Middle School Counseling
Walking Students Through the Middle Years
Your Middle School student will receive wraparaound support from our counselor and teachers, helping them grow in confidence, resilience, identity, and belonging. When your child is ready to move to the Upper School, they will have skills that will help them find success.
Grade 6-8 Counseling at Minnehaha Academy
There is beauty in the Middle School years. Your child will experience incredible developmental and brain growth as they move from grade six through grade eight. Middle Schoolers are in the process of learning more about the world and their place in it. They are capable of understanding deeper nuance, and because of that, they can be deeply insightful - and funny! This season of significant change can require help navigating, which is exactly what our Middle School counselor provides through structured and intentionally designed supports.
At Minnehaha, counseling support is integrated throughout the school day.
Our counseling program includes:
- Social-emotional learning (SEL) through Character Strong lessons in advisory
- Individual student support from a licensed Middle School counselor
- Strengths and needs check-ins coordinated with teachers and support staff
- Weekly collaboration with Middle School teams
- Teacher and parent referrals
Proactive Support for Developing Minds
We build community and strengthen social skills through an intentional social-emotional curriculum that grows as students grow. In advisory, students practice conflict resolution, emotional regulation, and responsible decision-making. Developmentally appropriate conversations about identity and navigating friendships are woven throughout the year.
Data-Informed Support
Twice a year, each student completes a brief well-being survey that helps our counselor understand how students are experiencing school. This allows us to notice patterns early and provide support when it may be helpful.
Faith & Counseling
Middle Schoolers are deep in the process of identity formation, and developmentally it is important for them to hear the message that they are wonderfully made by God. Students are reminded that their value is not defined by comparison or performance, but by the fact that they are created in God's image. This deep acceptance provides a foundation for how they see themselves and their self-worth.
We also intentionally remind students that they are not alone. They are loved by God and they are surrounded by caring adults who are here to help them as they navigate Middle School.
Known in Community
Behind every Middle Schooler is a community of teachers and staff walking with them. Middle School is a big step, and we are here for them.
The size of the Middle School allows our counselor to know each student well and respond quickly when a concern arises. Our counselor meets weekly with the Middle School team to discuss student needs to provide resources and early support, so students don't fall through the cracks.
Parent Partnership
We walk with families throughout the Middle School journey. Parents can reach out directly to the counselor when questions or concerns arise. We work together with teachers and families to develop practical strategies that support students both in and out of the classroom.
Preparing Students for High School and Beyond
Your child will have opportunities to discover strengths and interests in Middle School, which will prepare them for future success.
In sixth grade, students take personality and strengths inventories.
In the spring of eighth grade, students participate in a career unit. This unit includes:
- Skills and interests assessment in Naviance
- Learning about several careers of interest
- Interviewing a family member about their career
- Participating in a job shadow
- Researching a possible career and presenting their findings to peers and families.
This unit is designed to promote self-discovery, and begin the college and career conversation that will continue in the high school. See our College Planning by Grade Guide for more information.
Formation Happens in Many Ways
Middle school is a time when students begin discovering who they are and how they want to contribute to their community. In addition to counseling support, Minnehaha provides opportunities for students to grow through experiences that cultivate leadership, academic curiosity, faith, and community engagement.
Programs like the Minnehaha Leadership Institute and Academic Formation Experiences invite students to practice responsibility, explore their gifts, and develop confidence as they step into new challenges. Together, these experiences help students grow not only academically, but also in character, purpose, and faith.
Middle school students are often misunderstood. These years are full of growth, curiosity, humor, and discovery as students begin figuring out who they are. With the right guidance and support, this season becomes an important time of formation." Christy Daigle, Middle School Counselor
