Counseling
ORCSD K-12 Counseling Mission
Our mission is to support every student’s social, emotional, academic, and post-secondary progression by educating and promoting integral skills needed to be resilient, responsible, empathetic, and resourceful individuals. Through authentic partnerships with families, educators, and community members, we strive to create an interconnected community where all students feel safe, respected, valued, and included. By embracing a strength-based approach, we empower students to realize their full potential and become meaningfully engaged citizens.
Mast Way School Counseling
The school counselor is available to all students during the day at Mast Way. The counselor works with whole classes, small groups, and individual students. Classroom curriculum is provided to all students and covers topics such, as building healthy friendships, social thinking, developing a growth mindset, conflict resolution skills, career exploration, and other topics as needed. 
Short-term small group and individual counseling is offered to students during the academic year. Topics focus on helping students to build skills that foster self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsibility and decision making. In addition, the school counselor offers small lunch groups to all students at Mast Way to build healthy connections and social skills.
The school counselor responds to immediate student needs throughout the day. They serve as a resource to help students manage emotions, challenging behaviors and peer conflicts. The school counselor collaborates with teachers, administrators, and families to support student success.
The Mast Way School counselor is also available for consultation with families to make appropriate referrals for outside therapy and support.
Mast Way School Counselor
Reasons to contact your child’s school counselor:
- My child is struggling with peer relationships.
- My child is struggling with managing emotions.
- My child is struggling with a family situation.
- My child doesn’t want to go to school.
- I’m concerned about my child’s social emotional wellbeing.
- I’m concerned about my child’s academic performance.
- I need ideas on how to manage my child’s behavior at home.
- I am concerned about neglect or abuse of a minor child.
- I am looking for a therapist.
If you have any of these questions or concerns please reach out to Erica Talbot by email or call 603-659-3001.
Resources for Families
- Open Circle: Open Circle (open-circle.org)
- Anxiety in Children: Kids with Anxiety: Can We Blame the Culture? Lynn Lyons Answers.
- Social Skills: Social Skills Grade by Grade (scholastic.com)
- Strafford County Resources: Community Resources - Community Action Partnership of Strafford County (straffordcap.org)
- Common Sense Media: