Hello from the School Counselor!
My name is Kandice Schucker, and this is my fourth year as the school counselor at Fountain Green. I hold a B.S. in Elementary Education from Towson University and a M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola University Maryland. I am a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and am continuing my education to become a licensed clinical practicing counselor (LCPC) through Loyola University Maryland.
I am very excited to be a member of the FGES community and look forward to working with all students and families. Please feel free to contact me by calling 410-638-4220 or via Email: Kandice.Schucker@hcps.org.
My Goals as a School Counselor
- Promote student achievement, social/emotional growth, and career awareness
- Instill a positive attitude toward learning
- Facilitate school improvement initiatives
- Build partnerships with parents and teachers
- Advocate for students
- Contribute to a caring, positive school climate
The School Counseling Program at Fountain Green
The school counseling program is designed to be a comprehensive and developmental program that extends to every student in the school. The program teaches the skills necessary for academic success, personal and social growth, and career awareness. The program is aligned with the American School Counselor Association National Model. It meets the requirements set forth by the State of Maryland and Harford County Public Schools, and the goals identified in the school improvement plan.
Program Implementation
The school counseling program is implemented through Classroom Guidance Lessons, Small Group Counseling, Individual Counseling, Responsive Services, and referral to outside agencies.
Classroom Guidance Lessons Throughout the year, I will teach lessons in all classes. These lessons are based on the developmental needs of the students. Examples of classroom guidance lessons are: Respect, Responsibility, Making and Keeping Friends, Conflict Resolution, Understanding Differences, Communication, Career Exploration, Understanding Feelings and Their Impact, Working Together, Skills for School Success, Safety.
Small Group Counseling Students with shared concerns or needs participate in small group counseling at school. The sessions are 30 – 45 minutes in length and the group meets once a week for 6 – 8 weeks. The group time is mutually agreed upon with the classroom teachers so that students have the least amount of academic impact. Parents, teachers, and administrators are encouraged to refer students for counseling groups. Some examples of small groups are:
Changing Families
for students whose family is separating or going through a divorce, illness in the family, death of a family member, moving into the community or preparing to move out of the community, or deployment of a parent.
Social Skills
for students who need to improve their communication skills, control their anger, take responsibility for their actions and words, making friends, and resolving conflicts.
School Success for students who would benefit from improved work habits, attitude, study skills, and organization.
Individual Counseling and Academic Planning Sessions are designed to meet the specific needs of the individual. Depending on the area of need, direct instruction of skills may take place as well as an opportunity to rehearse or practice the skill. A session may include working through a problem-solving model and generating ideas for solutions. Students are encouraged to implement the solutions and report back on their success. In the case of academic or behavior counseling, a typical session would involve defining target areas, goal setting and developing an action plan. Counseling sessions are scheduled at a time when the student would have the least academic impact.
Referrals are initiated by parents, teachers, administrators, and students self-refer. If I meet with a child about a serious issue or if we have ongoing sessions, I will contact the family. Due to the high number of children with whom I work every day, it is not always feasible for me to contact parents for less serious matters or those that were readily resolved.
Confidentiality Counselors work diligently to build rapport and trust with all stakeholders, and maintaining confidentiality is imperative. Therefore, conversations between parents and the counselor or between staff and the counselor are confidential. Student confidentiality will be maintained unless the counselor has reason to believe that the student is in danger. In that case, the appropriate proper parties will be notified immediately.