Guidance Counselling Department
The Guidance Counselling Department is an integral part of Canadian International School of Hong Kong. Counsellors take a proactive, child-centred, and developmental approach in working with students, parents, and teachers. Our counsellors teach character education lessons, provide individual and family counselling, facilitate small group workshops for students, lead parent coffees and coordinate student services in the school. The Guidance Department comprises two Lower School Counsellors and five Upper School Guidance Counsellors.
CDNIS Counselling Mission Statement
1. Creating and sustaining a safe, inclusive, positive, and happy environment for students and the community.
2. Nurturing the whole child through his or her social, emotional, academic, and career development.
3. Guiding students to be socially aware, empathetic, and compassionate.
4. Empowering all students to understand their potential and to advocate for themselves and others.
5. Identifying and supporting the individual needs of students at all levels of development.
6. Recognizing that success may be different for each student.
7. Developing a global perspective with responsibility and purpose.
8. Promoting wellness and encouraging students to value a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
9. Embracing diversity as an integral part of the school community and in life.
10. A collaborative approach that values the input of all stakeholders: students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, board members, and the wider community.
Lower School Counselling Programme
The Lower School Counselling Programme criteria is developed along the PYP personal, social and physical education outlines. Support is comprised of a balance between prevention, proactive and responsive education and counselling for students. The counsellors work collaboratively with the classroom teacher, parents and external professionals to design and implement programmes to promote optimum individual emotional, academic and social development.
Upper School Guidance Counselling Programme
The Transition Years Guidance Counsellors provide comprehensive counselling support in Grades 6-8. They provide academic guidance along with social and emotional support at this critical stage of young adolescence. The counsellors work closely with teachers and families in providing a holistic level of support. The counsellors move with their assigned students through their years in the Transition Years programme at CDNIS.
In Grade 9, students are assigned a new Guidance Counsellor who will follow them through to Grade 12. Our dedicated team of highly trained counsellors with clinical and school experience assist students and their families with navigating the complexities of maturing adolescence. These counsellors focus on the domains of social, emotional, and academic growth through promoting problem solving, building positive relationships, and overall character development.
In addition, students in Grades 11 and 12 are assigned one of the four University Counsellors who work with students and families in optimizing their success in desired post-secondary aspirations. If you have any further questions about the Counselling Programme at CDNIS, please contact the Counselling Department.
