Are you concerned about how your requests, complaints, and other comments that you report to your guidance counselor are received?  Do you want to know how to get the most out of your guidance counselor?

        Guidance counselors can give amazing help when used, but many students don’t know what their uses are, or how to use them.

        “I think guidance counselors can be helpful, but I honestly don’t know what they could help me with,” said junior Teague LaRue.

        Guidance counselors have many responsibilities and can handle a wide range of problems, and they want to help.

        “We can help with academics, schedules, teachers, planning for college, grades, career, personal crisis, and we can just talk with students,” guidance counselor Amelia Harrington said.

        They can also help out at any time of the day, and they make sure to always be ready to handle any issue that’s thrown their way.

        “Students can stop by before and after school, they can come in during lunch, and if they fill out a blue slip we will respond to them within 24 hours,” guidance counselor Kate Wapner said.

        Most issues can take 24 hours for a response, but for emergencies and urgent situations, counselors will take action on it immediately.

        “If there is suicidal or self-harm behavior, or immediate danger to a student we will make sure we find that student immediately and make sure we give them help,” Harrington said.\

        Counselors have a large amount of students to deal with each day, and some students feel like their complaints won’t be heard.

        “I feel like the counselors aren’t capable of handling all of the students and they can’t do an effective job,” sophomore Cameron Marshall said.

        The counselors do realize they have a large number of students to deal with, but they don’t feel like that’s a big issue.

        “It is hard to give every student quality time, but the best advice I can give to students is to get to know us better, because that will really help you out in the long run, when you need advice on colleges and careers,” Wapner said.

        Counselors can also be there for students if they just need someone to talk to and have someone who is there to listen to them.

        “We have an open door policy at all times, and students are welcome to come in if they are having a fall-apart day. It is important for them to find us if they need us, and they should always come in and ask questions,” Harrington said.