School counselors are tasked with contributing to a safe and preventative school climate serving students' academic, career, and social/emotional needs through comprehensive school counseling program implementation. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) prioritizes a positive school climate, is widely implemented in the United…

The Case Study Compilation was developed with and for educators to provide examples of practice related to three questions: (1) What does it mean to focus on social-emotional development and the creation of positive learning environments?; (2) How can educators integrate their approaches to social, emotional, and academic development?; and (3)…

The study in this article examined the relationship of school counselors' reports of demands and resources in their work environment to perceived stress, biographic factors, and caseload characteristics. Participants were 227 school counselors in Texas. Paperwork requirements and size of caseload were rated the most demanding aspects of their job,…

This article provides a model that school social workers can use to prepare elementary school children for the return of classmates whose appearances have been significantly altered as a result of illness or injury (e.g., loss of limbs, severe scarring), for whom return to school is often difficult. School social workers can be instrumental in…

The authors examined aspects of school climate pertaining to issues of diversity at 2 elementary schools, conducting focus groups with students, school personnel, and parents. Findings indicated that degree of parental involvement and interaction regarding issues of diversity affect the school climate. Recommendations for school counselors are…

It is no surprise that children and adolescents who experience the deployment of a family member or significant other face a number of unique challenges and changes that may wreak havoc on their lives. War has, unfortunately, become a common reality for many in our world today. This curriculum, targeted to elementary and middle school students,…

U.S. classrooms reflect the diversity of a nation in the midst of transformation. These issues of student diversity force educators and policymakers to explore and more importantly address the needs of a changing population. A key person in the school to help facilitate positive interactions between diverse students, parents, and faculty is the…

This article reports on a psychometric study examining the validity and reliability of the My Class Inventory-Short Form for Teachers, an accountability measure for elementary school counselors to use as they evaluate aspects of their school counseling programs. As a companion inventory to the student version of the My Class Inventory-Short Form…

Classroom climate, though difficult to define and assess, affects student learning especially in the elementary schools. Much of the current research focuses on the primary architect of classroom climate--the teacher. There is little doubt that teacher behaviors determine the overall climate of the classroom, but peer actions and reactions also…

This paper describes the research approach of a case study ethnography. The study sought to explore the peer group understandings of five male friends aged between six and eight years. In exploring the social dynamics of peer culture, and in particular how these dynamics interacted to define, regulate and maintain particular understandings of…