Counseling Office Practices
1. Operation
and Management of Counseling Office Files on the Junior High School’s CMS Platform
In the last decade, the Counseling Office, in collaboration with the Junior
High School’s IT technicians, has built a tab on the school’s Microsoft Content
Management System (CMS) titled AC Junior High “e-Counseling Office”. Pressing on the tab allows students and
teachers to access useful information and materials from home.
2. Development of Informative Materials
Publications and other informative material on a variety of issues (e.g. safe internet
browsing, learning difficulties, adolescent nutrition, substance abuse, internet
addiction, etc.) have been created for students, parents and teachers. These materials are available either in printed
form at the Counseling Office or can be easily accessed from home by going online
and using the CMS and SoSimple platforms.
3. Welfare Officers: This
program has been running since 2010 in collaboration with the Student Councils
The Counseling Office, in collaboration with the 15-member and 5-member Student
Councils, the Junior High School Administration, and teachers, organizes
programs to raise awareness and prevent hazards. The Welfare Officers Program is comprised of
25 Student Council members (one from each class section’s 5-member council and
one from the Junior High’s 15-member council). These students, together with
each section’s Teacher-Advisor, are trained in mediation by the Counseling
Office. They are also coached on how to
initiate prevention programs and how to bring up topics (e.g smoking, alcohol
abuse) and to motivate active discussions with their respective section’s
peers. Each Welfare Officer strengthens
the basic mission of the Student Council by giving students a sense of
democracy, representation and well-being within the School. The Program has received
the Best Practice Award by the Adolescent Health Unit of the University of
Athens, as well as a distinction in an Olympic Truce Center competition and
recognition by the British Council.
4. 7th grade (A΄ Lyceum) Study Skills Workshops
In order to achieve self-awareness and improve study and organizational skills,
the Counseling Office, in cooperation with the Administration and
Teacher-Advisors, holds workshops in all 7th grade sections. Students are supported in improving their study
skills and in better organizing their Junior High School obligations.
5. Online Surveys in Cooperation
with the Student Community
The Counseling Office, in collaboration with
the 15-member Student Council and the Welfare Officers, conducts short online surveys
among students on topics such as school bullying, diversity, internet surfing,
alcohol abuse, smoking, and adolescent nutrition. The results of these surveys are
discussed in sections within the context of Social Life and also presented to the
entire student body by the 15-member Council and Welfare Officers with the help
of a guest expert.
6. Organization and Implementation
of Seminars for Teachers
In cooperation with the Junior High School Administration, the Counseling
Office organizes and conducts training seminars for the Faculty Association on
special educational needs. It also
directs group interventions, in cooperation with Teacher-Advisors of the
respective sections.
7. Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is available for students, parents, and teachers. Parental guidance and counseling is
implemented in cooperation with the Junior High School Secretariat in order to
facilitate the issuance of learning disabilities certificates from public entities.
8. Organization and Implementation
of Workshops for Parents
Workshops, which are livestreamed, are carried out in collaboration with the
Junior High School Parents’ Association on topics related to adolescence, the
role of parents, and controlling digital life.
9. Reception of
Elementary School Pupils and Guided Tour of Junior High School
Elementary School 6th grade students visit the Psychico campus and are given a
guided tour in order to become acquainted with A.C. Junior High School. Questions
about middle school, which sixth graders have posed to their teachers, are
passed along to the A.C. Junior High School Student Community through the two Schools’
Administrations. Queries are processed and answered by Junior High School
students on the day of the sixth graders’ visit.