​​​Topic 5-09-2 – Additional Counseling Information​

Counseling Policy
 
The mission and purpose of the school is education.  Schools may not assume the responsibility for psychological counseling or therapy because they are not qualified or licensed to do so.

In addition to providing classroom instruction, schools may engage in the following limited counseling activities:

• Provide advice and counseling regarding academic subjects, class selection for high school students and student progress in school.
• Give limited guidance to students who present with non-academic personal issues or situations.
• Provide families with referrals to child psychologists, licensed educational psychologists, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, and similar professionals for diagnosis and treatment.  If the school provides referrals to parents/guardians, the list must include at least three names of qualified people or entities.
• Provide career counseling through career information centers and plan periodic career days or career sessions during which students meet representatives of different professions.
• Retain, where necessary, appropriate professionals to provide psychological counseling services for the school or include educational testing to assess a student's academic ability, learning patterns, achievement motivation, and personality factors that are directly related to academic learning problems (prior to a contractual relationship, the Principal will ensure that the professional is credentialed, licensed, insured, or otherwise properly qualified); as appropriate, the school may refer a student for specific or additional testing, generally at the expense of the parents/guardians.
• Provide high school and college counseling, sharing information with parents/guardians and students about application procedures, entrance exams, scholarships, and financial aid; schools may also provide catalogs and information sessions.
  
  In cases of actual or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect, please see “Legal Responsibility to Immediately Report Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect" under Topic 5-09-2, below.​
  
  

       Class Change Policy

• A change of class request will only be considered if submitted during the five working days after either the first day of school or the ​semester grading period.  A “Class Change Request" form must be completed and submitted to the Counseling Office.
• A student who is facing academic difficulty in a class, e.g., a “D" or “F" grade, may not change until all sources of support have been exhausted and there is still no improvement as determined by the Director of Counseling Services and the Assistant Principal of Curriculum.
• All parties, including parents/guardians, teachers, department chair, and counselor will follow a process of consultation, discussion, and evaluation before a final decision is rendered by the Assistant Principal of Curriculum in consultation with the Director of Counseling Services.
• A change of class will only be approved if there is significant and serious justification.
• No class change will be made if it will increase the number of students in another class beyond an appropriate level as determined by the Assistant Principal of Curriculum.
• If a change is granted, the student will be responsible for any appropriate make-up assignments as determined by the receiving teacher.
• Class changes will not be allowed based on students requesting a particular teacher or teachers requesting particular students.
• There may be class changes necessitated by irresolvable schedule conflicts or by oversubscription to a particular course or other reasons.  In such cases, an administrative class change may be made by the Assistant Principal of Curriculum.
   
  Legal Responsibility to Immediately Report Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
  
  The California Penal Code requires that any mandated reporter who knows or reasonably suspects that a minor (anyone under 18 years old) has been a victim of child abuse or neglect must report the incident to a child protective agency immediately by phone and must follow up with a written or online report within 36 hours of the phone report.  Mandated reporters include a wide range of people who may be able to observe such matters.  In the Archdiocese, as an example, this includes teachers, educators, coaches, school staff, clergy and religious. 
  
  Any mandated reporter in California who fails to report an instance of child abuse or neglect that he or she knows of or has reasonable suspicions about is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail, by a fine, or by both.  This failure to report may subject the person to disciplinary action as an employee and may result in the loss of teaching or other professional credentials.
  
  The mandated report may involve concerns about possible abuse or neglect in the minor's home or by a family member.  If the person making a report believes that child abuse or neglect is the case and that it is not safe for the minor to return home, then the person should make the report to the local law enforcement agency, which has the resources and ability to intervene immediately.​
  

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