Family Handbook 2017-18

Guidance and  Learning Support   Successful people  cul vate  resilience and a  resolve  to  face  challenges,  setbacks and  disappointments. As  such,  the  school aims  to help girls develop  the  confidence and  for tude  required of  them  to persevere  through difficult  mes  to achieve  their goals. Guidance and  Learning  Support  Specialists play an  important  suppor ng  role  in  this  regard by encouraging  students  to become advocates  for  their own  learning needs and post‐secondary aspira ons.   The essen al  role of Guidance and  Learning  Support  teachers  is  to help our  students at every  grade  to get  know  themselves  socially, emo onally and  intellectually. Not only do  they work  directly with  students, but  they act as  liaisons with  faculty, Boarding  staff, Wellness  staff,  Administrators and, where appropriate, external agencies.   Our  Learning  Support  Specialists develop  student‐specific educa onal plans  that help  them  achieve academic  success  in  the  classroom. They also help  students develop essen al execu ve  func oning  skills  like  me management,  task  ini a on and perseverance  that  serve  students  in  the  classroom and beyond.  Guidance Counsellors work  closely with Upper School  students at every grade  to help  them  navigate  the norma ve  social/emo onal  turbulence  that defines  the Middle School  (Grades 7 and  8) and Senior School  (Grades 9  to 12)  years. They  visit  classes  regarding  course  selec on  in  January and help Upper School  students make  sense of how  their elec ve  choices  can  impact  their university admission prospects  for different programs. Guidance Counsellors work with  students one‐on‐one,  in  small groups and grade‐specific groups. Two designated  counselors also  work  closely with our Grade 11 and 12  students with  their  their postsecondary  career and  university admission aspira ons. Our graduates a end highly  compe ve  ins tu ons  in Canada  and  interna onally.  A Framework  for Repor ng  the Disclosure of Personal  Informa on by Upper School Students  It  is not uncommon  for an Upper School  (Grades 7  to 12)  student  to have a  conversa on with a  Guidance Counsellor, School Nurse,  the  school Social Worker, a  coach or another  trusted  faculty  or  staff member  in which  the  student discloses  sensi ve personal  informa on about herself  and/or her  family.  In  so doing,  the  student might  specifically  request  that  the  informa on  she  discloses not be  shared with her parents. 

Last Updated Aug. 18, 2017  Havergal College Family Handbook 2017–18

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