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Counseling Center

SST Referral Process
 
The goal of the Student Support Team (SST) is to address concerns affecting a student’s school    
performance and to implement an intervention plan.  Such concerns may be academic, emotional,     
behavioral, medical, and/or social.  This service is for students who are placed in regular education.  

Anyone can refer to the SST:  student, parent, teacher, school counselor, nurse, and/or an administrator.  Once a referral is received, the SST Coordinator will meet with the student and talk to the parent about the concern(s).  At this point, parents are invited in for a SST meeting.

Membership on the SST varies depending on the presenting problems.  The SST meeting will always consist of the following people: student, parent(s), social worker, counselor, psychologist, one teacher selected from the student’s schedule, and a teacher from The Learning Center (TLC).  If the presenting problems are either medical or disciplinary in nature, the school nurse and/or Assistant Principal will be invited to the SST.

What happens at a SST meeting?
 
The SST coordinator collects additional information from the student’s teachers to present at the initial meeting.  The coordinator discusses the student’s strengths and the presenting problem(s).  The referring person is then asked to elaborate on the concern(s). 

The team selects 1-2 concern(s) that most interfere with the student’s functioning in the classroom.  Goals are selected from the targeted concerns.  An intervention plan is then developed to assist the student  in meeting his/her goal(s).   The team selects a time to reassess the student’s progress (usually 4-6 weeks).  The intervention plan is forwarded to all of the student’s teachers.

The SST will regularly consult with teachers to check on the status of the student’s progress.  The social worker will provide weekly to biweekly counseling to the student for additional support.

At the reassessment meeting, the team is invited back to review the student’s progress.  The coordinator will collect updates from the teachers to share at the meeting.  It is determined if the student met his/her goals and if the intervention plan needs to be tailored.  The SST decides to keep the case open or closed.  The student’s teachers will be forwarded this information.
 
What are some reasons for referring to the SST?
*failing one or more classes
 
*absent frequently and/or comes to school late
 
*possible depression and/or anxiety
 
*disciplinary concerns
 
*medical concerns
 
*difficulty concentrating, organizing, and/or remembering tasks related to school
 
*dramatic changes in attitude and/or performance
 
Teachers must utilitze pre-referral strategies before a SST referral is made which include the following:
Academic concerns:
  • Speak with student about concern
  • Change seating
  • Offer extra assistance/provide individual help after school
  • Refer to TLC
  • Call parent to address concern
  • Sign off on planner
  • Meet with the school counselor to modify schedule
  • Consider modifying assignment
  • Accommodate for learning style/strengths
  • Send progress report(s) home
  • Assign Homework Assistance Program (HAP)

Emotional concerns:

  • Speak with student about concern/observations in class
  • Consult with the school counselor and/or social worker
  • Call parent to relay concern

Behavioral concerns:

  • Speak with student about concern
  • Call parent to address concern
  • Change seating
  • Refer to the Assistant Principal

Medical concerns:

  • Speak with student
  • Consult with the school nurse/counselor
  • Speak with parent

 
 
Referral Form
1. A referral may be completed via downloading a Word template SST Refereal Form and e-mailing it to Mrs. LaMendola.  (klamendola@hamburgschools.org)
Directions:
  1. CLICK HERE to download this file.
  2. Click the "Save" button, when the given the option to "open" or "save". save the file
  3. Save the file to your own directory.
  4. When using the file, turning on the "lock" button in the "forms" option will allow you to fill in the grey sections. form locked                     NOTE:  To provide the FORMS toolbar, move the mouse cursor to any open space in the toolbars menu (as shown by the yellow portion in the image below) and click the RIGHT mouse button.  Many toolbars option should be showing now.  Move the mouse cursor to the FORMS option and click the LEFT mouse button. toolbar
  5. When you've completed the form, save it, then attach it to an e-mail to Mrs. LaMendola