WHEATLAND ELEMENTARY
GUIDANCE COUNSELING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Karen Knorp-Brown, 5th Grade         
Marsha Collins, 4th Grade

Counseling Mission Statement: Counseling is a program provided to assist all students in developing self-understanding, information-seeking, and decision-making skills while fostering attitudes useful in protecting and enhancing freedom of choice.  The counseling program involves a collaborative effort in providing learning opportunities for educational, personal, social, and career development for living in a multicultural global society. As an integral part of the educational system, counseling programs seek to identify, organize, and coordinate educational community, and home/family resources directed toward implementing this mission.

A Child/Student may be referred to the Elementary School Counselor by:  Parents, Teachers, Self-Referrals by Students, School Administrators, &/or Community Agencies

Your Wheatland Elementary School Counselors are:

Karen Knorp-Brown (Mrs. KKB)  Phone: 316-755-7220 & Cell phone is 316-655-9832,
E-mail: Karen.Knorp-Brown@usd262.net

Marsha Collins   Phone: 316-755-7220 or Abilene 316-755-7190
E-mail: Marsha.Collins@usd262.net

 Counseling the elementary students to facilitate development of the whole child by providing the following services to students, families, school and community.

• Information dissemination is provided for educational and career planning, as well as personal and social adjustment.
• Assessment focuses on student appraisal through both tests and non-testing devices and assists students and significant adults in understanding strengths and weaknesses and in making decisions based on these understandings.
• Teaming consists of counselor consultation,l collaboration, and coordination activities to provide students a sense of consistency within the school, and among school, home and community.
• Individual Counseling is another way to help children through their journey of personal & academic growth.  This may include as a part of the complex helping process counseling discussion, intervention planning and tracking, development of behavior plan interventions, to help the student create an inclusive learning opportunity in the school environment. Mrs. KKB is professionally trained and state certified as a counselor for grades K-12.  Mrs. Collins is certified for elementary education and currently completing her counseling certification.
•  Small Group counseling offers opportunity for students with similar concerns a place to learn coping skills through effective steps and proven methods. Small Group parent permission forms are sent home with the counseling brochure the second week of school.  Groups are available to deal with the following topics: Organization & Study Skills; Social Skills development; Banana Splits-for students dealing with divorce in their family; Elephant in the Living Room-for students dealing with alcohol/drug abuse in the home; Grief & Loss; and in the spring the Jr. PALs-Leadership Training for 5th graders who sign up or are referred by teachers and administrators.
•  Classroom Guidance provides proactive methods to help students succeed—the primary goal. Mrs. KKB and Mrs. Collins spend 40 minutes per week teaching age/grade level skills in the three domains of guidance counseling and development services which include three domains; Educational Development, Personal and Social Development, and Career Development.  Mrs. KKB & Mrs. Collins are the leaders of classroom guidance lessons on topics including all of the following areas from the three counseling domains: Study Skills, Test/ Prep, Academic Performance, Critical Thinking, Positive Attitude & Behavior, Problem Solving Decision Making Skills, Self-Esteem-Personal Growth, Career Awareness & Development for the World of Work and Employability Skills, Team Building, Conflict Resolution & Bullying Prevention, Character Education and Responsible Citizenship from Character Counts, Skills for Transition & more.
•  Communicates with teachers, parents, other school staff members, and outside community agencies. Referrals are made to First Step Counseling and all other area resources for services and/or to agencies in support of the child and family.
•  Promotes a positive school climate.
•  Organizing & administration of all Standardized Testing.
•  Student Improvement Team chair the General Intervention Team planning for students experiencing difficulty with academic skills and achievement or school success. This process includes referrals from parents, students, classroom teachers and others in the educational setting.  The purpose is to develop the best educational plan for each student and to develop the school climate for successful growth and change.

Parent Guide links to Curriculum Standards for Guidance and Counseling and Kansas Assessment Testing information:

• Just for Parents, A Guide to Kansas Curriculur Standards
• Kansas Parent Assessment Brochures
• School Counseling Standards
• Homework Kansas Tutoring teachers available online