Counselor's Corner
Samsel Upper Elementary School Counselors
Cassandra Martin Phone: 732-316-4050 ext. 6060
Email: cassandra.martin@sayrevillek12.net
Alexandra Mangafas
Phone: 732-316-4050 ext. 6227
Email: alexandra.mangafas@sayrevillek12.net
Back to School Night Presentation
Counselor's Connection Newsletters:
Other Counseling Resources:
Setting a Routine for Success at School
How to Support Your Highly Sensitive Child
Encouraging Persistent Children
SCHOOL COUNSELOR INFORMATION
At the Samsel Upper Elementary School, the school counseling program is designed to facilitate and foster a rapport among students, teachers, administration, and parents with the goal of student success academically, socially, and emotionally. This is accomplished through regular conferences with parents, teachers, administrators, and students, as well as with individual and small group counseling sessions. Proactive classroom lessons also take place with regard to academic, social, and career awareness. The program employs requirements based on the National Standards for School Counseling. If a student is recommended for outside counseling, community resources will be available upon request from the school counselor in order to help facilitate the student’s academic, social and emotional growth.
Our counselors have an open door policy for students with permission from their teacher. Students may also participate in counseling groups during their lunch period or throughout the school day. The focus of these groups includes, but is not limited to, conflict resolution, friendship, and study skills. Upon request of the student, the counselor will send home a permission slip to the parents/guardians explaining the school counseling program and will set up times to conduct the sessions with the input of the teachers involved to maximize the learning process.
Parents, teachers, and students alike can request counseling services from Ms. Martin and Ms. Mangafas. Students are encouraged to ask their teacher to come to the Guidance Office when he or she feels they need assistance socially, academically, or personally. In addition, parents are encouraged to contact the School Counselors directly via email or telephone. Typically, the school counselors meet with students to provide encouragement and support for academic and social-personal topics.
The Response To Intervention (RTI) Committee is formed by the administration to help the regular classroom teacher brainstorm additional differentiated techniques and instructional practices that will help their students who are struggling to master the grade level curriculum. Within a multi-tiered system of support, teachers will monitor student progress in Math and/or Language Arts and provide intervention when necessary. Please see a School Counselor with any academic concerns that you may have to start this process.