School counselors are certified/licensed educators with a minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling. School counselors have specialized knowledge of curriculum and instruction and help screen students for the basic skills needed for a successful transition from preschool to college and career. School counselors focus on helping students address their academic, personal/social, and career development goals and needs by designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student success.

School counselors work to promote safe learning environments for all members of the school community and regularly monitor and respond to behavior issues that impact school climate, such as bullying, student interpersonal struggles, and student-teacher conflicts. Effective school counseling programs are a collaborative effort between the school counselor, social workers, teachers, families, and other educators to create an environment promoting student achievement, active engagement, equitable access to educational opportunities, and a rigorous curriculum for all students. In Center Grove school counselors serve at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. (indianaschoolcounselor.org)

Adapted from National Alliance of Specialized Instructional Support Personnel retrieved from nasisp.org and “A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools” retrieved from nasponline.org. 

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School social workers are certified educators/licensed mental health professionals who hold a minimum of a master’s degree in social work with a specialization in school social work practice. They have special expertise in understanding family and community systems and linking students and their families with the community services that are essential for promoting student success.

School social workers’ training includes specialized preparation in cultural diversity, systems theory, social justice, risk assessment and intervention, consultation and collaboration, and clinical intervention strategies to address the mental health needs of students. They work to remedy barriers to learning created as a result of poverty, inadequate health care, and neighborhood violence.

School social workers often focus on providing supports to vulnerable populations of students that have a high risk of truancy and dropping out of school, such as homeless and foster children, migrant populations, students transitioning between school and treatment programs or the juvenile justice system, or students experiencing domestic violence. They work closely with teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and other educators to provide coordinated interventions and consultation designed to keep students in school and to help their families access the supports needed to promote student success. In Center Grove school social workers are at every level. (insswa.org)

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In Center Grove, elementary schools have an SEL counselor who either has a master's degree in social work or school counseling. Their main role is to provide Tier 1 social-emotional instruction to assigned students to promote healthy physical, emotional, and social development. In addition, they adapt social-emotional instruction for student accessibility and assist in planning and coordinating social-emotional activities/lessons.

To ensure that instruction is relevant, meeting goals, and effective for CG students, SEL counselors analyze academic, behavioral, and/or social-emotional learning data for continuous improvement.

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Center Grove Schools partners with Community Health Network to offer School-Based Mental Health Providers in each of our schools.

School-Based Therapists are licensed or license-eligible and hold a minimum of a master’s degree as either a Social Worker, Mental Health Counselor, or Marriage and Family Therapist. School-Based Therapists can provide individual, family, and group therapy in the school setting and in the home or community. Types of services provided can be dependent upon insurance and are determined by an outlined treatment plan that is created at the initial intake.

School-Based Life Skills Clinicians are bachelor’s level clinicians who provide added support to the therapist’s caseload. Life Skills Clinicians will be assigned to schools based on need. They can provide skills training and development, classroom management, and parent training and support.

Both Therapists and Life Skills Clinicians work collaboratively with school staff to provide comprehensive care for the students on their caseload. All services provided by the School-Based Therapist and Life Skills Clinician are billed through private insurance or Medicaid in order to provide the funding to sustain our program. These staff members are supervised by a Licensed Program Manager, who meets regularly with them at their school site to provide support. In addition, all cases are overseen by a school-based psychiatrist.

Referrals can be made to additional services as needed, including medication management at our outpatient office, higher levels of care, or outside agencies.

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School psychologists have a minimum of a specialist-level graduate degree in school psychology, which combines the disciplines of psychology and education. They typically have extensive knowledge of learning, motivation, behavior, childhood disabilities, assessment, evaluation, and school law. School psychologists specialize in analyzing complex student and school problems and selecting and implementing appropriate evidence-based interventions to improve outcomes at home and school.

Center Grove School psychologists consult with teachers and parents to provide coordinated services and supports for students struggling with learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities such as learning needs related to cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome, emotional and behavioral problems, and those experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional trauma, grief, and loss. They also identify and serve preschool students with disabilities. 

School psychologists are regular members of school crisis teams and collaborate with school administrators and other educators to prevent and respond to crises. They have specialized training in conducting risk and threat assessments designed to identify students at risk of harming themselves or others. School psychologists’ training in evaluation, data collection, and interpretation can help ensure that decisions made about students, the school system, and related programs and learning supports are based on appropriate evidence. (www.iasponline.org) (nasponline.org) 

School Behavior Coaches work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders to promote positive behavior change district-wide. They provide support for student(s) who have intense behavioral difficulties that could put them at risk for a more restrictive educational environment. School behavior coaches are required to have a behavioral background, either from years of experience working in a related field or education (the minimum requirement is a HS diploma, but a bachelor's or higher education is preferred). They develop and implement behavior support plans in order to stabilize and provide more opportunities for success in his/her current placement. Duties can include but are not limited to: informal assessments, training and assistance to increase compliance and socially accepted behaviors, the development of a child’s lagging skills and the overall reduction of the students unexpected behaviors. The school behavior coach works within the special education programs, providing supports to individuals with an IEP.

Registered nurses are dedicated to improving the health and educational success of children and youth. School nurses are responsible for providing health services to students. Specifically, a school nurse provides illness and injury assessments and interventions, manages the care of students with chronic diseases, performs nursing procedures such as gastrostomy tube feedings and tracheotomy care, and creates individualized nursing care plans and provides services for students with disabilities and/or health conditions that interfere with learning.

School nurses also conduct screenings for health factors impacting student education, perform assessments and interventions for students with mental health needs, participate as a member of the crisis team, assist with the development and delivery of health curriculum topics, develop health policy, and serve as a school/community/health care provider liaison. (inasn.org)

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School Resource Officers (SROs) have diverse roles in school systems. They are responsible for providing mentoring, teaching, creating partnerships, building relationships, and ensuring school safety. The SROs are specifically trained, properly equipped full-time law enforcement officers with sworn law enforcement authority. The (SROs) are trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response.  

Center Grove's SROs are police officers who work in all of the district's elementary, middle, and high school buildings. All Center Grove Police Department (CGPD) officers are graduates of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. They are responsible for working with school administrators and faculty to ensure schools are safe and secure places for students to learn. (SROs) are responsible for mentoring, teaching, creating partnerships, building relationships, and ensuring school safety.

When issues from the community follow students to the classroom and the school campus, officers on site can be a resource for school administrators and teachers by problem-solving and helping to figure out how to address issues. SROs are responsible for public safety within the established school boundaries. They serve as liaisons between the school, police, and the surrounding community, ensuring the campus is safe from intruders, and addressing criminal activities occurring in or around school property. School administrators benefit from the SRO's training, knowledge, and expertise in handling situations. (nasro.org/)

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