Counseling

Supporting Personal, Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Counseling Mission

DEVELOPMENTAL – PREVENTATIVE – COMPREHENSIVE
The FIS Counseling Program supports and advocates for all students on their individual and collective journeys through school. In collaboration with all members of the school community, FIS Counselors encourage students’ discovery and growth of their self-awareness, personal resilience, and determination.

Program Aims

Our professionally licensed School Counselors provide individual attention and proactive classroom programs to support the building of solid foundations for personal, social, and emotional wellbeing. The counseling program aims to support students in:

  • Acquiring and applying self-knowledge, interpersonal, safety, and life skills to better understand, respect, and care for themselves and others
  • Acquiring the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the lifespan
  • Acquiring the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self to make informed career decisions
  • Developing a personal practice for applying intercultural competence and bridging successfully across personal and cultural differences

Counseling services and referral process

The School Counselors respond to immediate and longer-term learning, developmental, and social-emotional needs of students. Services include individual and group counseling for students, as well as consultation and support for parents and staff. Counseling sessions are arranged according to needs and availability, through a walk-in and appointment basis. On occasion, we make referrals to external agencies, and the Counselors, as well as the Student Support Coordinator, can assist parents in finding external professionals.

Confidentiality

One of the essential principles of trust in counseling is confidentiality; whatever is discussed together remains private, unless there is an agreement to disclose to others, or there is risk of harm to the student or to others.

Student Support Coordination

Student Support Services at the FIS encompass the Counseling Department and the Learning Support Department, which collaborate closely as a team, as well as within the school, in order to best support our students. The Student Support Coordinator is responsible for the overall administration and coordination of program activities and services for students leading a team of specialists. Additional to the role is liaising internally with teachers, as well as externally with local community services and developing and implementing program policies, goals and objectives is part of this role. The Student Support Coordinator develops program goals tying in with the FIS strategic planning procedures.