LFCMS school counselor states concern over Board’s elimination of second position

During public comments at the Little Falls School Board meeting, Monday, April 15, 2024, Allison Bullard, counselor at the Little Falls Community Middle School (LFCMS), gave her thoughts on the Board’s decision to eliminate her position. The elimination of the second counselor position was a result of the District’s budget cuts.

“I’m here to express my deep concern regarding the decision that was made to eliminate the second middle school counselor position. As an advocate for the well-being of middle school students, I implore you to reconsider this decision,” she said. “By cutting this position, we risk depriving our students of the support they desperately need.”

Bullard said the role of school counselors cannot be overstated in the development of middle school students.

“We serve as mentors, guides and critical support for students navigating the often messy waters of adolescence,” she said.

Bullard said school counselors work with students in a variety of contexts and offer academic, social, emotional and behavioral support. Because of the increasing pressures and changes students face in today’s world, the need for accessible and comprehensive counseling services is more critical than ever, she said.

According to the American School Counseling Association, it is recommended to have a counselor-to-student ratio of 50 to one, Bullard said. That is, for the purpose of providing effective support, creating preventative services, while also being available for responsive support and the ability to collaborate, advocate with staff, families and the community, she said.

“By cutting my position, this will leave the ratio at 500 to one. With this ratio, we risk overburdening the remaining counselor and social worker in the building by diminishing the quality of support they can provide by having them take on additional roles and duties from absorbing my position,” Bullard said. “Each student deserves personalized attention and care tailored to their unique needs and circumstances. With fewer support available, the proactive approach that students and staff have grown used to, LFCMS becomes increasingly difficult to maintain, which undoubtedly will be leaving vulnerable students without the vital support that they require.”

Bullard said the mental health crisis among adolescents is something the District cannot afford to ignore, as studies have shown a significant rise in anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation (thoughts) among middle schoolers in recent years.

“As counselors, we play a pivotal role in early intervention and prevention efforts, identifying struggling students and connecting them with resources and support systems that they need to thrive. By cutting this position, we risk worsening this crisis and failing our most vulnerable students when they need us most,” she said. “I understand budgetary constraints may necessitate difficult decisions, but I implore you to consider the long-term consequences of this choice. Our students are not just numbers on balance sheets. They are the future of our community and they deserve every opportunity to thrive.”

Superintendent Greg Johnson said as part of the budget cuts, there are four positions, which contracts won’t be renewed. One is the counselor position Bullard spoke of. The other three are teacher positions — world languages (high school), health and mathematics (middle school).

While decisions to eliminate positions are not taken lightheartedly, it is unfortunately a reality many schools face when making budget cuts. In terms of eliminating the second counselor position, Johnson said it’s also important to consider other support staff, such as the principal, the assistant principal, the Dean of Students, social workers and counselors who are already working with the students and address different aspects of mental health.

“They all play a part of that. Our social workers and counselors, although they have very different training to earn their degrees, there’s a lot of similarity and overlap in the jobs that they do in the district that support students. It’s not identical, but there’s a lot of similarity,” he said.

At this time, Johnson said, there are 491 students at LFCHMS. When the support staff is included in the calculation, the ratio is 98.2 to one. With the second counselor position eliminated and with 491 students projected for the 2024-25 school year, the ratio becomes 122.7 to one, he said.