school counselors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it too much to ask for a new counselor to give a short introduction to the students? Maybe everybody knows everything about the counselors but many freshmen have not had time to meet with their counselor and to know them vice versa. Same is true of any new student to the school and also new counselors to the school. "Hi I'm Mrs.Larla. I'm coming from Gude Drive High school where I was a school counselor and I also blah blah blah for the last five years. I have a PhD in blah. I also worked in blahblah..."

Counselors schedule times to meet their new freshman students. Last year my DS at Wootton had a day that the Biology classes went to the counseling department. The counselors met the students in small groups. My DS said that his group was himself and two other students. He said she was nice.

[Anonymous]

As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

MCPS has a policy of not gatekeeping. This means that a student may take a class if they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

Or sometimes administrators are pushing certain students into those classes for any number of reasons. Or maybe the parents are insisting their child be "challenged" and like the PP said, MCPS doesn't want to "gatekeep".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

Or sometimes administrators are pushing certain students into those classes for any number of reasons. Or maybe the parents are insisting their child be "challenged" and like the PP said, MCPS doesn't want to "gatekeep".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As with anything, there is a huge range in the counselors in MCPS. My oldest has developed a health issue in high school, and I am truly impressed by how helpful their counselor has been - helped us get in touch with the nurse to develop a health plan, helped communicate what was going on with teachers, etc. The good ones are really good, OP.

I guarantee chatgpt would have done the same, and more. In fact, the best possible savings in the budget would be getting rid of counselors.

You know nothing about working in education in 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly asking, what is the role of a school counselor? At the ES level? In MS? And HS? What can families contact them for? Or for what, when is it better to contact an Assistant Principal or Principal instead?

Elementary seems to be handling basic friendship issues, providing monthly lessons & handling 504s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

MCPS has a policy of not gatekeeping. This means that a student may take a class if they want.

Not IME as a teacher or a parent. Tired of pushing back with these counselors trying to pass classes for allocations for a poor performing WL teacher and such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

Or sometimes administrators are pushing certain students into those classes for any number of reasons. Or maybe the parents are insisting their child be "challenged" and like the PP said, MCPS doesn't want to "gatekeep".

Sometimes they just don't get why a student doesn't need a certain class they want to push the student to take!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a counselor's role in each grade of high school? For example, in 9th grade they meet students at the beginning of the year. What do they work with students during the other years of high school?

I have also wondered this as my kid is now a 10th grader. With the addition of College and Career Offices in each HS now, are the counselors less involved in the college application process than they used to be? I know my daughters HS has a massive Wellness Center with mental health services so the Counselors aren't doing that role as often either. So what are they doing other than making schedules?

It's worth nothing that while the HS have a College and Career Offices, there is probably 1-2 people who staff it. There is also easily 400-600 kids per grade. So the Counselors are not suddenly removed from the College and Career part.

[Anonymous]

General counselors are not CCIC or now called CCN
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1293858.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

Or sometimes administrators are pushing certain students into those classes for any number of reasons. Or maybe the parents are insisting their child be "challenged" and like the PP said, MCPS doesn't want to "gatekeep".

There is still a lot of gatekeeping.

I recommended a student move up to the next level last year. The counselor didn’t want to use the language line so she just put the kid in on-level. This year’s teacher also recommended the student move up. The counselor still didn’t want to use the language line. Both I and the other teacher contacted the parent who contacted the counselor. The counselor told the parent that it was too late to change classes and the child should enjoy an easy class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I wish some counselors would make more effort to understand the rigor differences between different classes. Often they just let kids take whatever class they want (which is often based on what their friends are taking) and then get annoyed when the kid is flailing and there is a request to move the student to a lower level. Or they suddenly realize they messed up and didn’t realize a kid is missing a certain grad credit and they throw the kid into a different course in the middle of the year

Or sometimes administrators are pushing certain students into those classes for any number of reasons. Or maybe the parents are insisting their child be "challenged" and like the PP said, MCPS doesn't want to "gatekeep".

There is still a lot of gatekeeping.

I recommended a student move up to the next level last year. The counselor didn’t want to use the language line so she just put the kid in on-level. This year’s teacher also recommended the student move up. The counselor still didn’t want to use the language line. Both I and the other teacher contacted the parent who contacted the counselor. The counselor told the parent that it was too late to change classes and the child should enjoy an easy class.

Now that is the type of thing that should be reported to administrators because it’s a disservice to students and perpetuates low expectations and inequality