Colorado School Counselor Voices

The Life-Changing Power of an Alternative High School Diploma

By Shirell White

Over the last several years, there has been an increase in alternative high school diploma programs. Learn how school counselors help students in these programs grow and succeed. An alternative high school diploma is not the answer for everyone, but for some it can be life changing.
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Shirell White is a school counselor with Adams 12 and a director for the Colorado School Counselor Association. Contact shirell.white@coloradoschoolcounselor.org.
 
 

Re-Building Family Trust in Health Education

By Sharon Vaissiere

Mental and emotional health is one unit or strand of instruction in comprehensive health education. In The Great Body Shop, mental and emotional health lesson content and skills are woven thematically across all program units/strands with a robust focus on CASEL’s SEL competencies.
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Sharon Vaissiere is a program consultant with the Children’s Health Market; visit www.TheGreatBodyShop.net.

 

Supporting New Students: A Comprehensive Approach

By Katie Brown

Through extended lunch bunch sessions, the new student ambassador program and the buddy bench, we hope to reduce discipline issues and help our new students feel a stronger sense of belonging and resilience.
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Katie Brown, LPC, NCC, is a school counselor at Prairie Winds Elementary and a director for the Colorado School Counselor Association. Contact katie.brown@coloradoschoolcounselor.org