In the midst of National School Counselors Week, the Warren County School District is dealing with fewer of them.
Warren Area High School Counselor Matt Getner said one full-time position was eliminated due to attrition and a half-time position was lost due to budget concerns. The most recent was the full-time position, he said, which ended effective Jan. 31 at WAHS.
Now, Getner said, the school is down to two counselors there. So far, he said they have yet to feel the repercussions regarding services provided to students and parents.
"We are approaching an exceptionally busy time when you consider scheduling for next year, PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) testing, AP (Advanced Placement) testing, scholarship season, a sharp increase in the number of transcripts and other college-related paperwork, etc.," Getner said. "The bottom line is that fewer counselors means a heavier load for those who remain, as well as relying on other school personnel to assume some tasks and responsibilities that have traditionally been done by school counselors."
As the student population decreases, Getner said he thinks the district will evaluate each position that is vacated and make a determination on filling the position or not. While he hopes the district doesn't lose additional counseling positions due to attrition, he said it is a possibility.
During a recent meeting of the school board's Finance Committee, Superintendent Brandon Hufnagel proposed the creation of several study groups to deal with issues the district faces. Among the topics was the role of school counselors.
While difficult to predict, Getner said he believes if the study group takes an honest look at the amount of research supporting school counseling and seeks and considers the opinions of school principals and the input of students and teachers who have contact with counselors everyday, then it will conclude counselors are essential for schools to function properly at every grade level. Even if the number of school counselors decreases, he said the demand for their services remains.
Students will still have problems, Getner said, which can be social, emotional or academic. Those at risk of dropping out will still be there, he said, as will those who have discipline or attendance problems.
According to Getner, research indicates counselors help mitigate these problems. For students who don't have problems, he said they still need help with career counseling, finding the right post-secondary school, filling out college applications and getting financial aid and scholarships.
"It's not hard to see that the net effect is that with fewer counselors it becomes a real challenge to provide the same level of services to students and parents of Warren County (a county whose socio-economic makeup dictates that we need more services, not fewer,)" Getner said. "We then begin to look for ways to try and make it work by shifting responsibilities to other school personnel who aren't trained as school counselors (and who are already spread thin themselves), outside agencies and the like."
As a district, Getner said it would be short-sighted and antithetical to its stated mission to make any further cuts in the counseling department. He said he is hopeful those in position to make critical decisions affecting the well-being of students and the future educational course of the district will acknowledge this and act accordingly.