Counseling Department

The Counseling Department assists students, parents, and teachers in the development of the whole student. The counselor is always willing to listen in an effort to facilitate the steps in problem solving. The goal is always to reach a solution that is most beneficial to all concerned.

The Counseling Department coordinates many student services in addition to assistance plans, including:

• ACT and SAT information, academic planning including Core 4 and TOPS requirements, post-graduation planning including college entrance information and scholarship information.
• Course scheduling and administering of all standardized tests (EXPLORE, PLAN, PSAT, ACT Aspire)
• Career exploration events
• Transcript requests
• Extenuating absence make-up arrangements

School counselors also work with students by presenting programs on bullying, harassment, and other behavioral issues. All schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge follow the Guidelines for Catholic Schools in the State of Louisiana for Addressing Individual Student Needs. (Diocesan Policy 6.2.2.7) Parents and students in grades 6-12 are also encouraged to download the free StopIt! App, an anonymous reporting app that allows families to communicate with school counselors and administration if they witness incidents of bullying, harassment, or other inappropriate behaviors affecting St. John students. School counselors follow up on all information submitted through this app.

Individual Needs

• Individual Needs - 6.2.2.7 Diocesan Policy - All schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge follow the guidelines for Catholic Schools in the State of Louisiana for Addressing Students Individual Student Needs.
• St. John Interparochial School follows the guidelines and policies developed by the Diocese of Baton Rouge in relation to additional individual student needs. Minor adjustment plans can be incorporated into regular classroom activities. Major adjustment plans which require additional funds or infringe upon the rights of other students are considered beyond our ability and cannot be made.
• The Individual Needs Committee proposes appropriate minor adjustment plans for students with a cognitive, social, or learning disability and are based on available resources and professional recommendations. The counselor, chairperson of the Individual Needs Committee, works closely with those who have been evaluated and diagnosed with learning disabilities and prepares Minor Adjustment Plans for these students. Minor Adjustment Plans may be approved by the principal and/or administration.
• Parents must file appropriate documentation of a student’s condition/needs (e.g. psycho-educational evaluation) with the counseling office to request a minor adjustment plan. Minor adjustment plans cannot be made based on verbal requests or without an appropriate assessment by a qualified professional.
• All St. John students who receive minor adjustment plans must have an updated evaluation on file. Minor adjustment plans will not be granted to students with outdated evaluations. Students who qualify for speech and the Title I program must participate in these programs before accommodation plans will be made.
• Once a plan is developed, teachers, parents, and students must adhere to the plan in its entirety or schedule an additional meeting to re-evaluate the plan.