School counselors are an invaluable resource in our schools.
Please click on the school counselor article you would like to read about. Thank you for visiting!
A great resource for parents:
Greetings from School Guidance Counselor Mr. Jim Bourque. I have been honored to work with the Elementary students of MSAD 11 for the past six years. Prior to that my work was as an Elementary School Counselor for eight years in the Maranacook School District. Educationally, I have achieved Maine School Counselor Certification, a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Southern Maine, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Maine at Orono.
My work as School Counselor includes a variety of services to students and families:
Classroom lessons - teaching lessons in your child’s classroom about the Superkids Skills of Responsibility, Respect, Positive Attitude, Caring, Teamwork,
Pursuit of Quality, Effective Communication, Problem Solving, and Citizenship.
Crisis Intervention and Crisis Team Participation - School Guidance Counselors are trained in crisis intervention and are members of Crisis Response Teams in the MSAD 11 schools.
Counseling - Guidance counselors provide counseling for children on both an individual and group basis. Opportunities occur throughout the school year for families to sign up children for groups about Grief and Loss, Divorce, Friendship and Social skills.
Consultation and Student Assistance Team - I am available to teachers, parents and families as a consultant. I am also a member of the Student Assistance Team in each of the schools in which I serve. Parents frequently consult with me with questions about their children’s behavior, stress in their childrens’ lives, how to cope with family changes or traumatic events. I am often able to guide families to therapists and other resources in the community that can be helpful to children and families.
If you feel that I might be of help to you or your child, please contact me at school. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Jim Bourque
School Guidance Counselor
Mr. Bourque, LER's school counselor, uses the Second Step Program in his social skills groups. Here is an overview about this program:
SECOND STEP Overview
Lessons for School and Life
Based on over 20 years of research and classroom application, the award-winning SECOND STEP program integrates academics with social and emotional learning.
Children from preschool through eighth grade learn and practice important skills, such as anger management, cooperation, respectful behavior, and problem solving. These skills help decrease students' negative and violent behaviors—fighting, name-calling, and stereotyping—helping to return the focus of classroom time to where it belongs: learning.
Children also learn to recognize and respect people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and ethnicities. These essential life skills will help students in the classroom, on the playground, and at home.
To get in depth information about this program visit: