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School Counseling

Welcome to Echo Hills Elementary School!

As a school counselor, my role is to support our students in areas of social, emotional, academic, and personal well-being. I believe in a “whole child” approach as my experiences in small group counseling, individual counseling, guidance lessons with teacher involvement, and responsive supports are built upon years of research from our American School Counseling Association. School Counselors have expertise beyond guidance lessons and academic supports: they are trained and licensed professionals with a wealth of knowledge in counseling, crisis management, trauma-informed care, and are often the bridge in many school districts among teachers, students, outside agencies, and the community.

I am here for your child, for our parents and families of our community, and have been a part of our counseling team since 2014 (ten years). I have been a school counselor for 13 years and worked across all age levels. My areas of interest and study include:

  • Grief and Loss (I have worked with thousands of students as they work through complex grief and helped them adjust to loss & have a place in my heart for those who “move forward” amid their losses).

  • Anxiety, ADHD and Autism (Nominated for National Presenter in the Milestones Autism Conference ---three years)

  • Scheduling and Diversified Course Career-Interest Inventories

  • Family Dynamics (Family Systems) Separation and Divorce Support (9 years’ experience running small groups and connecting families to supports)

  • Self-Control & Anger Management and Teaching Coping Skills to Students

  • Professional Development and Advocacy for Students with Disabilities (Inclusive, with Restorative Justice Experience and Training)

  • Art and Music Therapy (undergraduate studies in theatre & acting with community involvements in Canton, Aurora, and greater Cleveland area).

  • Sports Psychology (mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy and its importance in achievement… as a lover of volleyball, jogging, and weight lifting, supporting our student-athletes is a joy as physical health is connected to well-being).

  • Self Esteem and Belonging

 

Memberships and Professional Highlights & Interests

All Ohio Clinical and School Counselors                                                            Presenter 2017-2023

National Alliance on Mental Illness                                                                    Board Member (Summit County, 2023)

American (Ohio School Counselors’ Association)                                          Member

Summit County Counselor’s Association (nonprofit)                                   Board Officer   (2019-Current)

 

Why Have Elementary School Counselors?

“The elementary years are a time when students begin to develop their academic self-concept and feelings of competence and confidence as learners. They are beginning to develop decision-making, communication and life skills, as well as character values. It is also a time when students develop and acquire attitudes toward school, self, peers, social groups and family. Elementary school counselors are educators uniquely trained in child development, learning strategies, self-management and social skills, who understand and promote success for today’s diverse students. They implement a school counseling program to support students through this important developmental period. The program provides education, prevention and intervention activities, which are integrated into all aspects of children’s lives. The program teaches knowledge, attitudes and skills students need to acquire in academic, career and social/emotional development, which serve as the foundation for future success. Elementary school counselors do not work in isolation; rather they are integral to the total educational program. They provide a proactive program that engages students and includes leadership, advocacy and collaboration with school staff, administration and community/family members in the delivery of programs and activities to help students achieve success. Elementary school counselors also collaborate with teachers and parents on early identification and intervention of children’s academic and social/emotional needs, which is essential in removing barriers to learning and developing skills and behaviors critical for academic achievement.” (American School Counselors Association National Model, 2019).

Numerous studies demonstrate the value of school counseling for students in the domains of academic development, college and career readiness, and social/emotional development. Results of research about the effectiveness of school counseling can be found at schoolcounselor.org/effectiveness .

 

Roles

Classroom Guidance Lessons support teachers as we work together to provide preventative approaches to topics such as feelings, social skills, empathy, and problem-solving.

Small Group Counseling is a skillset of all school counselors and is one of the most important roles we provide in good practice districts.  Topics include social skills, worry, self-esteem, anger, divorce, grief and loss, self-esteem, and transitions (to a new school or grade level and how to pivot with those stresses).  Teachers and/or parents can request a student be included in a small group.  The school counselor will obtain parent permission before including the student in a small group.

Individual Counseling helps students learn strategies to cope with their feelings, manage behavior and get along with others, allowing them to feel like (and be) successful in the classroom. If a family requests more formal, ongoing counseling, I will provide a variety of local resources.

Consultation and Collaboration:  The school counselors consult and collaborate with teachers, parents and administrators to ensure the academic, social, emotional and behavioral needs of students are met.  In addition, we may provide direction and referrals if parents choose to access additional outside support services.  Consultation with staff and parents is an important part of the support process as we all work together to create a safe and caring environment for students at school and at home. Effective schools use school counselors (those with a licensed professional school counseling degrees) as one of the many members of the school’s pro-child team (*note that school-based clinical counselors, social workers, and other school contracted professionals are not held to the ethical standards and trainings set forth by certified school counselors). For further information about how a school counselor is uniquely trained to support your child, please visit the National Model for School Counselors.

Programming and School Wide Initiatives: School counselors are often asked to use data and knowledge to create better academic environments for students; whether that role is cultivating friendships among students, helping students who are frustrated or upset return to a “zone” of calmness and ‘back to a learning mode’, or looking at ways to improve academic study skills, counselors are equipped to work with a variety of students in many circumstances.

I am currently assigned as a school counselor for both Echo Hills and Fishcreek Elementary Schools and am always looking for ways to use my skillsets and areas of expertise to improve our district’s academic, social, and emotional well-being of students. If you have concerns for your child or would like more information about a variety of special topics including outside counseling services, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

In Educational Efforts,

Laura Swinsburg, M. Ed. LPSC

Pupil Services     PK-12 Licensure, State of Ohio

Email:  st_lswinsburg@smfcsd.org

Phone: 330.689.5450 (Echo Hills & Fishcreek Elementary Schools)