Northmont High School Student Assistance Program
What is the purpose of a student assistance program?
To identify and help troubled students experiencing difficulties in school due to a variety of problems. These can include:
worry or anxiety
depression
substance abuse / addiction in the family
changes or crisis in the family
troubles with friends or family
feeling sad or lonely
victim of bullying
stress
relationship issues
grief and loss
trauma
adjustment issues
medical issue
All students are going to have some of the above at one point or another. That's just life. But when it gets in the way of their ability to focus in the classroom, thats when they may need some support.
I'm worried about my son / daughter. What can I do?
The first step a parent or family member should take is to contact their students guidance counselor. Click on the tab in the menu above that says "Resources" then "Guidance Counseling Services" to find your student's counselor. This is the best first step because if a teacher or another student has had concerns about your student, chances are their Guidance Counselor knows about it and will have a more complete picture of what may be going on. The counselor will sometimes refer the situation on to the Student Assistance Counselors, Amanda Schroeder or Sheree Coffman.
Where does the Student Assistance Program get referrals from?
Guidance Counselors, Teachers, Administrators, Students, Parents, Grandparents, SRO (Student Resource Officer), Attendance Officer.
Most contacts come from students themselves reaching out for someone to talk to.
When the Student Assistance Program (Amanda Schroeder or Sheree Coffman) gets a referral, what happens next?
We offer individual or group sessions, depending on what is best for the student. A SAP Counselor may see them one time or 5 times... it just depends on what the student wants to do. All sessions with me are voluntary unless it is a condition of our "Alternative to Expulsion Program".
We can administer instruments to assess substance abuse, dependance, depression, anxiety, self concept, anger and disruptive behavior. These are available upon request and are free of charge.
We are not replacements for a mental health or substance abuse counselor. We can offer your student some supportive services here at school and can offer referrals in cases where we believe outside counseling is appropriate.
Can you offer any testing?
We can administer a SASSI which looks at drug and alcohol abuse, a Beck Inventory that looks at Self Concept, Anxiety, Depression, Anger, and Disruptive Behavior. These are free of charge. The informal test is administered upon parent request and results are reviewed in a conference. These tools can be helpful to parents trying to decide if counseling with a professional is appropriate. It can also provide "Talking Points" for parents who have trouble understanding what is going on with their teen because the teen can't or won't explain what they are feeling.
We also recommend parents check out the "40 Developmental Assets" tab under "additional help" in the menu above. Having your teen take the Asset Checklist Survey can show your the areas they have assets in place, and areas they need to grow. This can easily be done at home. We can also help with this process if needed.
Aren't you also the one who helps students who have violated the Drug and Alcohol Policy?
Yes. please see the "Alternative to Expulsion Program" tab under "Student Assistance Program" for more information.
To identify and help troubled students experiencing difficulties in school due to a variety of problems. These can include:
worry or anxiety
depression
substance abuse / addiction in the family
changes or crisis in the family
troubles with friends or family
feeling sad or lonely
victim of bullying
stress
relationship issues
grief and loss
trauma
adjustment issues
medical issue
All students are going to have some of the above at one point or another. That's just life. But when it gets in the way of their ability to focus in the classroom, thats when they may need some support.
I'm worried about my son / daughter. What can I do?
The first step a parent or family member should take is to contact their students guidance counselor. Click on the tab in the menu above that says "Resources" then "Guidance Counseling Services" to find your student's counselor. This is the best first step because if a teacher or another student has had concerns about your student, chances are their Guidance Counselor knows about it and will have a more complete picture of what may be going on. The counselor will sometimes refer the situation on to the Student Assistance Counselors, Amanda Schroeder or Sheree Coffman.
Where does the Student Assistance Program get referrals from?
Guidance Counselors, Teachers, Administrators, Students, Parents, Grandparents, SRO (Student Resource Officer), Attendance Officer.
Most contacts come from students themselves reaching out for someone to talk to.
When the Student Assistance Program (Amanda Schroeder or Sheree Coffman) gets a referral, what happens next?
We offer individual or group sessions, depending on what is best for the student. A SAP Counselor may see them one time or 5 times... it just depends on what the student wants to do. All sessions with me are voluntary unless it is a condition of our "Alternative to Expulsion Program".
We can administer instruments to assess substance abuse, dependance, depression, anxiety, self concept, anger and disruptive behavior. These are available upon request and are free of charge.
We are not replacements for a mental health or substance abuse counselor. We can offer your student some supportive services here at school and can offer referrals in cases where we believe outside counseling is appropriate.
Can you offer any testing?
We can administer a SASSI which looks at drug and alcohol abuse, a Beck Inventory that looks at Self Concept, Anxiety, Depression, Anger, and Disruptive Behavior. These are free of charge. The informal test is administered upon parent request and results are reviewed in a conference. These tools can be helpful to parents trying to decide if counseling with a professional is appropriate. It can also provide "Talking Points" for parents who have trouble understanding what is going on with their teen because the teen can't or won't explain what they are feeling.
We also recommend parents check out the "40 Developmental Assets" tab under "additional help" in the menu above. Having your teen take the Asset Checklist Survey can show your the areas they have assets in place, and areas they need to grow. This can easily be done at home. We can also help with this process if needed.
Aren't you also the one who helps students who have violated the Drug and Alcohol Policy?
Yes. please see the "Alternative to Expulsion Program" tab under "Student Assistance Program" for more information.