The Safe School Coordinator counseling position (aka: Crisis Counselor) is very unique in that I do not have an alpha caseload like the 6 other academic counselors in our office, rather I am always available to meet with students on a drop in basis. I not only work closely with fellow counselors and teachers, but particularly with the Associate Principal of discipline, Karen Darling, our principal, Kelly Johnson, the local sheriff's department, and various community organizations.

As the Safe School Counselor at Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, I meet with students who are dealing with a wide variety of issues: social, emotional, psychological, cultural, family, and academic issues. I also assist the other 6 counselors in our office and follow up with students who need to be seen to ensure that no students slip through the cracks.

In addition to meeting individually with students, I am responsible for coordinating the Outlook Program and Support Group Program on campus each year. Mr. Michael Ballue, licensed drug and alcohol counselor, is the counselor for the Outlook Program. On Mondays between 8-11:30am Mr. Ballue meets with students individually and is available to meet with parents if requested. I am responsible for scheduling all appointments for Mr. Ballue. Wednesdays, Mrs. Laurie McLean, MFT from Freedom4U, facilitates 3 support groups on our campus. Group topics vary from year to year based on students needs. Currently, there is a Girls Group, Teen Issues Group, and a New to PEN High Group (for transfer students coping with transition issues). Additionally, at lunch on Wednesdays, Jane Smolens, a licensed bereavement counselor from the Gathering Place, facilitates a Grief Group for students. Finally, on Thursdays, Robert Babb, MFT, facilitates a Boys group at lunch. Both the Outlook and Support Group programs are very successful. Students can self-refer or be referred by teachers, counselors, administrators, or parents to participate in any of these programs.

click here for a detailed description of the Support Groups for the 2007-2008 school year.

Every 3 years I work closely with the PTSA and Activities Director, Season Hawkins to plan the Every 15 Minutes program. I am responsible for taking 20+ youths on an overnight retreat sponsored by the PTSA. This 2-day program is highly emotional and very effective in educating students about the dangers of drunk driving. The Every 15 Minutes program took place in Fall 2005 and will be scheduled again for Fall 2008.

I am very proud to represent Palos Verdes Peninsula High School as the Safe Schools Coordinator. It is a pleasure coming to work each day knowing that I have been given an opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of our youth. My favorite parts of my job are the challenges of not knowing what situations I will deal with each day, meeting a wide variety of students and community members throughout the school year, and when students who I have helped through a troubled time come back and update me on their progress.

The Counseling Office Has Gone Dogs!

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The Counseling Office Has Gone to the Dogs! In case you haven't noticed, there are two puppies in the Counseling Office this year. Shirell is a pure bread yellow lab and lives with Mrs. Scott. Zinca is a golden retriever/yellow lab mix and lives with Mrs. LaMonte, our substitute registrar. Shirell and Zinca are both from an organization called Canine Companions for Independence (CCI).

Shirell & Zinca are in training to become service dog/skilled companion dogs, facility dogs, or hearing dogs. They will be raised and trained by Mrs. Scott & Mrs. LaMonte for 14-16 months before returning to CCI for an additional 6-9 months of advanced training. Once they are ready to work (have passed a series of tests), the dogs could be placed in one of the following careers:

Service Dogs/Skilled Companion dogs enhance independence for people with disabilities. They do this by reducing reliance on other people to perform tasks that they have difficulty performing themselves. These dogs are trained to perform physical tasks such as pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped objects, opening doors and drawers and flipping switches for lights or automatic doors.

Facility Dogs are usually paired with rehabilitation professionals, caregivers or educators and utilize a Canine Companion to improve the mental, physical or emotional health of those in their care. These facilities include schools, rehabilitation programs and psychiatric programs. The dogs are used to break the monotony of physical therapy exercises, to provide rewards and motivation in an educational setting, and many other facility uses.

Hearing Dogs, for adults who are deaf or hard of hearing, alert their partners to sounds they may not hear or sounds they rely on others to point out. They do this by making physical contact with their partner. Among the sounds that Hearing Dogs can be trained to recognize and alert their partners to are the ring of a telephone, the cry of a baby, a knock at the door, a kitchen timer, an alarm clock, an intruder, a smoke alarm, even someone calling a name. The Hearing Dog is also trained to indicate the source of the sound.