At the American School of Palestine, we believe that a student's emotional and social wellbeing is equal in importance to her/his academic learning and intellectual growth. Our experience has shown that emotionally and socially well-adjusted students are more likely to succeed academically and flourish intellectually in school life and beyond. For this reason, we take great care in providing an environment that promotes the overall welfare of each and every student. This is the philosophy that guides the work of the School’s entire educational team – founders, senior leaders, teachers and support staff.
The ASP School Counselor serves a vital role in promoting our vision of student welfare. She is responsible for developing, implementing, overseeing and evaluating programs designed to enhance students’ personal, social and educational school experience. In coordination with the Principal and teachers, students’ developmental needs are addressed through prevention and intervention plans that are part of a comprehensive school counseling program. Services are delivered through individual or group counseling, referrals to community resources, peer help, relevant information and in consultation with the proper school stakeholders. To ensure representation of student welfare and interests, the School Counselor participates in various School committees and groups, such as the Parent-Teacher Association and School Disciplinary Board.
In addition to serving students’ needs, the School Counselor is a valuable source of support for management, teachers and parents in our joint efforts to raise student achievement. She works closely with teachers to develop, conduct, monitor, and assess individualized student improvement plans and personal goals. Similarly, she provides consultation to parents/guardians on the best ways to address students’ behavioral or academic issues. ASP encourages parents/guardians to take an active role in the treatment of persistent issues faced by their child. Data collected on intervention and prevention results are used by management to optimize the suitability and effectiveness of School policies.
We at ASP realize that a successful school counseling experience is based on the level of safety and security provided by the School Counselor. For this reason, we believe that confidentiality is the foundation of this relationship. Accordingly, the School Counselor is ethically bound to maintain the privacy of information given to her in her professional capacity by any party.