Guidance Department
Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
Guidance Services are designed to help you make the most of your educational, vocational, and personal opportunities. Guidance counselors are here to serve you as an individual.
Counseling is offered to assist you to make suitable decisions regarding educational and vocational plans, to deal with personal difficulties and to develop strengths that will enable you to live with yourself and others in positive and constructive ways. Your counselor can help you find additional assistance outside of school if necessary, and is a valuable source of information and referral.
You are encouraged to use the guidance services and to get to know your counselor well so that he or she may be of greater assistance to you.
Services described below:
How to Make Use of Guidance Services
Continuing Education Placement
How to Obtain a Copy of your Transcript
Assabet Valley graduates may email Michelle Curran at mcurran@assabet.org to obtain a copy of their transcript.
How to Make Use of Guidance Services
Counselors and other guidance personnel will call upon you individually concerning certain matters, which pertain to you. In addition, they will meet with you in groups of various sizes from 5 or 6 students, to one classroom at a time, or even to a whole class meeting when there is information you need to know. You should feel free to contact your counselor when you have any need for assistance. You may make an appointment to meet with your counselor in one of several ways:
- Drop in to the Guidance Office before school, between classes, or after school and fill out an appointment request form.
- Fill out an appointment request form available from your homeroom teacher. It can be forwarded to Guidance through the attendance packet.
Since all counseling appointments occur during classroom or shop time, you must be sure to report to your classroom or shop first, to show your appointment slip to your teacher before going to your guidance appointment.
Continuing Education Placement
The Guidance Office maintains information and service for students who are interested in continuing their education beyond high school at colleges and other post-secondary schools.
Tech Prep opportunities for earning college credit in high school can be explained by your counselor, and reference books and software are available as well. Students visiting college campuses during school days must have these visits pre-approved through their Guidance Counselor and must have verification from the college when they return from of the visit. Students planning on continuing their education are encouraged to work out a plan early in their high school years to assure the best possible preparation.
The School Adjustment Counselor conducts a variety of counseling groups. Students who would benefit from a focus group and interaction with peers on a particular issue will be referred by the guidance counselor, through their TEAM, or by an administrator. In some instances, students may see an adjustment counselor on an individual basis.
When extra contact and a supportive relationship will help a student to be successful, faculty and staff members volunteer to mentor individual students. Mentors speak with a student's teachers and family on a regular basis, and help students to focus on behaviors that lead to success.
Each student will have access to school provided bus transportation. These buses are under the regulation and control of school officials. Buses will pick up and discharge students only at designated pick up points according to a published schedule. Schedules are mailed to the home in August, published in newspapers immediately prior to the opening of school and extra copies are available in the Dean of Students' Office.
Late buses will leave at 4:00 p.m. or 4:15 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Additional buses will be provided for students involved with sports teams. Sports buses will stop at a limited number of designated points within each of the seven communities. Students being transported in school vans or other vehicles of less than eight (8) passengers must use seat belts where available.
- The services of a registered nurse are available to any student in the case of sudden illness or accident. First aid will be administered and the parent or guardian will be notified immediately. In the event of a serious injury or extreme medical emergency, the student will be transported via ambulance to Marlboro Hospital and parents will be notified immediately.
- First aid is immediate temporary care, which excludes the administration of medication.
- The nurse does not treat illness or accidents that happen outside the school jurisdiction.
- Health services will include regular checkups for vision and hearing as well as other screenings to assist students in maintaining good health. Physical examinations by a physician are the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Parents are encouraged to have their children seen at least annually by the family physician. For those families for whom a physical examination would be a financial hardship, the school will make arrangements with a physician who will conduct a thorough physical examination. The determination of this need will be other criteria acceptable to the Principal and/or Superintendent-Director.
- Students who must have medication administered during the school day are required to do so under the supervision and assistance of the school nurse and with the prescription of a physician. All medications are to be kept under the control of the nurse in the health center.
- When a student fails to report for scheduled medications for the third time in one term, the Nurse's Office will forward a discipline report to the Dean's Office and the student will be assigned one day in Administrative Detention. For each additional day the student fails to report, the Nurse's Office will forward a discipline report and additional detentions will be assigned.
- Communication between the parent or guardian and the school nurse relative to any health problems concerning the student is encouraged and welcomed. A student's medical problem, which could affect his/her performance, safety, or general well being during school hours, should be brought to the attention of the school nurse.