At Metro, we have a staff of highly educated and caring counselors who are available to help students with personal, social, career and academic development. 

Our Mission

The mission of the Metro Counselors is to provide a proactive, comprehensive, and developmentally appropriate program to address students' academic and career goals, in addition to supporting their personal and social needs.

Our Beliefs

Metro's school counselors believe that:

• All students can achieve at high levels.

• Every student is valuable and is to be treated with dignity and respect.

• All students will have access to high quality school counseling services provided by a licensed, professional school counselor. 

• Students' diverse differences are to be considered in the design and delivery of counseling services. 

Statement of Confidentiality

To respect the rights and relationships of students, information shared with the school counselor will remain confidential, with the exception of matters concerning student safety.

Services Offered

Students may see a counselor for small group and individual sessions to assist with a variety of concerns and problems, including but not limited to:

• Academic Plans

• Anxiety or Stress

• Coping Skills

• Crisis Intervention

• Goal Setting

• Grief & Loss

• Managing Feelings

• Time Management

Parents may contact the counselors to request a meeting to discuss academic, social or personal concerns about their child. The counselors can help arrange a conference, small group or individual counseling, or outside referral.

Additional Resources

• Virtual Counseling Office (click on logos/items for information)

• College Night

• ACT/ SAT

• Naviance

Meeting with a Counselor

Students can arrange to meet with a counselor by making a direct request or through a referral by a parent, administrator, staff member or friend. Counselors may also reach out to request a meeting with a student.

Counseling Team

Intervention Program

Metro adheres to a full inclusion model in it's educational program. A full inclusion model promotes the education of students with disabilities in the general education classrooms with children without disabilities. Students receive extra support from our team of highly qualified intervention specialists assigned to work in the middle or high school. Accommodations for students with Individualized Education Plans or 504 Plans are managed by teachers and members of the intervention team.

New parents of students with special education needs are asked to supply a copy of the student's IEP or 504 plan to Lori Carter, Director of Metro's Intervention Services (carter@themetroschool.org).

Services for English Learners (ELs)

The mission of Metro's English Learner's service delivery model is to prepare students for academic success and to prepare educators to work with this diverse population through professional development.  Metro will foster academic achievement, critical thinking and problem solving for students, while advocating for cultural education and enrichment for English learners within our schools and the larger community. 

The Metro School District is committed to providing a high quality English Learner (EL) program in an inclusive education setting that validates each student's native language and culture as a means to ensure academic and social-cultural success in a diverse society. 

The Metro School District is committed to providing an evidence-based program of instruction that will allow us to: 

• Enable all students to achieve high standards. 

• Evaluate data to continually improve student learning.

•  Encourage the use of native language support through technology such as Google Translate as well as front loading and vocabulary building strategies to access content area curriculum.

• Promote understanding of and respect for cultural and linguistic diversity by students, parents, staff and community. 

• Provide resources for English Learners to accelerate their learning and ensure students are technologically savvy. 

• Develop higher teacher competencies of ELs’ needs through comprehensive training of all staff on teaching strategies/methodology, second language acquisition and family engagement. 

We aspire to: 

• Equip English Learners with the skills needed to compete in our global society. 

• Improve our community and society by providing opportunities for cultural education and enrichment. 

• Stay current in educational policies and professional development so that our practices are research-based and considered best practice for ELs. 

• Advocate for our English Learners to various stakeholders.

Intervention Team

Lori Carter – Director of Special Education & Intervention Services
Email: carter@themetroschool.org

Lucy Sessa-Dunn - TESOL Instructor

Verenice Blackaby - M.S. Intervention Specialist (blackaby@themetroschool.org)

Allison Schieber - M.S. Intervention Specialist (schieber@themetroschool.org)

Colin Faber - H.S. Intervention Specialist (faber@themetroschool.org)

Susan Wittenauer - H.S. Intervention Specialist (wittenauer@themetroschool.org)