SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENT - PARENT HANDBOOK

4. GUIDANCE
College and career counseling is available to students and their parents, who
are contacted at the appropriate times for testing, career-exploration and
career/college application procedures. Parents and students are always
welcome to initiate their own contacts concerning these matters through the
Guidance Office.
Personal counseling is also available to students and parents. Special
courses and workshops are occasionally offered during the year, and are
advertised in the ISD Quarterly and the Friday Notes.
If a student is receiving personal counseling there are some constraints under
local law:
• Parents of children below the age of 14 may request access to specific
counseling and medical information through the appropriate counselor or
medical professional.
• Parents of children over the age of 14 may inquire as to the general nature
of counseling or medical attention their child has received, but may not
have access to specific details without the permission of the child.
• In cases of potential harm to self or others, the counseling and medical
personnel have a legal duty to inform parents and are not obligated to
keep confidences.
The school counseling and medical staff will always work with the best
interests of the child in mind. This includes open, honest, and frequent
communication with parents should a student seek medical or counseling
support on their own, or in cases where a student is referred to one of these
services by a faculty or staff member.
If you have particular questions about the confidentiality of the services
offered, please contact the appropriate support services staff member. S/he
will be happy to elaborate on our confidentiality policy.
5. PASTORAL CARE
Within each grade, are homeroom groups of 15-20 students, which meet daily
(08:40-08:50) with their homeroom teachers. The homeroom teachers
transmit daily information to their students, monitor their progress, and work
to ensure that each student has the benefit of individual attention within a
small group. The activities of the homeroom groups, within a grade are
coordinated by the year head, who bears the main responsibility for the
pastoral care of the students, and liaises with the parents, principal,
counselors, learning support teachers, and others as appropriate.
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