Student Support Services

Welcome to the Student Services Department!

Counselor Belief Statements

Confidentiality Statement

Meet the Student Support Services Staff

Welcome to the Student Services Department!

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Southwest Edgecombe High School Counseling department, in partnership with our educators, administration, parents/guardians, and community stakeholders is to advocate for all learners through creating an equitable and accessible school environment by collaborating with stakeholders to remove barriers. Through participation in the data-driven school counseling program, all students--regardless of their race, ethnicity, ability, gender, socio-economic status, or sexual orientation--will develop long-term self-directed, realistic, and responsible decision-making skills, as well as grow consistent attitudes and behaviors that will help them to achieve their future goals.

Counseling Vision Statement:

The vision of the Southwest Edgecombe High School comprehensive school counseling program is to provide equitable access to our program for all students, and that this program serve as an integral piece of the overall educational experience, so that each student can complete high school, and become college and career ready. All students will possess the academic skills to be lifelong learners, the social-emotional skills to be global leaders, and are excited to enter into careers that contribute to their community. They realize their value and worth, appreciate diversity, can make self-directed and responsible decisions, effectively display empathy, and are resilient through long and short-term challenges.

Counselor Belief Statements

As professional school counselors at Southwest Edgecombe High School, we believe:

Students must have access to 21st century instruction to develop the skills to support their success and on-time graduation.
Education is a responsibility shared by students, parents, staff, and community and is based on an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Involving students in decisions that impact their lives promotes empowerment, commitment, ownership, a sense of value and pride.
All students have the right to access a school counselor.
The school counselor is an advocate for all students.
All students are individuals that learn at their own pace.
All students can learn to be resilient in the face of challenges.
All students can achieve academic, career, and social/emotional success when given appropriate and timely support and interventions.
All students have value and we preserve dignity and promote the growth and success of all students without bias to cultural, religious, socioeconomic, gender, sexual orientation, special needs, or academic differences.
Data should be used to design, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve the school counseling program.
School counselors serve as leaders and collaborators in assessing barriers to academic success.
School counselors collaborate with families, stakeholders, and community resources to meet the students’ needs.
School counselors abide by the ASCA’s Ethical Standards for School Counselors.

Confidentiality Statement

School counselors recognize their primary obligation for confidentiality is to the student but balance that obligation with an understanding of the family or guardians’ legal and inherent rights to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives (ASCA Code of Ethics).
The role of the school counselor in regards to confidentiality is:
- To support the students right to privacy and protect confidential information received from students, the family, guardian and staff members
- To explain the meaning and limits of confidentiality to students in developmentally appropriate terms
- To provide appropriate disclosure and informed consent regarding the counseling relationship and confidentiality
- To inform students and the family of the limits to confidentiality when: Student poses a danger to self or others, Court ordered disclosure, Consultation with other professionals in support of the student i.e. colleagues, supervisors, treatment teams, and other support personnel
- To keep personal notes separate from educational records and not disclose their contents except when privacy exceptions exist
- To seek guidance from supervisors and appropriate legal advice when their records are subpoenaed
- To assert their belief that information shared by students is “confidential” and should not be revealed without the student’s consent
- To adhere to all laws protecting student records, health information, and special services (i.e., HIPAA, FERPA, IDEA)