Lower School Guidance Program
The University Academy Lower School Counseling program aims to create and maintain a safe, collaborative learning community where comprehensive services are delivered to every student to maximize his/her achievement as well as his/her personal, social, academic, and career-related potential.
School Counseling services are delivered in four specific ways:

• School Guidance Curriculum- designing, structuring, and delivering classroom lessons designed to achieve specific competencies in all grades K-5 (personal/social, academic, career) and driven by the needs of the school population.
• Individual Student Planning- assisting students with goal formation/planning (behavioral, academic, etc.)
• Responsive Services- meeting immediate student needs (individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultation, referral, peer mediation, information-providing)
• System Support- school wide program planning and implementation (PBIS, Student Success Team etc.), consulting with other professionals, coordination of various supports for students and families

Middle School Guidance Program
The University Academy Middle School Guidance Department’s role in student development is to provide a comprehensive guidance program that addresses the needs of all students by facilitating their academic, personal/social, and career development as well as helping create a positive and safe learning environment within the school. University Academy Middle School implements three stands from the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program: Personal and Social Development, Academic Development and Career Development. To learn more, contact Jenna Engler at englerj@universityacademy.org.

Personal and Social Development

• Understanding Self as an Individual and as a Member of Diverse Local and Global Communities.
• Interacting with others in ways that Respect Individual and Group Differences.
• Applying personal safety skills and coping strategies.

Academic Development

• Applying the Skills of Transitioning between Educational Levels
• Applying skills needed for Educational Achievement

Career Development

• Applying Career Exploration and Planning skills in the Achievement of Life Career Goals
• Know where and how to obtain information about the world of work and Post Secondary training and education

Upper School Guidance Program
The University Academy Upper School Guidance Department’s role in student development is to provide a comprehensive guidance program that will ensure that all students acquire the educational and personal skills necessary to be competitive and successful in a diverse society. The guidance counselor in the upper school will assist each student in the development of a four-year plan and each year will schedule course work that will challenge the student fulfilling the goals of the four-year plan. Please contact Ms. Katy Kenyon at 412-5900 if you have questions concerning the upper school guidance program.

9th grade
The guidance counselor will assist students in making a successful academic and social transition from middle school to the Upper School. The counselor will also assist in the formulation of the student’s four-year-plan, culminating with an outline of a post-secondary plan of studies.

10th grade
The guidance counselor will assist students with career exploration and planning, including taking the PLAN test.

11th grade
The guidance counselor will assist students as they begin to explore post-secondary options, prepare for the ACT, PSAT and other requirements for reaching their post-secondary goals.

12th grade
The guidance counselor will assist students as they finalize their post-secondary plans, and will assist in the search for resources to help the student meet their post-secondary goals, calumniating with the preparation of the application packets.