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Counselor level-sharing meeting draws 30 participants
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Posted on Feb 26 2006
Walking into the Pacific Islands Club’s Napu Room, a calm essence filled the air as over 30 school counselors and administrators at public schools on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota gathered for their monthly counselor level-sharing meeting.
Counselors listened in as guest panelists from the Division of Youth Services, Department of Public Safety, the Public School System, and the Attorney General’s Office answered questions from their colleagues relating to child abuse and educational neglect, which was one of this month’s focal points of their meeting.
Counselors went on to acquire information regarding their rights to information and protection of students in such situations where a DYS worker enters school property to question students.
Highlighting that issue, being that a counselor’s main focus is the welfare of a child in all aspects of his life during his time in school, Heather Kennedy, PSS Legal Counsel, emphasized that, “Having a counselor know what is going on with a child is important”. Therefore, counselors are determined to discuss the possibility of having a law or jurisdiction that will provide them with the privilege and protection to keep their student-counselor documented relationship confidential.
In addition to their meeting, Liela Camacho and Paulette Tomokane, both counselors from Garapan Elementary School, gave a short presentation on their recent trip to Guam to attend the 2nd Annual Guam Counselors Association conference.
The two counselors shared their retrieval of the ASCA National Workbook, which is a comprehensive guideline for counselors. Both expressed the importance of the workbook and how it will help counselor’s implement their area of work, with Camacho adding, “It’s like a counselor’s Bible.”
Also shared during their presentation was of the advancement of Saipan’s counseling association over that of Guam’s—a very prestigious recognition. Overall, these monthly level-sharing sessions provide for school counselors from the CNMI to come together to share their stories and struggles, get support and training assistance from their peers, and most importantly to be able to justify their role as a school counselor. (PR)
