Counselor and Counseling Program
Letter from Our Guidance Counselor
Mrs. Pape
Dear Dufief Elementary School Parents,
Hello. My name is Suzanne Pape and I am DuFief's School Counselor. I look forward to working with all your wonderful children this year.
I graduated from University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and then from Wilmington College with a Masters in School Counseling. After graduate school, I worked as an outpatient Drug/Alcohol Counselor for a year and a half. I then went on to work as a Needs Assessment Counselor in a Psychiatric Hospital for another year and a half. In August of 2000, I began my work as a School Counselor. I was employed for four years as a middle school counselor and then went on to become an elementary counselor. Over the next three years, I was employed with Prince William county schools in Woodbridge, Virginia. This will be my third year with DuFief ES.
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many diverse populations in several different settings. I look forward to utilizing my experiences to help your children succeed both academically and emotionally. Please feel free to stop by my office to meet me. Please check the Website, School Newsletter, and Parent Information board for counseling information throughout the year. I can also be contacted at 301-279-4980 with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Suzanne Pape
School Counselor
School Counseling Program
DuFief ES has a Comprehensive School Counseling Program which serves all students, parents and teachers at the school. Major areas of focus include:
Classroom Guidance lessons in every classroom throughout the school year. Lessons are focused on personal, interpersonal, academic, career and healthy development.
Group Counseling for students who self-refer or are recommended by teachers or their parents. Groups of 6-8 students meet once per week for around eight weeks on topics such as: friendship, divorce/separation, study/organizational skills, grief and loss, and anger management. In order for students to participate in groups parents must sign permission slips.
Individual Counseling is available to students on a short-term basis. Referrals to outside therapists are available upon request if more long-term help is indicated.
Parent Education is offered throughout the school year via evening seminars, parent lending library and a parent information board located across from the PTA bulletin board.
Resources
Fun Family Tip of the Week
Each day of the week, designate one person of your family to be the Leader of the Day. Allow this person to pick one activity for your family to do together. It can be a 5-minute game or an outing. By giving your child practice in being a leader, you will help him/her develop confidence and leadership skills.
Resources
News and Announcements
- Surviving Kindergarten Article in Bethesda Magazine
- MCPS Parent Academy Seminars
- CTY Academic Talent Search (Johns Hopkins University)
Does your child meet one of the following criteria:
Achievement on the 95th percentile or higher on one or more subtests of a nationally normed standardized test, achievement at advanced levels on state tests, designated as scoring in categories such as advanced proficiency, distinguished, honors or gifted, or demonstration of superior academic performance. Please call me if you are interested in having your child participate in this talent search.