School Counseling

MEET OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Recia Vanraalte 
Email: vanraalte_r@hcsb.k12.fl.us

RESPONSIBILITES

School Counselors DO NOT diagnose physical or mental health in students, prescribe medications to students or provide long term behavioral or emotional therapy. However, they do perform the following:

STUDENTS

  • Educate students about feelings, behaviors and working well with others
  • Help students deal with social or behavioral problems, such as bullying, self-esteem and personal relationships
  • Provide individual and small group counseling based on student and school needs
  • Provide conflict resolution and short term solution focused interventions
  • Help students set realistic academic and personal goals and develop a plan to achieve them
  • Assist students adjusting to a new school and learning environment
  • Provide classroom guidance activities covering a variety of topics

PARENTS

  • Facilitate parent consultations
  • Explore ways to help your child succeed
  • Develop and discuss 504 plans
  • Improve parent-child communications
  • Provide understanding with the stages of childhood development
  • Aid in understanding a child’s special needs
  • Refer parents to resources outside the school for additional support
  • Supply various reference materials

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to provide your child with a safe environment where they can share their thoughts and feelings without judgement. We aim to provide each child with the education needed to recognize and utilize their thoughts and feelings in the pursuit of positive action in their educational and personal lives. To do this, confidentiality is essential. As a parent or guardian, you must be aware that counseling conversations with your child are considered privileged information and are held in the highest of confidence unless:

  • Your child reports they or someone else is in danger of being harmed or has been harmed by someone
  • Your child reports that they are in danger of harming themselves or others, or have already done so; or
  • Your child has given permission to speak with you in detail.


PARENT REQUESTS

Should you believe your child is in need of support you may submit a parent request by:


BULLYING


MENTAL HEALTH