Family counselors work with students on an individual and group treatment level. One aspect of group work is social skills building. The goal is to introduce the skill and continue to work on building the skill level of the student. Often times the skill building is celebrated with an activity that centers on the lessons. The drawing shown below is from an “Anger-berg” activity at Liberty Park Elementary. The students dissected the emotions of anger and frustration. The focus was on “getting below the surface of what we are feeling.” The culmination of this social skills building group ended with the students making snow-cones with their principal, Mr. Snyder; assistant principal, Ms. Henn; teachers, Ms. Vargas and Ms. Ovalles; paraprofessionals: Miss Linda and Miss Leslie; family counselor, Kim Depatie; and District behavior resource teachers: Christy Barnes, Joanne Bennett, and Nancy Pallowick.

As the 2013-2014 school year came to a close, Pam Tepsic, E/BD & ASD Program Planner retired and was wished a fond farewell. Pam was instrumental in establishing the role of the Family Counselors. As a group, the Family Counselors met monthly with Pam and Dr. Cleopatra Ortiz for case reviews, to discuss therapeutic options and approved treatment plans.