Counselor
Mrs. M. VargasCounselor
Hello! My name is Melissa Vargas and I am Jefferson's Counselor for the 2022-2023 school year! I have been lucky to call Jefferson Elementary my home for the last 6 years! I am extremely excited to get to work with ALL Jefferson students and hopefully be someone they know they can talk to when in need. I am a strong believer that it takes a community to help our students and will always be here for students, parents, and staff alike.
As school counselor my job is to support students, staff, and parents. Guidance services focus on children’s academic, career and personal/social needs in order to help children reach their full potential.
Our students may see the School Counselor for…
• Friendship concerns
• Changes in the family
• New situations
• Difficult decisions
• Academic concerns
• Death or illness
• Success and accomplishments
• Family concerns
• Dealing with angry feelings
• Happy occasions
• Test anxiety
A school counselor can...
• Meet with a child who was referred to the counselor by themselves, their parents, their teacher, or an administrator.
• Help children express and deal with feelings of grief regarding the death of a family member, friend, or pet. Provide a safe, confidential environment for children to talk about an issue they are having.
• Help children resolve conflicts with peers.
• Include children in small groups on a variety of topics.
• Teach guidance lessons for the entire class on a variety of topics
• Assists parents and teachers in helping children
• Teaches classroom guidance
• Provides individual and small group counseling
• Consults with outside agencies
