Surrey school counsellor worries cuts could impact vulnerable students
Posted June 3, 2014 6:30 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The focus of parents around BC may be on the rotating teacher strikes but a Surrey high school counsellor is concerned about cuts coming into effect next year.
Catherine Hall fears she’ll have less time to spend with vulnerable students.
She says she spends a good chunk of her time working with other agencies to make sure students who may already have one foot out the door of the education system still succeed.
“Setting up meetings so that they can learn about other ways to continue their education if the current system isn’t working… basically, trying to find ways so they can move forward and be successful if they’re not having success, moving forward in school.”
“Cyber bullying… mental health issues… these are kids that already are struggling to build up the courage to come talk to someone. They come and they do it, they’re having to wait, told to come back another time… it just makes it more difficult,” she adds.
She says existing counsellors will be forced back into the classroom, taking away valuable hours when they could be dealing with vulnerable students.
