Counseling and Guidance
The Counseling Team
The mission of the Counseling Team is to assist students in reaching their highest potential and to value each student's individual personality in our community; to support parents, teachers, and the entire community as partners in assisting our students in this journey during their school years.
The counseling department is one part of the total, school-community team that assists in the enrichment of all our students. The Counseling team is comprised of four master's level professionals with extensive experience in educational and clinical settings. Each division (Lower, Middle, and Upper) houses one full-time counselor and one counselor is the Dean of College Counseling and Guidance.
Our Counselors
Neil Clark,
Dean of College Counseling & Guidance
Telephone: 678-581-6907
clarkn@thewalkerschool.org
Julia Stoll, Preschool Counselor
Telephone: 770-427-2689 ext. 1512
stollg@thewalkerschool.org
Kacey Farrell , Lower School Counselor
Telephone: 770-427-2689 ext. 5501
farrellk@thewalkerschool.org
Jennifer Vaughan, Middle School Counselor
Telephone: 770-427-2689 ext. 5502
vaughanj@thewalkerschool.org
Jessica Ryan Eaton, Upper School Counselor
Telephone: 770-427-2689 ext. 5503
eatonj@thewalkerschool.org
Counseling Services
In an effort to assist each of our students, we offer a wide variety of services to respond to individual situations or needs. These possible services include: individual counseling, group counseling, classroom guidance, advisory group coordination, peer leadership, parent/teacher conferences, college entrance counseling, parent education programs (Coffee Talk), and referral services.
Confidentiality
An on-going practice of each counselor is to routinely inform students and parents of the Counseling Office’s policy regarding confidentiality. All communication (verbal and/or written) between student/ family and the counseling staff is held in strict confidence unless confidentiality is first waived by the minor child’s legal guardian. Exceptions to a student and/ or family’s privacy include information regarding danger to self or others or abuse of a child. Legally and ethically, confidentiality must be broken in such instances and all relevant parties notified when, whenever possible, the knowledge of the student. When confidentiality must be breeched and when appropriate students are given the choice to disclose information directly (with the counselor present) or have the counselor do so. Parents are not routinely informed of non-safety issues unless with the student’s invitation.
Release of Information forms are available for families who wish the school counselor to be in communication with a private therapist or doctor.
Referrals
The counseling team offers a wide variety of assistance to students, including personal supports and advising, but do not, as school counselors, engage in in-depth personal therapy. The Counseling department often encourages students and parents to use the many resources outside the school, including psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, social workers, and other private counselors. While Walker does not refer students and parents to selected professionals, we will offer a list of suggested practitioners that the family may consider contacting. Families must also determine the limits of their own medical insurance coverage for costs when choosing outside counseling resources.
Crisis Intervention Plan
For special crises, Walker maintains a detailed crisis intervention plan and protocol which contains specific steps and policies for notification, crisis team mobilization, protecting privacy, utilization of outside resources, and general assistance for our entire community. For additional information, see Mr. Robertson, the Headmaster or Mr. Clark, Dean of College Counseling and Guidance.
Child Abuse Reporting
"Georgia law requires public and private school administrators, teachers, and counselors report any suspected case of child abuse or neglect to the county Department of Family and Children Services. It is not up to the school official to determine the truth or extent of the alleged abuse. Any person failing to report suspected abuse will charged with a misdemeanor." For further information or reporting protocol, contact either Mr. Roberston or Mr. Clark.
Harassment Policy
The Walker School seeks to maintain an environment in which all members of the school community may work, study, and enjoy freedom from harassment of any kind. Specifically forbidden are: verbal abuse (oral or written), obscene or suggestive remarks, display of explicit, demeaning, or offensive materials, comments which are demeaning with respect to race, religion, ethnic origin, physical characteristics, appearance, sexual orientation, or gender. Any member of the community encountering possible harassment is always encouraged to immediately speak to a Counselor, Principal, or the Headmaster.
Testing
In the fall, all students in grade 1 through 8 complete a battery of Stanford-Binet 10th edition achievement tests. For students in grades 2, 4, 6 and 8 the test battery also includes the Otis-Lennon School Ability exam (8th edition). The Writing Assessment Program is administered for students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9. The results are typically sent to the parents along with quarter grades. All sophomores and juniors take the PSAT in October. For juniors, this PSAT exam is the first selection criteria for the National Merit Scholarship program. Both juniors and seniors take various college entrance exams such as the ACT, SAT I and II. Walker is not a testing site for these college entrance exams and students are responsible for their own timely registration. In May, Walker administers Advanced Placement (AP) exams for Walker students using the schedule set by the Educational Testing Service.
(For families that desire additional testing, the appropriate school counselor can offer referrals to private professionals.)
Notice of Deficiencies
In the Middle and Upper schools, deficiency notices are sent to parents of students who have encountered difficulties in a particular class. For students who receive two or more notices of deficiencies, the appropriate school counselor may meet to help the student assess his/her current work and to help devise the necessary plans to improve grades in these classes.
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