Welcome back to the 2011-12 school year! We don't know who is more excited...the children or the counselors! We also want to welcome you to the Sope Creek Elementary Professional School Counselors' blog. We are excited to provide updated information about the professional school counseling program and how students and parents can benefit from the services provided to our families. We welcome your suggestions about this site. Use the handy email links to give us your feedback or call 770-916-7088 and follow the prompts.
Your counselor for this school year will be:
Jennifer Frederick, MS: First Grade and Special Education classes. Ms. Frederick is available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by appointment. Her office is located at the end of the second grade hall, room # 2.019.
Sara Jane Lombardi, MA: Kindergarten (Ms. Gunning, Ms. Hinz, Ms. Howard, and Ms. Pfleger), Second and Fourth grades. Ms. Lombardi is available Monday through Friday by appointment. Her office is located on the fifth grade hall, room # 2.043.
Claire Murphy, Ed.S: KIndergarten (Ms. Johnston, Ms. Lowrie, Ms. Cooperman, and Ms. Gordon), Third, and Fifth grades. Ms. Murphy is available Monday through Friday by appointment. Her office is located in the third grade annex, room #3.003.
Pictured from left: Jennifer Frederick, Sara Jane Lombardi, Claire Murphy
Our Mission
In alignment with the missions of the Cobb County School District, the Cobb County Professional School Counseling Department, and Sope Creek Elementary School, we will provide a comprehensive, developmental counseling program addressing the academic, career and personal/social development of all students. School counselors are professional school advocates who provide support to maximize student potential and academic achievement, and provide directed assistance to those students experiencing barriers to academic success. Our mission is to ensure that all students have access to and are prepared with the knowledge and skills to contribute at the highest levels as productive members of a diverse society.
Your counselors are committed to supporting the Sope Creek Student and School Performance Goals. The Student Performance Goal is: all students will meet or exceed standards in Math, Reading, and English Language Arts and the number of students who exceed standards will increase, as a result of writing across the curriculum. The School Performance Goal is: develop, through the implementation of the Highly Effective Teaching model, a professional learning community where all stakeholders foster collaboration and build trust to achieve common goals.
Our Philosophy
The professional school counselors of Sope Creek Elementary School believe:
- All students have dignity and worth
- All students can learn
- All students can be productive members of society
- All students have the right to participate in a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate school counseling program
- All students’ ethnic, cultural, racial, sexual, and developmental differences and special needs are valued and considered in planning and implementing the school counseling program
- All students benefit from a strong home/school partnership
- All students benefit from primary prevention
- All students benefit from a risk-free learning environment
The comprehensive professional school counseling program has as its foundation the American School Counselor Association National Model and:
- Is based on specified goals and developmental standards, competencies, and indicators for all students in grades K-5 in academic, career, and personal/social development domains
- Is aligned with the Cobb County School District and Sope Creek Elementary School strategic plans
- Is planned and coordinated by the counselors in collaboration with other Sope Creek faculty, parent, and community representatives
- Utilizes a variety of resources
- Uses data to drive program development, evaluation, and improvement, and to drive intentional guidance and closing the achievement gap activities
- Is evaluated by a building administrator and the Counselor Advisory Council on specific goals, performance standards and competencies
- Actively involves counselors to monitor student achievement outcomes
All counselors at Sope Creek will:
- Advocate for all students
- Abide by the professional school counseling ethics as defined by the American School Counselor Association and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission
- Participate in professional development activities essential to maintaining a comprehensive professional school counseling program
School is back in full-swing, and you may be tempted to leave older children at home while you run a quick errand. You may even be tempted to leave an older child in charge of younger siblings. The Cobb County Department of Family and Children's Services quotes the Georgia State policy on child supervision as the following: "State policy states that children ages 13 and above can act as baby sitters for other children. Children the ages of 9-12 can occasionally be left unsupervised for brief periods of time. Children 8 years old and younger should never be left alone. Of course, a specific child's immaturity and behavior may necessitate adult supervision." Should you choose to leave an older child at home, please remember that the home is the number one site of accidents to children. Other dangers include break-ins, fires, and chemicals! Additionally, if you have not taught your older child what to do when a phone call or knock on the door occurs in your absence, now is the time! Home is a place where children need to feel protected and secure. 
