The Guidance Program focuses upon helping each student to have a feeling of self-worth and dignity, helping the student to understand him/herself,enabling the student to fully develop potenial, and helping the students to achieve greater self-direction in situations where he/she must exercise choice.

Program Details: The Elementary and Secondary Guidance Programs assist students to develop the skills they need to enhance their personal, social, educational, and career development. The scope of the services provided by the counselor includes individual and group counseling, guidance activities, information-giving, parental consultations, and referral to outside agencies. Parents are encouraged to call the counselor for information or assistance on any matter concerning the students.

Cheryl Spearman-High School counselor

Phone: 936-594-3560 Email Cheryl

Melissa Rice-High School/Middle School counselor

Phone: 936-594-3560 Email Melissa

Linda Hodges-Elemenary School counselor

Phone: 936-594-3567 Email Linda

Counseling:

• Addresses preventative and developmental concerns
• Addresses conscious concerns
• Assists with educational, career, and decision-making problems
• Uses teaching methods
• Makes referrals to parents for students with serious problems to receive help from professionals with clinical training

Therapy:

• Addresses serious disorders and personality problems
• Addresses unconscious concerns as well as conscious concerns
• Assists with personality reconstruction and other serious problems
• Uses healing methods
• Provides ongoing/long term therapy to students referred by school counselors to parents

Lansberry Elementary School has a guidance counselor to assist students and parent/guardians with educational aspects of the student's growth. In order to provide an effective guidance program, the following guidelines have been formulated.

• The primary focus of the program is directed toward educational guidance with emphasis upon direct contact with both parents and students.
• Conferences with students and parents are encouraged.
• The counselor will assist parents, students, faculty, and administration.
• Group guidance directed toward meeting the needs of a specific group of individuals is scheduled in addition to individual conferences.
• The counselor uses available data to assist students and parents in planning educational program.

The guidance curriculum is designed to help students acquire age-appropriate knowledge and skills within the scope of the following content areas:

Self-confidence development

Motivation to achieve

Decision-making, Goal-setting, Planning, Problem-solving skills

Interpersonal effectiveness

Communication skills

Cross cultural effectiveness

Responsible behavior

Parents are encouraged to contact the school counselor for any assistance the student needs.

In order to provide an effective guidance program in the secondary schools, the following guidelines have been formulated.

• The primary focus of the program is directed toward educational guidance with emphasis upon direct contact with both parents and students
• Conferences with students and parents are encouraged
• Group guidance directed toward meeting the needs of a specific group of individuals is scheduled in addition to individual conferences
• The counselor uses available data to assist students and parents in planning the educational program

College information:

Students may secure information regarding scholarships, college selection and admission, college entrance examinations, housing, financial aid, and other college information from the counseling office.

Career development Information:

Students receive extensive career development from elementary through secondary school. Eighth grade students are provided an opportunity to take the Career Explore Test which includes an interest questionnaire. Students in grade eleven are provided an opportunity to take the ASVAB test.  The ASVAB has a career assessment component.  Also, the students use the Kuder Career Planning System.  The assessments and the Kuder program help students measure their current academic development and explore career/training options.  The results of these assessments coupled with consideration of career pathways, the student's academic record, and conferences with the counselor assist the student with initial planning for high school and post high school opportunities.

Educational Guidance:

Each student works closely with his/her guidance counselor to ensure an appropriate course selection for each semester.  Guidance counselors also assist students with study skills, time management, and goal setting for both short and long-term goals. 

The Texas Education Agency, Division of Communications, has developed a new brochure, Student Guide to Graduation.  The brochure is intended for use with parents, students, staff, and the community to provide information on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and Texas High School Graduation requirements.  The brochure is appropriate for students in grades 7-12.  The brochure is currently available in English; Spanish version is under development.  To access the English brochure, go to:  www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/grad

Personal Guidance:

Counselors are available for consultation with both student and parent/guardian in areas that affect the student's personal/social domain of life.

  Guidance topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Self confidence development
• Motivation to achieve
• Decision making/problem solving
• Interpersonal effectiveness
• Communication skills
• Cross-cultural effectiveness
• Responsible behavior

Group Guidance topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Social Skills
• Anger Management
• Being a friend
• Making positive choices