The Guidance and Counseling Department at Palmdale High School provides services for all students through an intervention process outlined in the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) model and standards in three domains:

• Academic
• Career
• Personal and Social

Secondary school counselors implement the counseling program by providing:

Classroom Guidance

• Academic skills support
• Organizational, study and test-taking skills
• Post-secondary planning and application process
• Career planning
• Education in understanding self and others
• Coping strategies
• Peer relationships and effective social skills
• Communication, problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution and study skills
• Career awareness and the world of work
• Substance abuse education
• Multicultural/diversity awareness

Individual Student Planning

• Goal setting
• Academic plans
• Career plans
• Problem solving
• Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses
• Transition plans

Responsive Services

• Individual and small-group counseling
• Individual/family/school crisis intervention
• Peer facilitation
• Consultation/collaboration
• Referrals

System Support

• Professional development
• Consultation, collaboration and teaming
• Program management and operation

Parents and Community

• Academic planning/support
• Post-secondary planning
• Scholarship/financial search process
• School-to-parent communications
• School-to-work transition programs
• One-on-one parent conferencing
• Referrals to community agencies

Counselors specialize by grade level and have assigned alphas. They work in teams to develop academic, career, and personal/social interventions. Students may consult with their counselor on an individual basis when they need to address a problem or concern. Conversations with their counselor are confidential except in three cases:

• the student is going to harm themselves
• the student is being harmed by someone else
• the student intends to harm someone else
• Parents and appropriate agencies are notified immediately to assist the student in getting help.

Students may visit the Guidance & Counseling Offices on their breaks, lunch, before and after school, and when their teacher sends them with a pass.