Counseling Office
Mrs. Amy Wilford, M.Ed. – School Psychologist
E-mail: [email protected]
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology – Otterbein College 1996
Master of Education in School Psychology – University of Cincinnati 1998
Roles for 2011-12 School Year:
- Case Manager for grades 1, 3, & 5
- Response to Intervention Team Member
- AIMSweb Building Coordinator
- Reevaluations and Initial Evaluations
- Preschool to School-Age Reevaluations
Response to Intervention (RTI):
RtI is a process of intervention for students with academic and/or behavior needs. This is a nationwide and state approved method of working with students, parents, and teachers to determine the best way to increase a child’s academic success.
RtI team meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Members of this team include, but are not limited to, the school psychologist, school counselor, assistant principal, and regular education teacher. Other possible members of the team are the principal, intervention specialist, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapy assistant, and intervention aides.
A child can be referred to the RtI team by the child’s parent, teacher, or other adult with concerns.
Ms. Amy Gorga – School Counselor
E-mail: [email protected]
Education:
Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communications – Miami University, 2004
Master of Arts, School Counseling – Xavier University, 2012
Counseling Services:
School counselors work on three domains to promote behaviors that enhance learning for all students. These three domains of student development are: academic, career and personal/social. The school counselor provides these services through classroom instruction, small groups outside of the classroom, individual counseling and consultation with teachers and parents. Responsive services provided by school counselors include:
- Consultation: Counselors consult with parents or guardians, teachers, and community agencies regarding strategies to help students and families. School counselors are student advocates.
- Individual and small group counseling: Counseling helps students identify problems, causes, alternative and possible consequences so they can take appropriate action. This counseling is short term in nature. School counselors do not provide therapy. When necessary, referrals are made to appropriate community agencies.
- Crisis counseling: Counseling and support are provided to students and families facing emergency situations.
- Peer facilitation: Counselors train students as peer mediators, conflict managers, tutors and mentors. Techniques most commonly used by counselors include: acceptance, clarification, reflection of feelings, summarizing, empathy, support, warmth, goal setting, problem solving, role playing, setting limits and giving feedback. It is the common practice and expectation that all counselors will adhere to the Ethical Standards for School Counselors as last revised June 26, 2004, by the American School Counselor Association. Specifically, in the area of confidentiality, the school counselor keeps information confidential unless disclosure is required to prevent clear and imminent danger to the counselee or others or when legal requirements demand confidential information be revealed.
