In response Wrote:
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> I was not "quick to jump to conclusions". As a
> parent, taxpayer and community advocate I have
> been butting heads with the Fairfax County Public
> School administration for years. One of the
> things I have learned from this is that many of
> the things the administration has done which has
> negatively affected the quality of education
> provided to the majority of students have been the
> result of groups of vocal parents zealously
> advocating for the individual interests of their
> own kids. Nothing quick about that learning
> process.
>
> If anything it is you that are jumping to
> conclusions. You called the guidance counselor
> out for failing to meet your daughter's needs. I
> simply am saying that the things you are calling
> your daughter's guidance counselor out for are
> things that should not be part of the job
> description of a public school guidance counselor
> in a system of over 150,000 students who is
> probably personally responsible for over 200
> students. Meeting the specific needs of
> individual students is what the private school
> option is there for.
>
> If you find it irritating to be told that your
> expectations are out of line, that is on you.
> Being a zealous advocate for your child who is in
> need does not give you a pass.
first things first::i have called the counselor 1 time and it was to initiate some help and guidance for my teenager.. no one else has been contacted regarding this matter..
second::i can t believe i need to do this but::
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/school-counseling-services
this page explains the role s and responsibilities of a fcps guidance counselor..in fact, i ve copied and pasted the the list a little farther down.. in the first section, these responsibilities are EXACTLY what i asked of said counselor, ok??
Monitors data to facilitate student improvement.
Provides strategies for closing the achievement gap.
.. PARTICULARLY THE FIRST ONE!! (i asked her almost verbatim prior to really doing the research),.. literally asked her to monitor my daughter s academic performance because she was already failing so many classes..hmmm..is that an unreasonable request?? i mean it s definitely part of the job description, a responsibility..and yet she s not doing anything to monitor my teen..
here are the roles as listed that i inquired about and requested for teen due to all the behaviors/mental and emotional state/level of serious concern at the time::
Establish effective study skills.
Develop positive feelings about work, family and society.
Build positive feelings towards self and others.
Identify and accept their own and others’ strengths and weaknesses.
Recognize the causes and effects of their actions.
Become responsible for their behavior.
Receive crisis intervention when necessary.
sounds like a lot to ask of anyone, but in reality almost every one of these roles is addressing 3 really big SRLF problems--LOW/LACKING SELF ESTEEM/SELF LOVE/SELF RESPECT
funny, i specially expressed that i was consistently observing and hearing from teen behaviors and words that all indicated how low her self esteem is and i provided examples that were happening at least 4 times a week.
THERE IS NOTHING OVER ZEALOUS in requesting/then expecting that an individual who is paid to be entrusted with overseeing your child s well being and school performance, DO THEIR JOB-/LITERALLY!!--LITERALLY NOT A SINGLE REQUEST WAS OUTSIDE THE job description!!!
thirdly::advocating for your child so that their mental and emotional issues and needs are addressed as described by a provider or institution is a fundamental parental responsibility.. ARE YOU REALLY TELLING ME THAT YOU NEVER LOOKED OUT FOR YOUR KIDS IN A SIMILAR WAY??!! perhaps they re just perfect people??
but no one s perfect.. and just based on what you ve written and the attitudes and rigidity that permeatess from the words--..
fourthly:i m a parent, taxpayer, (all sorts of) advocate just like you..i asked for help in the initial post from parents, regarding teens mental health issues and fcps.. and here you come along with this statement that as it turns out, is just a reflection of the anger and bias you have towards other parents from past experiences..and frankly, most of your points were irrelevant because you mixed key facts--shit!! if i m gonna rant to/on someone for something, especially something with their kids, i damn well make sure that my words are on point and aligned with theirs..
for someone so passionate and vocal about this, it s just baffling and scary that i felt it necessary to share the website with you to clarify the validity of my problem...
YOU jumped to conclusions.you judged me based on past interactions with other parents who clearly you do not agree with..i bet you read2 or 3 lines of my post and that was enough of a trigger.. obviously you didn't read the whole thing...
i have no problem admitting when i m wrong... i have no problem taking feedback::i fuckin requested it.. what i do have a HUGE problem with are people who lack the ability/willingness/compassion to put themselves in another s shoes BEFORE they characterize/judge/decide upon..RESULT IS YOU RE SELF INTEREST IS TRANSPARENT::you misjudge and you say things that are actually irrelevant because getting to know another personalways all about you, not the other person.was.and ultimately any respect for your opinions or who you are is lost..
i can't tolerate the laziness and lack of effort to try to connect/empathize..
UNBELIEVABLE..
UCCKK..
Promotes a rigorous academic curriculum for every student.
Ensures equitable access to educational opportunities.
Fosters advocacy for students.
Supports development of skills to increase student success.
(Adapted from ASCA National Model, 2005)
The school counselor works directly with students in individual and group counseling sessions as well as in classroom lessons so students may:
Adjust to a new school.
Be successful in school.
Establish effective study skills.
Develop positive feelings about work, family and society.
Build positive feelings towards self and others.
Develop skills in interacting and communicating with others.
Cope with change in themselves and their surroundings.
Identify and accept their own and others’ strengths and weaknesses.
Recognize the causes aneffects of their actions.
Become responsible for their behavior.
Receive crisis intervention when necessary