What is the Role of the School Counselor at Coe?

Elementary school years set the tone for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for children to become healthy, competent and confident learners. Through a comprehensive, developmental School Counseling Program, school counselors work as a team with the school staff, parents, and the community to create a caring climate and atmosphere. By providing education, prevention, early identification and intervention, school counselors can help all children achieve greater academic and personal success.

Sarah Waymouth, MA Ed, LMHCA, NCC

School Counselor
206-252-2002
Monday (9am-1pm), Wednesday, and Thursday

sswaymouth@seattleschools.org

The School Counselor

• Leads classroom guidance lessons on average 2x a month in K-1 classrooms, and ad hoc in 2-5 classrooms
• Runs small group counseling for students who need extra support/skill building
• Works 1:1 with students for brief periods of time (family crisis, individual problem-solving help, behavioral concerns, grief/loss, etc.)
• Consults and collaborates with teachers to assist students progress through developmental areas of struggle and to help identify students of concern
• Collaborates with families to connect parents with resources, trainings, and problem-solving ideas to help their children succeed.

School-Wide Services

Counseling:

Delivers short-term, direct service 1:1 or in small groups to empower students in problem solving and to assist with concerns. Helps students in times of crisis.

How to refer a student for a group or 1:1 counseling:

• If you have concerns about a child, please speak with the counselor directly
• The counselor will periodically seek student referrals from parents and teachers
• Students in grades 2-5 may be surveyed to assess their interest in joining counseling groups (eg. friendship, emotion management, divorce support, study skills, etc.)
• Students can use Let’s Talk notes to arrange a meeting with the counselor
• The counselor is available to meet students in the moment to provide a safe space to de-escalate, normalize issues, and address immediate concerns

Classroom Guidance:

Implements data-based preventative curriculum to foster students academic, career, and personal/social development. Topics include skills for learning, empathy, problem solving, emotion management, and mindfulness.

Classroom lessons target students developmental needs and foster a positive classroom and school community. Students learn about age-appropriate issues and through practice, develop empowering mindsets and behaviors. Topics include skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, problem solving, mindfulness, and more.

Coordination:

Connects families with valuable resources and collaborates with community programs and agencies.

The counselor develops school-wide events, curriculum, and lessons to target individual and group needs:

• Meet with teachers and school staff
• Coordinate transitions days for middle school counselor visits
• Connect with community advocates to bring in outside resources (ex: speakers, events, agencies, and information)
• Participate in Support Team meetings & MTSS Team meetings

Consultation & Referrals:

Provides support and assistance to staff, families, and community members on a variety of student topics and concerns.

Student needs are not always predictable, nor do they fit into a neat little box. The school counselor is available to address questions/concerns with students, family members, teachers, administrators, and the school psychologist. In addition, consultation with outside resources may be helpful to connect families and staff members with valuable information. The goal of consultation is to implement strategies to help students be successful at Coe Elementary and beyond.

The School Counselor Is Not

The school counselor is not a therapist. Long term ongoing counseling sessions are not the goal of this role nor would it be feasible with a caseload of over 500 children. The school counselor can help connect families with outside resources that may be of help to those seeking longer term care for their child.