COUNSELING
As an integral part of the September High School program, counseling is designed to help students develop emotional maturity, achieve the ability to resolve life issues, and take responsibility for their actions. Group process classes allow students the opportunity to identify and communicate feelings and issues important to their personal growth and change. Each student can share with peers and a counselor daily challenges and responsibilities and give and/or receive clarification and support. These classes are facilitated by experienced counselors.
Peer Mediation
Students have been trained as peer mediators to help restore community harmony when a violation of the Community Member Contract has occurred or to help resolve conflicts between students. A student in serious violation of the contract (i.e., fighting or substance abuse) may be given the choice to accept the traditional consequences from the school, or may opt to meet with peer mediators. This circle of peers has trained with the school counselor, who serves as an adult mentor during this process. We look for a resolution that everyone can agree to which restores harmony of the situation. Students who thus participate in mediation may then be invited to receive further training and join the peer mediator pool. Then they will, at some point, find themselves in the roles of peer mediators, working with a classmate.