Elementary Counseling
Kindergarten through 5th Grade Counselors:
At Stargate Elementary we have two full-time Elementary Counselors who serve all 620 students from Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. Kailee DeHerrera (Ms. Kailee) primarily works with our upper grade level students, 3rd-5th grade. Alma Ross (Ms. Alma) primarily works with our lower grade level students, Kindergarten-2nd grade.
At the Elementary level, the School Counselor provides education, prevention and intervention services in the areas of academic, career and social/emotional development support. It is important to note that School Counselors do not provide treatment for mental health conditions. School Counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective. They typically spend the majority of their time working on universal instruction and working with all students. The Elementary Counselor works in collaboration with administration, teachers, specialists and families to determine the needs of all students.
CASEL competencies are the five core areas of social and emotional learning (SEL) defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Self-
Second Step is a comprehensive, evidence-based social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum designed for PreK–12 students to foster school success, improve school climate, and reduce problem behaviors. It provides developmentally appropriate lessons on empathy, emotion management, and problem-solving to help students build skills for academic and life success.
The Zones of Regulation is a framework developed by Leah Kuypers that teaches self-regulation and emotional control by categorizing feelings and energy levels into four colored zones: Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red. It helps individuals recognize their emotional state, understand their triggers, and use strategies to manage their feelings, fostering social-emotional learning.