Counseling and Wellness
Mission Statement
Our School Counseling and Wellness Program is guided our Core Values: Inspire a Passion for Learning, Celebrate our Differences, Cultivate Creative Spirits, Foster Community, and Nourish Wellbeing. Our mission is to invite all students to experience educational success by providing guidance in academic, career, and personal/social growth. School-based counseling may help students overcome challenges that interfere with learning. Students will also learn to advocate for a safer environment that supports high achievement. We strive to achieve this by delivering various services to enhance personal and academic effectiveness, interpersonal growth, emotional support in crisis conditions and to promote a healthy school environment.
Counseling and Wellness At A Glance
At the heart of many students is a desire to be seen, heard, and valued. We know from research that one of the most important things to students is friendship and having a sense of belonging to a group. The counseling and wellness team works closely with advisors, teachers, learning specialists, and coaches because they know student needs best. Close collaboration between and among faculty and staff members is seamless so that students do not fall through the cracks.
Individual and Group Counseling
We provide short-term, solution-focused school-based counseling for students. Students may reach out to a counselor directly for support or be referred for individual counseling through teachers or parents. Individual counseling may be offered during a crisis, extended several weeks, or continued if needed. Topics in school-based counseling often revolve around school concerns, friendships, conflicts, or stress management. If a student is in crisis and needs crisis intervention beyond the scope of the school counselor, resources will be provided to the family.
Group counseling is offered for both Middle and Upper School divisions. The formation of groups is dynamic and often stems from a community need, such as social skills or stress management. Groups are short-term, meet once per week, and are often co-facilitated by one of the school counselors along with a school counseling intern.
Events, Programs and Services
The Counseling and Wellness Team offers a variety of support and services that include:
- Individual and Group Counseling
- Conflict Resolution / Restorative Conversations
- Partnering with Families
- Collaboration with Psychotherapists, Psychologists and Psychiatrists
- Individual or School Crisis Intervention
- Resources to Community Professionals
Events and Programs include:
- Wellness Wednesdays (Fun activities to promote emotional wellness)
- Kindness Week (An annual Middle School challenge)
- Wellness Week (Daily social activities that may include yoga, meditation, games)
Wellness Activity Pictures:
Kindness Challenge Suggestion Poster
Social Emotional Lessons (SEL)
Some of the social-emotional lessons taught to students during Advisory by counselors are:
- Self Concept and Self-Esteem
- Respecting Myself and Others
- Self Awareness and Self-Management
- Friendship, Teamwork and Conflict Resolution
- Healthy Habits
- Stress Management
- Healthy and Wellness
Counselors may also plan lessons with teachers responding to a community need. Counselors often partner with the Diversity Equity and Inclusion team to present a workshop that may overlap on content and student needs.
Tia Gacad
Middle and Upper School Counselor
Tia Gacad obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Education in School Counseling from the University of Southern California. She joined our school as a counseling intern and eventually became our Middle School Counselor. Tia works closely with Christina Morse to support our middle schoolers. She is passionate about creating counseling activities and programs and is a valued member of our Counseling Team.