Welcome to Parkside's School
Counseling Corner!

PWCS cares deeply about student's emotional well-being. If a student is in need of emotional support, please feel free to send an email to [email protected]. A school mental health or health professional will answer and offer virtual support to students to the best of their ability. This email is not to be used for emergency situations as it will not be monitored 24 hours a day. If a student is ever in an emergency situation he/she is encouraged to call 911 or utilize one of the resources listed below:

Emergency Resources:
ACTS Helpline: 703-368-4141
1-800-SUICIDE (24-hour hotline) 1-800-784-2433
Crisis Text Hotline (24-hour hotline) 741741
PWC Child Protective Services Hotline: 703-792-4200
PWC Community Services Board: 703-792-7800

Ms. Caroline Young, Director of Counseling ([email protected])

Ms. Laura Pelczar, A-Cl ([email protected] )

Mr. Clifton Gorham, Co-Ha ([email protected])

Mrs. Maureen Andrada, He-Mc ([email protected] )

Mrs. Melissa Funcheon, Me- Ri ([email protected])

Mr. James Jackson, Ro- Z ([email protected] )

Ms. Stephanie Zarco Castro, Registrar [email protected]
Ms. Katty Lopez, Parent Liaison [email protected]

Every student has been invited to the PKMS School Counseling Page. Please make sure they have accepted their invitation as all information may be able to be accessed there.
How to Request to see the counselor?
Students- Students can submit a request to see their counselor through the PKMS School Counseling Canvas page. They click on their counselor's icon at the top of the page which will link them to a form to complete. Counselors will attempt to see students within 2 school days.

Parents - If you would like a school counselor to meet with your child or you would like to speak with a school counselor, please send your student's school counselor an email and we will reach out.

Counselors are happy to help facilitate Parent Teacher Conferences as we all are advocates for your student. If you would like to meet with your student's team of (core) teachers, please complete the form below and your student's counselor will follow up. If you want to talk to one teacher please reach out directly to that teacher.
Parent-Teacher Conference: Parent Request Form

New to the area? Please refer to the following page for information on how to register your student(s):

PWCS Student Registration

Community Resources

If you are someone you know is need of mental health support, regardless if it is related to COVID-19 or not, below is a link that will provide you a list of private providers. You can also search this list by insurance.

https://www.pwcva.gov/department/community-services/private-providers

Opt-Out Form for Counseling Services

If you do not want your child to receive counseling services or to speak with the school counselor, please complete the opt-out form here and return to the Counseling Office.

Parents/Guardians please note that opt-out forms do not transfer to another school and that parental/legal permission is not required for personal/social counseling and/or crisis intervention that is needed to maintain order, discipline, or a productive learning environment.

Mission Statement

Every student will excel academically, socially, and emotionally and will be ready to create a thriving future for themselves and their community.

Vision Statement

The Mission of the Parkside Middle School Counseling team is to:

Deliver a comprehensive program that focuses on providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students.
Support exploration of their social and emotional learning to cultivate academic success.
Prepare students to be confident, responsive, reflective, innovative, and engaged citizens.
Welcome family and community engagement in whole student support.

Philosophy

The Counselors at Parkside Middle School believe:

All students have the right to a comprehensive school counseling program that is developmentally appropriate and supportive of their academic, personal, social, and career goals.
All students can learn and when supported by a student - focused learning environment can achieve optimal success.
Learning requires the active participation, engagement, mutual respect and individual accountability of students, teachers, staff, parents and the community together.
Learning is a lifelong process that is either positively or negatively affected by one's own mindset, and that a positive mindset can be learned.

The School Counseling Program at Parkside Middle School will:

Ensure that all students have access to a safe, nurturing, student- centered environment into which a growth mindset philosophy is integrated, promoting optimal success and achievement.
Be preventative in nature, incorporating research based practices, strategies and techniques.
Utilize data to identify student needs in the creation of school counseling program and school wide goals that will address specific developmental competencies, and be reviewed at least annually review to ensure such goals are met.
Base its Guidance Curriculum and activities upon the Prince William County Guidance Curriculum and the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors standards of student success to meet the academic, personal, social, and career goals of all students and to close identified achievement gaps.

All School Counselors at Parkside Middle School will:

Advocate for the needs and success of all students while promoting the development of self-advocacy skills within all students.
Adhere to the ASCA Ethical Standards.
Continually assess program goals and the needs of our school community to ensure that the goals of the school and of the school counseling program are being met.
Collaborate with families, teachers, staff and community to assist in meeting the developmental needs of all students.
Participate in the continuation of our professional learning through ongoing professional development activities.