School Counseling Confidentiality Guidelines

At Terrace Middle School, we offer a broad range of supportive services to assist our students. School Counseling is available to all students based on individual needs. Your student will have the opportunity to request to speak with the School Counselor at school. Individual and/or group counseling can be provided in the areas of Social/Emotional, Academic and Career.  Your child's confidentiality is important to us. In the school counseling office, what is said here stays here, with the following exceptions, as required by law and/or ethical standards: 

• Harm to self or others ~ This can include things like a suicide attempt or plan, cutting or other self-injury, eating disorders, addictions, fighting or physical violence, illigal behaviors, threats etc. Anything that puts your child’s health or safety, or someone else's health or safety at risk.

• Abuse or neglect ~ If your child talks about abuse (physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, or other abuse), we are required by law to report it to Child Protective Services, and/or possibly the Police Department. 

• Court or legal proceeding ~ By law, if counselors are subpoenaed (required by law to attend a hearing or other court proceeding), we cannot guarantee that your information will be kept confidential. We will always do our best to maintain confidentiality, but must cooperate with the police, CPS and the courts. 

If there is ever a need to provide continued counseling support beyond 1-2 meetings with the School Counselor, you as the parent or legal guardian, would need to provide written consent for those services to take place. Permission slips will be kept on file with the School Counselor each school year and you have the right to revoke consent in writing at any time. We will also work with the parent/guardian to handle any concerns in a way that respects you, your feelings and your needs. School Counseling is not designed as a long-term option or in lieu of outside clinical therapy and or counseling services. School Counseling is designed to help students develop positive personal and/or social skills so that they are equipped to achieve academic growth and achievement.