Counseling Staff

Middle School Students' Developmental Needs

Today’s young people are living in an exciting time with an increasingly diverse society, new technologies, and expanding opportunities. To help ensure that they are prepared to become the next generation of parents, workers, leaders, and citizens, every student needs support, guidance and opportunities during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change. Early adolescents face unique and diverse challenges, both personally and developmentally, that have an impact on academic achievement. During this passage from childhood to adolescence, middle school students are characterized by a need to explore a variety of interests, connecting their learning in the classroom to its practical application in life and work; high levels of activity coupled with frequent fatigue due to rapid growth; a search for their own unique identity as they begin turning more frequently to peers rather than parents for ideas and affirmation; extreme sensitivity to the comments from others; and heavy reliance on friends to provide comfort, understanding and approval.

Meeting the Challenge 

Middle school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. Middle school counselors do not work in isolation; rather, they are integral to the total educational program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help students achieve success in school. School counselors align with the school’s mission to support the academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the 21st Century.

What Middle School Counselors Provide:

• Academic skills support
• Organizational, study and test-taking skills
• Education in understanding self & others
• Academic & transition planning
• Peer relationships & effective social skills
• Communication, problem-solving, decision making &    conflict resolution
• Career awareness, exploration & planning & goal setting
• Substance abuse education
• Multicultural/diversity awareness
• Individual counseling & coping strategies
• Peer facilitation
• Individual/family/school crisis intervention & referrals
• Consultation, collaboration & teaming

         ^{From the American School Counselor Association (www.schoolcounselor.org)}

The Walt Morey Middle School Counseling Team:

Todd Klindt, Ext. 1725 
Grades 7 & 8 Counselor

Karla Wolf, Ext. 1726
Grade 6 Counselor (Hours: Monday > 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; Tuesday & Thursday > 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)

Stephanie Patrick, Ext. 1819​
RSD School Psychologist

Krystal McCarthy, Ext. 1720
Social Worker