Counseling & Mental Health Services

The Three Pillars of the North Colonie Central School District: Academic Excellence, Equity, and Social-Emotional Health are the foundation of the K-12 School Counseling and Mental Health Services department.  Providing equitable and accessible counseling services for our students promotes and supports their ability to work toward academic excellence while fostering their emotional wellness. 

North Colonie Central Schools are staffed with certified school counselors, licensed social workers, student assistance counselors, and school psychologists to provide counseling services to address the different levels of support students may require during their school years.  These highly qualified and dedicated professionals collaborate with students, families, teachers, and external community partners to ensure students receive the appropriate level of support during challenging times.

Your student’s school counselor, found in the Infinite Campus portal, should always be your first point of contact when seeking counseling services within the school district. 

K-12 School Counseling

Mission Statement

The North Colonie Central School District’s Counseling mission is to promote success for all students. Through the implementation of a comprehensive K-12 school counseling program aligned with National and State standards, School Counselors deliver a program that is developmentally appropriate, proactive, and accessible to all.

Vision Statement

Students of North Colonie schools will be empowered to achieve academic goals and social-emotional wellness, providing future educational or career opportunities through a comprehensive, data-driven, and culturally responsive program. We strive to create a safe and inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued and supported and have the skills and confidence to reach their full potential as global citizens. By collaborating with schools, staff, families, and community partners, we aim to promote equity and remove barriers to student success.

As school counselors of NCCS, we fundamentally believe that:

1. All students are capable and want to be successful in school, and all students have the potential to learn, grow, and achieve. 
2. All students are inherently good; there are no bad students, just bad choices. They deserve caring adults to notice what’s going “right,” at least 5x more than what’s “wrong.”
3. Students’ mental health affects their academic achievement; we believe we need to “meet our students where they are” to help them get where they need to be through co-regulation, collaboration, referrals, and consultation. 
4. All students’ behavior has meaning; as compassionate adults, we must consider every student’s unique needs and circumstances. 
5. Students deserve what they need to succeed, and adults who can help them by listening, supporting, teaching, encouraging, and patiently problem-solving in nonpunitive ways. 
6. Students crave and need boundaries and high expectations, and all students deserve adult advocacy and championship. 
7. Students’ exploration of their identity development is critical, especially during adolescence; this must be honored, encouraged, and respected to foster independence, autonomy, and healthy self-esteem in their adult lives. 
8. Students deserve to learn in a safe, calm, and clean environment full of joy, peace, and laughter, which research has shown helps our brains retain and recall information much more effectively and efficiently.
9. Students deserve unconditional positive regard, no matter the circumstances, especially during challenging times. 
10. Students deserve grace, time and space, and forgiveness when they make bad choices and mistakes; they deserve adults who will continue to teach them and support them through natural consequences, turning difficult times or crises into opportunities for growth and emotional connectedness.