Counseling

To Fax your Counselor: (804) 748-5723
Follow us on Twitter: @LCB_Counseling

Skyhawk Newsletter 2020

Seniors can join the “Class of 2020” google classroom with the code 36wg76

College Board – AP Course information (Changes)

Counselor’s Philosophy
The Professional School Counselors of Lloyd C. Bird High School Believe:

• All students can achieve and deserve equitable access to resources and a rigorous curriculum that will expand their post-secondary options.
• All students’ dignity and culture is respected and valued
• All students will have access to a school counseling program that is managed by masters degreed , state certified professional school counselors
• The school counselors will act as advocates for all students
• The school counselors will lead a collaborative effort to design, implement, assess, and continuously improve a comprehensive data driven school counseling program
• The school counselors will collaborate with families, educators, and community resources to assists students in their academic, personal/social, and career development
• In accordance to the State of Virginia initiative the school counselors will strive to ensure newly arriving military dependents have a smooth and accommodating transition.
• The school counselors will engage in professional development to stay abreast of new counseling trends and best practices.

Individual Counseling

Individual Counseling is a one-to-one meeting with the counselor to discuss a problem or topic of interest that may be affecting their academic success. Friendship issues, worries, conflict resolution, difficulty coming to school, grief, and anger management are frequent issues facing children.

During sessions, students might:

• talk about things that are important to them
• use puppets to help express feelings and problems
• role play situations
• work on a plan to reach a goal
• read stories that will help them learn and understand more about themselves
• use the counseling office as a safe place to calm down when feeling upset
• play games to learn ways to relate to others

Referrals for students to meet with a school counselor can be made by classroom teachers, principal, parents, or through student self-referrals.  Self-referral forms are available for all students in grades 3-5, and can be obtained from the student’s teacher.  Parents are welcome to call or e-mail the counselors at any time to request individual counseling for their child.  While students may see us at any time for brief discussions, parental permission must be granted in order for a counselor to work with a student for a series multiple, planned sessions.

While we provide many services for students and their families, we are unable to testify in child custody matters. We are also unable to provide intensive, long-term counseling services to students.

Group Counseling

Small group counseling (typically 6-10 participants) is needs based and usually meets once a week during recess for four to six weeks in order to be least disruptive to the learning environment. Small groups provide members the opportunity to share ideas and learn from each other.  Group topics are chosen based upon student needs, and can change throughout the school year.  Participation, which is voluntary and confidential, requires permission from a parent or guardian. Referrals for groups are made by parents and teachers.   Priority is given to students who show an academic need.

Common Small Group Topics:

• Worry Busters
• Homework Heroes
• Friendship
• Self-Esteem
• Self-Control
• The Turtles (Shyness/School Adjustment)

Look for more details about small groups that are being offered and their time frames in our quarterly Counseling Connection newsletter that comes home with students.

COUNSELOR ASSIGNMENTS 2022-23

Come by and visit to learn more about College searches, applications and testing.

GRASP is a non-profit organization specializing in helping students and their families, regardless of financial resources, to develop an educational plan for after high school. GRASP’s professional financial aid advisors work in high schools and private settings, without charge to students and families, to assist in overcoming financial and motivational challenges to the goal of higher education

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) makes higher education public policy recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly in such areas as capital and operating budget planning, enrollment projections, institutional technology needs, and student financial aid. SCHEV Logo Advancing Virginia through Higher Education

Virginia Career Wizard help you choose a career, get the information you need to pursue your career, find the college that is right for you, pay for college, transfer from a community college to a university, and get answers to your questions about your future.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is the governing body of most College Sport. Your first step towards playing your sport at college level is to register with the NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER FORMALLY CALLED THE Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.

Parents, please take time to view some of the following materials to help you and your student understand how high school testing. There are many non-profit organizations that help students raise their standardized testing scores. In addition, there are many resources on the internet that give students strategies for taking tests. The links below will provide the students with resources and strategies for taking standardized tests. These and many other resources are available in the guidance office.

SOL Testing

The Standards of Learning (SOL) for Virginia Public Schools establish minimum expectations for what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course in English, mathematics, science, history/social science, technology, the fine arts, foreign language, health/physical education and driver education.

Annual assessments – including SOL tests and alternative assessments – provide information on individual student achievement including those with special needs.

SAT – CollegeBoard.org 

This is a FABULOUS resource for parents and students to use as they prepare in advance for the SATs…it includes content tips, calculator tips and frequently asked questions about changes to the Math SAT and is a MUST for students to have who are taking the new SAT.

PSAT – CollegeBoard.org

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It’s a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It also gives you a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.

PSAT- Score Reports: Students who took the PSAT’s in October will receive their PSAT Score report back in January. If they are absent the day they are released, can get their report from your school counselor.

ACT – ActStudent.org

An independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to measurement and research for those making educational and career transitions; administrates a widely taken college admissions test.

AP Exams – CollegeBoard.org

The Advanced Placement (AP) program, sponsored by the College Board and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), offers secondary school students the opportunity to participate in challenging college-level course work while still in high school. Students can receive credit, advanced placement, or both from thousands of colleges and universities that participate in the AP program. Each exam consists of multiple-choice and free-response sections. Most exams are three hours long and cover two semesters of college-level work; those that test one semester of work are generally two hours long.  Students at L.C. Bird High School who are enrolled in AP classes sit for the AP test free of charge at the end of the school year.