Guidance counselors outline goals to school board
RISD expresses gratitude to Warden Foxworth for 1,400 man hours to clean grounds
BY GLORIA JENNINGS

A PowerPoint presentation on school counselors was shown at the Monday evening meeting of the Rusk school board. Counselors attending the meeting were Sheila Hicks, elementary school counselor, who made the presentation; Lisa Cockrum, high school counselor and Debbie Welch, intermediate school counselor.

Mrs. Hicks' presentation was titled "Sail Into Success, Let Guidance Help Light the Way."

The guidance umbrella includes guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services and system support, she said.

"Goals of the school counselors include lighting the way for all students to become the best they can. This is done through counseling, consulting, curriculum, coordinating and most of all caring," Mrs. Hicks said.

Student needs are responded to through consultation, personal counseling, individually, small groups, crisis counseling, outside referrals, mental health, social service, juvenile service and medical resources.

Mrs. Hicks told the board that recommendations may be made to the counselor through a teacher, the student, a parent, the administrators or school staff or any concerned person.

Persons are encouraged to make a referral to the counselor if a child is suspected of being abused or neglected, if there is a severe change in the child's behavior, the child is struggling with family changes, the child's self-concept is low, an illness or death in the family is upsetting the child and there are financial hardships affecting the child.

Other reasons to make a referral are that the child is living in a home where there is substance abuse or recovery from such, the child daydreams a lot or is preoccupied a major portion of the day, grades are declining, excessive absences, home situation interfers with school performance or something seems to be bothering the child.

In closing Mrs. Hicks said counselors show caring with staff support, crisis intervention, child abuse prevention education, listening and giving lots of hugs.

In other matters TDCJ Warden Todd Foxworth was thanked for the 1,400 man hours given the district by TDCJ Hodge offenders. During the Christmas holidays and spring break inmates cleared brush at the intermediate, high school and junior high campuses making them more attractive and safer for students. A plaque was presented to Warden Foxworth.

Students and staff will be dismissed on April 5 for Good Friday. Monday, April 9, originally scheduled as a teacher work day, will be a bad weather make-up day. The board will meet at 6 p.m. on April 9.

Following an executive session, resignations were accepted by Andrea Avila, diagnostician effective at the end of the school year; and Bryan Basse, teacher, effective Feb. 21.

Employed were Billy Harrell, teacher, for the remainder of the school year; and Christie Hubbard, diagnostician for the school year 2007-08.

Attending the meeting were Mike Ross, president, who presided; David Fulton, vicechairman; Frances Long, secretary; Roy Cavazoz, Rodney Hugghins, Britt Patterson and Dr. Anthony Holcomb.