On 7/13/10, Hellen wrote:
> We currently have two administrators who handle
> discipline. They are paired up with our two counselors.
> The sixth graders are split evenly, and then a pair is with
> seventh, and the other with eighth. This allows the kids
> and families to get to know the counselor/administrator
> because they are with that person a minimum of two years.
> This year we are considering moving to splitting the
> alphabet in half which would allow the kid to work with the
> same administrator/couselor all three years.
>
> What structure are others using? Are there any negatives
> to the way we are considering splitting by the alphabet?

We have done it both ways.

Advantages for splitting by alphabet: the students stay with
the same administrator and counselor every year (as long as
you keep the same administrators and counselors!); it usually
keeps siblings together so parents normally work with the
same counselor and admin for all their children; it's easy
for teachers to keep track of which counselor and admin each
student is assigned to because you only need to know the last
name to figure it out.

Advantages for splitting by grade level: all students in a
particular class may have the same counselor and admin (but,
that's not true of mixed-grade classes); if an incident
involves students of a single grade level all students
involved will all have the same counselor and admin;
counselors and admin can focus on the specific needs of a
particular grade level (this is particular beneficial for
high school guidance counselors where the needs of seniors
are quite different from the needs of freshmen).

I like the advantages of doing it by alphabet: students keep
the same admin and counselor from year to year and parents
work with the same people for all of their children. It's
good for building and maintaining relationships. But, both
ways have advantages.

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