Guidance

Mr. Vaughan - Leicester Middle School Guidance Counselor Middle school is often a very difficult time for students. It is a time of personal exploration, a time to seek out one's own identity, and (physiologically) a time of rapid growth. Taken together, these conditions can cause insecurity and fear for many middle school students. Mr. Vaughan is here to create an environment in which every student is able to find confidence in themselves and believe in their own competence as learners.
The guidance counselor administers support and services in many ways. In the educational environment, he provides academic skills support, study and test-taking skills and occasionally discusses career options even though students are years away from starting a career. In the student management area, our counselor helps students learn coping strategies, especially if they have undergone some element of stress or tragedy. It’s important to have a supportive network during these times. Our counselor helps students create positive peer and adult relationships.
A difficult problem for any parent or educator of middle school students is the fact that during this age, many students begin relying on their peers for guidance and not their parents. Helping create strong decision-making abilities is a high priority for our counselor. Some important decisions that the counselor helps students navigate are bullying, promiscuity, suicidal threats, and substance abuse.

If a student is having a problem at home, it inevitably leaks into their school life. Mr. Vaughan is there to help resolve issues, and when necessary, involve the parents. It is very helpful if parents and guardians tell the counselor about any major change in the family (e.g., separation, divorce, death, illness) that might affect the student. The more the counselor knows about the student, the more he is able to offer support and guidance. When it is useful and with consent, the counselor will share this information with teachers so that they are sensitive to each student’s needs.
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