Counseling Center

Berlin’s Counseling Office offers a variety of services to students, including academic planning and support, college and career planning, support with the college application process, and social emotional support.  

Mission Statement

In support of our district’s four pillars, it is the mission of the school counseling program that we advocate for all Berlin students to receive an equitable education and work to facilitate the growth and development of academic, personal, social, and career readiness skills.  Every student will have access to support services for their individual student needs, to foster academic success, encourage lifelong learning, and engage students in becoming independent and responsible citizens. 

 

Mrs. Rachel Harrison
High School Counselor		 rharrison@berlincentral.org
Ext. 1072
Mr. James Taylor-Shaw
Middle School Counselor		 jtaylorshaw@berlincentral.org
Ext. 1073
Ms. Christine Demick
Secretary		 cdemick@berlincentral.org
Ext. 1070

Middle School Resources

Final Add/Drop Day is Wednesday, September 18th.
All students looking to add or drop a course prior to this deadline must meet with their school counselor, Mrs. Harrison (High School) or Mr. Shaw (Middle School).
The add/drop procedure will begin with the school counselors, and ONLY the school counselors will make changes to student schedules. If a schedule change needs to be made, students will have up to 10 school days after the beginning of the school year to drop or add any course.
All schedule changes past the September 18th deadline will be considered on a student by student basis.
Questions? Please email: Mrs. Harrison rharrison@berlincentral.org or Mr. Shaw jtaylorshaw@berlincentral.org

Important Counseling Links

New Student Registration Information

BCSD Transcript Request Form

Scholarship Information and Applications

 

Ongoing Counseling Activities

Grades 6-12

  • Register and Orient New Students
  • Individual and Group Counseling
  • Crisis Counseling
  • Participation in Student Support Team meetings
  • 504 Management/Coordination
  • Coordinate Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Refer Students for Outside Counseling as Appropriate
  • Monitor Academic Performance of Students
  • Participate in School/District Activities and Committee Meetings
  • Maintain Accurate Student Records and Academic Transcripts
  • Participation in Open House and Parent Conference Days
  • Facilitating all student schedule changes

Grades 9-12

  • College Representative Visits (September-December)
  • Testing Administration (PSAT, AP, ASVAB)
  • Military Advisement
  • Provide communication between students, teachers and parents  

9th and 10th Grades

  • Introduction to Questar III CTE programs and the student application process (10th grade-November-January)
  • Course Selection Fair (January)
  • CSE Annual Academic Reviews/Scheduling (February)
  • College and Career Exploration Activities (April)

11th Grade

  • PSAT Administration (October)
  • PSAT Results Interpretation (December)
  • Introduction to Questar III New Visions programs and the student application process (November-February)
  • Junior Parent Information Night Post (January)
  • Course Selection Fair (January)
  • Junior Meetings: Post High School Planning (February – March)
  • CSE Annual Reviews/Scheduling (February)
  • ASVAB Administration and Score Review – includes career research and an interest inventory (March – April)
  • SAT Registration (February – June)

Seniors

  • Individual Senior Conferences (September-November)
  • Financial Aid Presentation (October)
  • FAFSA Night (November)
  • Scholarships (November – May)

 

Questar III BOCES CTE

Programs include:

Questar III 2024/2025 Calendar

Two-Year Educational Programs for Juniors (Class of 2026):
– Automotive Technologies
– Construction Technologies
– Cosmetology
– Criminal Justice
– Culinary Arts
– Gaming & Multimedia
– HVAC/R & Green Technologies
– Heavy Equipment Repair & Operations
– Welding/Metal Fabrication

One-Year Educational Program for Seniors (Class of 2025):
– Nurse Assistant

Career Studies programs for students requiring a smaller class setting:
– Automotive Services
– Introduction to Food Services

Reach out to Mrs. Rachel Harrison, BHS Counselor  rharrison@berlincentral.org

News and Information

NOTICE from the BCSD Counseling Department 

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, but we are here to support you all year. Our counselors are available to support students who have considered suicide and their families.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling staff if you are concerned about yourself, your child, or another student. If someone is in immediate danger, please contact 911. If you require urgent support, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached at 988, a 3 digit phone number that routes callers to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or 1-800-273-8255. 

The AFSP New York Chapters are hosting 2 learning sessions on August 21 at 10:00 am and 6:30 pm to create awareness around suicide prevention. Newly updated, Talk Saves Lives™: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention was first launched by AFSP in 2015 to help foster dialogue around mental health and encourage help-seeking to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. AFSP has recently updated the program to best reach diverse groups and community settings where it is presented, and it incorporates the latest approaches for having supportive and lifesaving conversations.

Taking a public health approach to preventing suicide, the presentation aims to educate community members about:

  • Scope of the Problem: The latest data on suicide in the U.S.
  • Research: Information from research on what causes people to consider suicide, how certain communities are impacted by suicide differently, as well as contributors to suicide risk
  • Prevention: An understanding of the protective factors that lower suicide risk, and strategies for managing mental health and being proactive about self-care
  • What You Can Do: Guidance on warning signs and behaviors to look for, how to start a conversation with someone you are concerned about, and ways to seek and offer support and crisis resources for yourself or others.We hope you will join us at one of the two sessions being offered and share the information with your networks. Register today at https://nytsl82124.attendease.com/ !Talking is the first step in preventing suicide. To learn more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Talk Away the Dark online campaign, visit https://talkawaythedark.afsp.org/ .

 

 

 

Contact

17400 Route 22, Cherry Plain, NY  12040
Mailing address:  PO Box 259, Berlin, NY  12022
Phone:  518-658-1500, x1070
Fax:  518-658-0483
Berlin HS CEEB Code 330410