Student Services > Counseling Office
Mrs. Yolanda Faerber
240-740-1047
Westbrook Elementary School has a Comprehensive School Counseling Program which serves all students, parents and teachers at the school. Major areas of focus include:
Classroom Guidance: Our school counselor, Yolanda Faerber, provides lessons in every classroom throughout the school year, at least once per month. Lessons are focused on personal, interpersonal, academic, career and healthy development.
Group Counseling Sessions: These sessions are provided for students who self-refer or are recommended by teachers or their parents. Groups of no more than six students meet once every other week for around eight sessions on topics such as: friendship, divorce/separation, study/organizational skills, grief and loss, and anger management. In order for students to participate in groups, there must be a demonstrated need for support and parents/guardians must sign permission slips.
Individual Counseling Sessions: These sessions are available to students on a short-term basis (less than six weeks). Referrals to outside therapists are available upon request if more long-term help is indicated.
Parent Education Sessions: These are offered throughout the school year in conjunction with the PTA. .
Westbrook ES is a No Place for Hate School. Student-committee members help run this program in conjunction with the School Counselor. Westbrook ES incorporates the Anti-Defamation League’s anti-bias, anti-racism and anti-bullying resources within our existing programming to form one powerful message that all students have a place to belong. The goal of No Place for Hate is to inspire a national movement led by students, educators, and family members who are committed to using the power of positive peer influence to build inclusive and safe schools in which all students can thrive.
We also have a Peer Mediation program, whereby peer mediators help students resolve conflicts during outdoor recess. Students are selected to participate based on their ability to work with others, demonstrate fairness and equity and actively listen to others.
Westbrook students are taught and encouraged to use the De-bugging steps when they are having a conflict or someone is "bugging" them. These steps are:
- Ignore.
- Walk or move away.
- Talk friendly.
- Talk firmly.
- Get adult help.
