflict resolution, positive self-talk and mindset work, bullying/harassment, healthy and unhealthy relationships, and preparing for high school. These lessons are evidence-based and comprehensive.

All Students 

Social/emotional development support is available to all students 7th-12th grade through 1:1 meetings for the following areas of growth:

• Friendships
• Family challenges and changes
• Emotional awareness
• Self esteem and confidence
• Navigating junior high and high school
• Relationships
• Communication

This list is not comprehensive, rather just some examples of ways we support students with their social and emotional development. Our job as school counselors is to know when we are able to help at school as it pertains to removing barriers to learning and when to refer out to a specialist.

If you are looking for a therapist or psychiatrist, we recommend speaking directly with your family medical doctor and/or insurance company. While Bellevue Christian School does not provide direct referrals to community practitioners for ethical reasons, we do encourage you to use www.psychologytoday.com “Find a Therapist” as a reputable search engine. Here families can place parameters on their search based on geographic region, insurance coverage, specific topics of support and religious/faith integration preferences.

Junior High

The 7th- and 8th-grade Second Step lessons for college and career development: Students explore their interests and hobbies as well as strengths and areas of growth. As students set goals and think about their current future selves, they are preparing to make informed decisions about who they want to be in the world – at school, at church, in their families and in their future workplaces.

High School

College and career development support is available to all students in 9th – 12th grades through 1:1 meetings, as well as family meetings by request.

The College and Career Handbook provides an overview of each year of high school and appropriate steps to take, including:

• Course Advising begins for students the spring of their 8^th grade year and continues each year following. Students work with their parents using the Academic Catalogue to select coursework they are interested in. Counselors partner with students and parents/guardians to map out a four-year plan that is developmentally and academically appropriate. Counselors work with students to develop academic and college/career goals and to select courses that align with these goals.
• Junior Year Overview: The Road to College & Career Event – fall of junior year
• Required 1-1 meeting with counselor spring of junior year
• Senior Year Seminar: The Bellevue Christian School application process and protocol / navigating senior year and beyond – fall of senior year
• Required 1-1 meeting with counselor fall of senior year

College and Career Handbook

Resources

• The Bellevue Christian School counseling department is incredibly grateful to use Naviance by Hobsons as our primary college and career preparation, research and application management platform. For more information about Naviance please connect directly with your designated school counselor. You can access your student and parent accounts at this link: https://student.naviance.com/bellevuecs. 
• Washington State College and Career Information & Resources: https://www.collegeboard.org/
• Standardized testing information and registration can be found at:
  • SAT and AP: https://www.collegeboard.org/
  • ACT: https://www.act.org/
• Reputable Scholarship Search Engines:
  • www.fastweb.com
  • www.petersons.com
  • www.myscholly.com
  • www.thewashboard.org
  • www.finaid.org

“School counselors play a critical role in ensuring schools provide a safe, caring environment and that students have the necessary mindsets and behaviors to advance academic achievement outcomes. School counselors work collaboratively with stakeholders* to ensure equity, access and academic success of all students.” (ASCA, 2019)

*Stakeholders include: Parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, coaches.

Kindergarten - 6th Grade Counseling

All students in K – 6^th grade receive Second Step lessons, delivered by the counseling department in partnership with their classroom teachers. While the lessons are considered social-emotional in their content, they are designed with academic development and success in mind. Emotional awareness and regulation, communication skills, and interpersonal skills all impact academic success.

Support is available to all students K – 6th grade through 1:1 meetings for the following areas of growth:

• Organization
• Conflict resolution with teachers and peers
• Study skills
• Advocacy skills
• Referrals to Student Academic Services if we believe a student might need evaluation for a learning disability or additional support beyond our scope of practice.

Social-Emotional Development Curriculum

Kelso's Choice

Kindergarten through Third Grade at Three Points Elementary

Kelso's Choice is a great tool to use to help with conflict management. Students are empowered to solve a small problem on their own without an adult’s help. We talk with students about small problems and big problems. Examples of small problems are: another student making a noise when you’re trying to work, not going “out” when they’ve lost their turn, whispering when the teacher is talking, taking too long to do something, “saving” a toy, taking “cuts” in line, etc. Big problems are defined as being pushed, kicked, and hit, someone throwing rocks at someone else, anything dangerous, running out into the street, stealing, being continually teased by someone else.

There are nine choices students get to make in order to help solve a small problem!

Second Step

Second Step is a national, standards-based counseling curriculum created by the Committee for Children. The lessons are focused on developing social emotional as well as academic skills (topics range from empathy and respect, emotional regulation and awareness, to friendships and solving problems). As we dive into these topics with students, we do look and discuss all these different topics from a biblical worldview. We know that scripture is God breathed, living and active, through the lens we get to have conversations about how God calls us to respect, love and show empathy to one another.

All classrooms receive lessons weekly or bi-weekly depending on grade level and split groups.

Individual Support

Support is available to all students K- 6^th grades through 1:1 meetings for the following areas of growth:

Friendships, Emotional awareness, Self-esteem and confidence, Relationships, Communication

This list is not comprehensive, rather just some examples of ways we support students with their social and emotional development. Our job as school counselors is to know when we are able to help at school as it pertains to removing barriers to learning and when to refer out to a specialist.

If you are looking for a therapist or psychiatrist, we recommend speaking directly with your family doctor and/or insurance company. While Bellevue Christian School does not provide direct referrals to community practitioners for ethical reasons, we do encourage you to use www.psychologytoday.com “Find a Therapist” as a reputable search engine. Here, families can place parameters on their search based on geographic region, insurance coverage, specific topics of support and religious/faith integration preferences.

Whatever avenue a student desires to pursue post-secondary, there are plenty of activities we can do at young ages that begin conversations around college and careers exploration. Exposure to different careers is a great starting point! Talking about what different jobs people hold will broaden a student’s perspective on what they can do.