Counseling

Our Counselors:

Miss Layton Grier
phone:  804-768-6215 ext. 3
Miss Grier was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia.  She received her B.A. in child psychology at Hollins College and then moved to Richmond to obtain her masters in elementary school counseling.  She was a counselor at Ecoff for 12 years and started her 13th year here at Salem Elementary.  She is also a 500 hour registered yoga teacher and enjoys sharing her passion for yoga with the students and teachers.

Who is a school counselor?

A school counselor must earn a Master’s Degree in school counseling and hold state certification in school counseling to include counseling theories and practices, human behavior, career education, individual appraisal, and social/cultural issues. Maintaining certification includes on-going professional development to stay current with education reform and challenges facing today’s students. Professional association membership enhances the school counselor’s knowledge and effectiveness.

The primary role of school counselors is to help students learn and develop to their highest potential socially, emotionally, and academically. The school counseling program provides students with early interventions as well as preventative strategies to ensure that all students achieve success in school and in life.

Individual Counseling: Individual counseling is available to ALL students in need upon request by students, parents or staff members. Students are able to express their concerns in a safe environment where problem solving can take place. Individual counseling occurs on an as needed basis. Generally, we do not provide long term individual counseling due to the number of students and the time needed to provide such extensive services. If you feel your child would benefit from long term individual counseling, please contact Chesterfield Mental Health at 748-7800.

Small Group Counseling: Group counseling is available to All students in need upon request by students, parents and staff members. Parental permission is required. Groups are designed so that students may gather in a confidential setting to work through and issue that is preventing them from doing their best in school. They have the opportunity to interact and connect with their peers, learn and practice skills, provide and receive feedback and set goals as needed. As counselor’s, it is our goal to improve the academic success of the students. When forming groups for counseling, students with the greatest need will be given priority for a space in the group. We make the best attempt to see all the students to have a need.

Group Topics:
Study Skills/Organizational skills
Friendship/Social Skills
Anxiety
Anger/Strong Feelings
Changing Famillies
Grief/Loss
Self-Esteem

Classroom Guidance:
We will teach lessons in the classrooms throughout the year. Our goal is to address developmental issues common to all elementary school aged children. We visit each classroom for 6 week 30 minute sessions, twice a year. Our lessons address the core values, bully prevention/intervention, social skills, getting along with others, understanding self and others, respecting differences, career development and internet safety.

Other Roles/Responsibilities of Counselors
Attendance team member
Gifted Coordinator
Crisis Team member
PBIS coordinator

PBIS program: At Salem elementary we have an active PBIS(Positive Behavior Intervention and support) program, which is a frame work used across the country for organizing expectations and interventions at schools. At Salem we use the word respect to organize our expectations around the building. This makes it easier to teach and for students to retain what they learn each year. They are taught what respect looks like and sounds like in terms of how we show respect to ourselves, others and property. There are lessons, activities and announcements through out the year to teach and reinforce our expectations.

School Wide Programs:
Promote Respect/Bully prevention
Internet Safetey
Career and College Readiness month(November)
Yoga 4 classrooms(wellness and mindfulness)
Ambassadors(welcoming new students)
Fun Lunch(for all students to come visit with the counselor once during the year)
Watch Dogs(parent involvement)

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