Counselor Connections
Community Resources and Notes from the School Counselor
EES Guidance Department and Limestone County Community Resources
Welcome to Elkmont Elementary's Guidance and School Counseling Program! Here at Elkmont Elementary we pride ourselves on working hard everyday to provide the best education for your children in a loving, supportive, academically challenging, and responsibility-driven environment. An important part of this educational process is the various services provided by the Elkmont Elementary Guidance Department. I am April Hamlin, the School Counselor for EES, and am aided by the most awesome Counselor Assistant in the world, Ms. Amy Locke, and of course, the peerless (and tireless!) Ms. Haley James, our amazing Principal. We work together with the teachers and staff at Elkmont Elementary to enable your child to have the best day ever at school, each and every day.
For the 2017-2018 school year, I have been in each of our 20 homerooms, Pre-K through 5th grade, to deliver my core guidance curriculum. So far, we have used classroom guidance time to get to know each other and to discuss rules and expected behavior at home and at school, and how these rules give us boundaries in which to learn and remain safe. I will continue to go into each grade level homeroom approximately once a month for continued classroom guidance lessons.
Additionally, I have been running small groups with students in my office, as well as talking to students one-on-one. Below I have copied some "official" definitions of the job of the school counselor, but please just know I am only one email or phone call away. I am here to help you with your child and your child's education. As I say as often as I can, both of my own children are products of Elkmont Elementary, and I wouldn't trade the education, support and love my children received from this school for anything!
WHAT DO ELEMENTARY COUNSELORS DO???
Every person in education wears a lot of hats! As Professional School Counselors, we use the American School Counseling Association Model as our guideline to provide direct and indirect student services. These are broken down more specifically below:
Direct student services including:
* school counseling core curriculum
* instruction – direct instruction,
team teaching, developing learning
activities
* group activities – planned activities
outside the classroom promoting
academic, career or social/emotional
development
* individual student planning
* appraisal – assist students in
evaluating interests abilities, skills
and achievement
* advisement – assist students in goal
setting based on academic, career
and social/emotional data
* responsive services
* counseling – in individual or small group
settings
*provide planned, short-term and
goal-focused activities.
(School counselors do not provide therapy
or long-term counseling in schools.
However, school counselors are
prepared to recognize and respond
to student mental health needs
and to assist students and families
seeking resources)
* crisis response – provide support
and assistance to students and
families as they navigate crisis and
emergency situations
Indirect student services including:
* consultation – share strategies
supporting student achievement with
parents, teachers, other educators and
community organizations
* collaboration – work with other
educators, parents and the community
to support student achievement
* referrals – support for students and
families to school or community
resources for additional assistance and
information.
LIMESTONE COUNTY COMMUNITY RESOURCES
LCCI (Limestone County Churches Involved)
(256) 262-0671
201 N Jefferson St., Athens AL 35611
United Way
(256) 233-2323
419 S Marion St., Athens, AL 35611
Salvation Army Thrift Store
(256) 353-2822
699 Hobbs St. E., Athens, AL 35611
Women's Resource Center
(256) 233-5775
206 S. Madison St., Athens, AL 35611
Medicaid Eligibility Hotline
(256) 584-4100
Hospice
(256) 232-5017
405 S. Marion St., Athens, AL 35611
Health Department
(256) 232-3200
20371 Mabry Dr., Athens, AL 35611
Habitat for Humanity
(256) 444-1050
17505 U.S. HWY 72, Athens, AL 35611
Athens-Limestone Counseling Center
(256) 232-3661
1307 East Elm St., Athens, AL 35620
Limestone County Sheriff's Department
(256) 232-0111
101 West Elm St., Athens, AL 35611
Department of Human Resources
(256) 216-6380
200 Hobbs St., Athens, AL 35611
Athens-Limestone Hospital
(256) 233-9292
700 Market St, W., Athens, AL 35611
Athens Housing Authority
(256)232-5300
700 5th Avenue, Athens, AL 35611
American Red Cross
(256)232-6820
1300 Armory Street, Athens, AL 35611
Sarrell Dental Center
(256)262-0200
310 West Elm Street, Athens, AL 35611
Boys and Girls Club
(256) 232-5545, 119 S. Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611
(256) 423-8570, 29865 Park Avenue, Ardmore, TN 38449
Kids and Kin
(256)724-2554
The Haven - 810 N. Malone St., Athens, AL, 35611