Guidance

The Mashpee Middle & High School Counseling Department 

An integral part of the total education program for all students, the counseling program is based upon the Massachusetts School Counselor’s Associations model. The program includes sequential activities implemented by certified school counselors with the goal of assisting students to prepare for career and college readiness in order to succeed in the global economy.

Mission Statement

The mission of the School Counseling Department is to empower students by providing academic, career and personal/social services. We help students to acquire a sense of civic responsibility, and to develop the skills necessary to realize their individual goals. This includes advocacy and advising for academic, social and career development through partnerships with students, teachers, parents, administrators and community members.

The School Counseling Department offers a wide range of services:

• Academic/Technical Counseling
• Career/Occupational Counseling
• Personal/Social Emotional Counseling
• Future Planning (Higher Ed Counseling)
• Individual and Group Counseling
• College Admissions Visitation on site
• Facilitate NCAA Registration process
• Referrals to Professional Agencies
• Learning / Career Surveys
• Act as liaisons between students, parents/guardians and faculty
• Provide Financial Aid and Scholarship Information

Confidentiality Policy

All school personnel are bound to comply with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), commonly known as the Buckley Amendment. FERPA identifies the rights of students and their families to gain access to and challenge the content of their educational records. Furthermore, they have the right to expect that information in their educational records will be kept confidential, disclosed only with their permission or under provisions of the law. Information from a student’s record should be shared within the school only among appropriate school officials (teachers, counselors, administrators, school nurse, special needs staff) having “legitimate educational interests” in the records. Access to a student’s educational record by school officials is restricted to that portion of the record necessary for the discharge of assigned duties.

School counselors are bound by the Code of Ethics of the American School Counselors’ Association (ASCA). According to ASCA, “each person has the right to privacy and thereby the right to expect the counselor-client relationship to comply with all laws, policies and ethical standards pertaining to confidentiality.” All communication in a counseling relationship, therefore, shall remain confidential unless there is evidence of “clear and imminent danger to the counselee or to others or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed”, i.e. in the case of abuse. Confidential information may not be shared with anyone, including teachers, administrators or other staff members without the express consent of the counselee and/or the parent. The exception to this may be in the event of consultation with professional colleagues, who are also bound by confidentiality.

Non Discrimination Policy

It is the goal of the Mashpee Public School District to promote an environment that is free from discrimination and affirmatively provides access to employment and equal educational opportunity. Discrimination, including that based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability or sexual orientation of an individual occurring in the workplace or in other settings in which individuals may be entitled access to educational opportunity is unlawful and will not be tolerated by this organization. Further, any retaliation against an individual for cooperating with an investigation of a discriminate on complaint is similarly unlawful and will not be tolerated. To achieve our goal, acts of discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated and we have provided procedures by which inappropriate conduct will be addressed, if encountered by an employee, student or member of the community.