Anonymous wrote:We love our high school counselor! She does regular check-ins and works with DS on his anxiety. She’s also helped mediate when we had a misunderstanding with a teacher. Happy he has a trusted adult in the school who knows him as more than just a student.

Amazing.

We love our high school counselor! She does regular check-ins and works with DS on his anxiety. She’s also helped mediate when we had a misunderstanding with a teacher. Happy he has a trusted adult in the school who knows him as more than just a student.

Anonymous wrote:My DD’s high school counselor has been as helpful as I’d expect her to be, given that we know they’re totally overloaded, and the school is overcrowded. Not overwhelmingly warm and friendly, but she does her job and seems to have a good rapport with my student, at least.

When we needed to establish a baseline 504 after a brand-new ADHD diagnosis, she made that happen in a timely fashion. And she was responsive to DD when she had scheduling issues, and worked with the IB coordinator to find a solution.

At this point, I think she at least knows my child by name, and knows she’s a good student and hardworking. I suspect hoping for much more in MPCS is futile.

Sigh. MCPS spends more money paying off former employees than spending on the students. Sad.

My DD’s high school counselor has been as helpful as I’d expect her to be, given that we know they’re totally overloaded, and the school is overcrowded. Not overwhelmingly warm and friendly, but she does her job and seems to have a good rapport with my student, at least.

When we needed to establish a baseline 504 after a brand-new ADHD diagnosis, she made that happen in a timely fashion. And she was responsive to DD when she had scheduling issues, and worked with the IB coordinator to find a solution.

At this point, I think she at least knows my child by name, and knows she’s a good student and hardworking. I suspect hoping for much more in MPCS is futile.

Substituted once, counselor was so friendly unlike the one we encountered at our DC's school!

ES had two. One has been there long time. The other counselor changes almost every year. A staff at school said no one in that position can put up with the other counselor who has been there long time as she has issues and is a bagel eating egoist.

Anonymous wrote:Knew the ES counselor. Pleased with her. MS never really talked to. HS’s counselors need to provide bette academic advisement/mentoring etc. HS level counselor and college counselors need to almost be doubled.

Agree need more HS counselors, one for registration, course selections and another to talk to the student or the two switch off in the duties. Much falls on the parent it seems.

Knew the ES counselor. Pleased with her. MS never really talked to. HS’s counselors need to provide bette academic advisement/mentoring etc. HS level counselor and college counselors need to almost be doubled.

My dd's elementary school has 2. She likes both and talks a bit about what they work on when they come to her class (they do 2 lessons a month). I was a little concerned about my DD being bossed around by another child. I emailed the teacher and they immediately set up a counseling session, which helped iron things out. I don't know the counselors very well but they are present at open houses and what not. They used to send home monthly counseling notes about their lessons but it wasn't consistent and it seems to have stopped.

New our ES counselor well. MS, too. HS counselor was stretched way too thin.

Anonymous wrote:I have no relationship with my 11th grader's HS counselor or my 5th grader's elementary counselor. So I can't even meaningfully engage in this convo.

The only interactions I've ever had with my HSer's counselors has been for clarification on schedule hiccups, which are all transactional.

Exactly. A question or two about summer classes. I don't even know how they help students other than registration and admin. Do they have a role in student applying for college, like where to apply and help the student figure out when how to apply?

I tried to reach out for scheduling help and got a short answer. Asked questions and told they did not know.

I have no relationship with my 11th grader's HS counselor or my 5th grader's elementary counselor. So I can't even meaningfully engage in this convo.

The only interactions I've ever had with my HSer's counselors has been for clarification on schedule hiccups, which are all transactional.

Never met our DC's!

It is counseling week. Do you know your student's ES, MS, HS counselor? Do you trust them to ask questions, seek feedback? What are things you like about your kid's school counselor, do not like? Have heard nice stories about some, others have said counselor was gossipy so never contacted them and you have those that never interacted with their child's school counselor to know.