Family School Liaison Counsellor
For those of you who are new to Calgary Christian School or who have not yet become familiar with the Family School Liaison Program, I will reintroduce myself. I am Kelly Schmaltz, the Family School Liaison Counsellor and I am honored to be serving this community by helping children and families cope with difficulties they are having in their lives, either at home or at school. I provide counselling support to students and families and when appropriate, I also direct families to outside services. In many cases, I provide support and information through consultation and may make referrals to agencies such as; Mental Health, psychological services, medical clinics, and social services. In addition to counselling, I offer classroom presentations on various topics aimed at supporting students’ mental, emotional, social, and behavioral wellness so that they may achieve their optimal potential in all areas.
Counselling is accessed on a referral basis. Teachers, principals, and parents may refer students about whom they have concerns, and parents must give their permission for services to commence, at which point an intake appointment will be scheduled. Referral forms can be found on the school website or at the school office. At times, a student may seek out counselling personally, in which case, I am able to meet with a child once before a referral by a parent or teacher is given and an intake appointment and parental consent is provided.
Counselling is not a consequence or a punishment for misbehaving students. The role of the counsellor is not to discipline students, but to provide social, emotional, and behavioral support to students and families. Students cannot be forced to see a counsellor as the counselling process is meant to be collaborative and non-threatening. Information gathered in counselling sessions is not shared with teachers and/or parents and is subject to confidentiality laws. Permission to release information must be obtained from the parents/students before it can be shared with other parties. The exception to this is if the student is considered to be at risk of harm to self or others, in which case safety is a top priority. In all cases, the "best interests" of the client take priority when assessing options in counselling. This means that if there is some debate concerning what direction counseling needs to go, the best interests of the client will be held above all else.
This year I will be at Calgary Christian Secondary Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and I will be at the Elementary campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:00 am-4:00 pm. If you have any questions concerning the counseling services at Calgary Christian School or if you would like to refer your child, please contact me.
Kelly Schmaltz, Family School Liaison Counsellor
FSLC Role
FSLC's provide counselling support to students and families and when appropriate, we also direct families to outside services. In many cases, we provide support and information through consultation and may make referrals to agencies such as; Mental Health, psychological services, medical clinics, and social services. In addition to counselling, we offer classroom presentations on various topics aimed at supporting students’ mental, emotional, social, and behavioral wellness so that they may achieve their optimal potential in all areas.
Some of the areas in which we support students and their families include:
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Emotional concerns: anxiety, stress, anger management, depression, self-esteem, suicidal thoughts
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Spiritual concerns: moral choices, questions about God or the Bible, feelings of guilt or shame, struggling with forgiveness
How Services are accessed...
Counselling is accessed on a referral basis. Teachers, principals, and parents may refer students about whom they have concerns, and parents must give their permission for services to commence, at which point an intake appointment will be scheduled. At times, a student may seek out counselling personally, in which case, we are able to meet with a child once before a referral by a parent or teacher is given and an intake appointment and parental consent is provided.
Making Connections Role
My name is Leah Ekubazgi and I am the Making Connections Worker for Calgary Christian School. In this role, I have the privilege of supporting both students and families.
Making Connections Workers promote health and wellness, create space for students to grow in social-emotional skills through small groups and class presentations. In terms of family support, Making Connections Workers provide referrals to external agencies within the community. Our goal is to bridge the gap and improve access for families to services in their communities.
How services are accessed:
Students may be referred for a small group by teachers, principals and the FSLC. Parental consent must be given prior to students participating in the group facilitated by the Making Connections Worker. Referrals for family support are also made by teachers, principals and the FSLC, however can also be sought out by parents. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me leah.ekubazgi@pallisersd.ab.ca
