THIS STUDENT HANDBOOK BELONGS TO - Clayton County Public ...

SUPPOrT SErVIcES FOr STUDENTSGUIDANcE AND cOUNSELINGGuidance and Counseling is the process of helping students by assisting them in making decisions and changing behavior. The purpose of guidanceand counseling is to impart specific skills and learning opportunities in a productive and preventive manner which ensures that all students can achieveschool success through academic, career and personal/social development.Guidance is defined as the help all students receive from parents, teachers, counselors, and others to assist them in making appropriate educationaland career choices. Counseling is defined as the help some students receive from credentialed professionals to help them overcome personal andsocial problems that may interfere with learning.Elementary school years set the tone for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for children to become healthy, competent andconfident learners. Middle school students are characterized by rapid physical growth, curiosity about their world and an emerging self-identity. Highschool years are full of growth, promise, excitement, frustration, disappointment and hope. It is the time when students begin to discover what thefuture holds for them. Through a comprehensive developmental delivery model, counselors work in conjunction with other support services staff,school staff, parents and the community to create a caring climate and atmosphere. By providing education, prevention, early identification andintervention, school counselors can help all children achieve academic success. School counseling programs are essential for students to achieveoptimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals and realize full academic potential to become productive,contributing members of the world community.HOmELESS EDUcATION SErVIcESThe McKinney/Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act ensures the educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness.It provides legal protections for children and youth in homeless situations to enroll, attend and succeed in school and preschool programs. In accordancewith Board of Education Policy JBC (1) and Administrative Regulation JBC (1)-R(1), Clayton County Public Schools affords homeless children equal accessto the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other students. Homeless students will have accessto education and other services needed to meet the academic standards to which all students are held. For additional information regarding rights,responsibilities and resources for homeless children and youth, visit our website atwww.clayton.k12.ga.us/departments/federalprograms/childrenintransition or contact the Homeless Education Department.HOSPITAL-HOmEBOUND SErVIcESHospital Homebound (HHB) instruction is academic instruction provided to students who are confined at home or in a healthcare facility for periods oftime that would prevent normal school attendance upon medical certification of need by the licensed physician or licensed psychiatrist who is treatingthe student for the presenting diagnosis. To be considered eligible for HHB instructional services, the student’s attending physician anticipates studentabsences for a minimum of ten consecutive days for acute illness, injury or surgery. It is the parent’s responsibility to request HHB services as soon aspossible. An application for services may be obtained through the student’s guidance counselor. Parents may obtain copies of the medical certificationand parental guidelines at www.clayton.k12.ga.us/departments/studentservices/HHB/hospitalhomebound.aspPSycHOLOGIcAL SErVIcESClayton County Public Schools Department of Psychological Services is comprised of school psychologists who team with educators, parents and othermental health professionals to ensure that every child learns in a safe, healthy, and supportive environment.Psychological Services offers consultation, evaluation, and counseling services to all Clayton County Public School District’s students. In addition,support services are also offered to school personnel and parents to assist with interventions that can be used both at school and at home. A requestto consult with the school psychologist can be made at the school or by calling the Psychological Services Department.School psychologists in Clayton County are knowledgeable of instructional methods to address diversity in the classroom and to promote critical thinkingand problem solving in all students. School psychologists also conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations that are informative and offer practical,appropriate interventions relevant to the needs of the student. School psychologists also provide the following services:• Support the Tier 3 Student Support Team (SST) and Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP) team at every school.• Support the implementation of Response-To-Intervention and Georgia Student Achievement Pyramid of Interventions initiatives at all schoolsites.• Coordinate and assist with crisis intervention services.• Assist with conducting risk assessments for students who threaten to hurt themselves or others.• Conduct training and assist with curriculum-based measurement as a progress monitoring tool for all students.• Conduct functional behavioral assessments to assist in the development of behavior intervention plans to be implemented through the Tier3 Student Support Team process.• Provide group and individual counseling to students with academic and behavioral concerns.• Provide professional learning activities on requested and mandated topics related to Response-To-Intervention, Tier 3 Student Support Teams,and Section 504.• Conduct teacher training on assessment tools to measure student progress.• Support for all programs and initiatives sponsored by Student Services.rESPONSE TO INTErVENTION (rTI)Response to Intervention (RTI) is the practice of providing high-quality instruction and intervention matched to a student’s need, monitoring progressfrequently to make decisions about change in instruction and goals, and applying the child’s response data to important educational decisions. RTI isa preventive measure that addresses the needs of all students, with interventions that work while examining and improving instruction.In compliance with OCGA 20-2-690.1, Clayton County Public Schools has developed a Support Services Identification/Intervention Process (SSIP) forResponse to Intervention (RTI) to be implemented at each school. This process may identify students who could benefit from additional support in thefollowing high achievement sustaining areas: 1) academics; 2) discipline; 3) attendance; and 4) delinquency causing factors. Students may beidentified using the following criteria:• Three (3) days of absences• Chronic Disciplinary Problem Student refers to students who have five (5) days of out of school suspension and/or two in school suspensionreferrals• Failed two or more courses/classes in the previous year• Truant previous year (5 unexcused absences)• Delinquency causing factor; family function problems, weak problem solving skills, Department of Family and Children Services involvement,substance abuse50