Ms. Prestipino- Guidance Counselor

Angela.Prestipino@marion.k12.fl.us

  Mrs. Dowdy- Guidance Clerk

Latasha.Dowdy@marion.k12.fl.us

  Ms. Caitlin Walker - IPC

Caitlin.Walker@marion.k12.fl.us

Welcome to the Guidance Office!

My mission as your child's counselor is to assist you and his/her teachers in facilitating Ocala Springs Elementary's mission statement and goals for each and every student.

 Counselor's Goals

• Help children understand themselves and others
• Help to identify children with special needs
• Provide crisis intervention
• Develop plans to prevent academic/behavioral problems from developing
• Provide Character Education program
• Coordinate the efforts of other professionals working for children
• Provide orientation for children coming to Ocala Springs Elementary for the first time
• Promote positive attitudes toward persons of diverse cultural, racial, ability, and socioeconomic backgrounds

Services Offered by your Counselor

•  Consulting with teachers, parents administrators, and other professionals about resources, programs, individual and/or group counseling
•  Listening to students to help them to resolve conflicts
•  Helping parents understand how to help their children achieve their fullest academic, social and personal potential
•  Referring students to other school professionals such as the school psychologist and social worker.  
•  Explaining academic test results to help parents and teachers to use the information appropriately
•  Teaching students about themselves, their feelings, growing up, the consequences of choices they make and encouraging more positive life management skills
•  Coordinating the referral process for children who may need placement in a special program offered by the school

Your Counselor will work with students:

•  Individually, when referred by a parent, teacher, or when a child self-refers themselves to discuss problems and how to attempt to solve them,
•  In small groups, when children share a similar problem or need work in a socialization skill,
•  In whole classes to help children understand others,
•  Improve communication skills and learn to cooperate and solve problems together

Your Counselor will work with parents:

•  Attending parent/teacher conferences to share and exchange information and helpful strategies
•  Offering individual consultation to help parents understand ways they can help their child both at home and school

 Registration

All new students must register in the Guidance Office. Our personnel are familiar with all the requirements and can help you with questions.

Attendance

As parents it is your responsibility to assure your child/children have regular, timely attendance. However, if a child is not in his/her classroom at the second bell, he/she must check in at the Front Office before reporting to class. Also, if children are chronically absent, tardy, or picked up early, notices may be sent from the Guidance Office in accordance with Marion County School System policies and FL statutes.  Please call the Front Office if your child is absent.  Upon your child's return to school, send a hand-written note as to the reason for the absence.  If your child was seen by a doctor, please send the doctor's note.

Official Records

Your child's cumulative records are housed in the Guidance Office. If you need to review anything in the folder please call ahead and make an appointment for someone to go over the contents with you. If you need a copy of any document in your child's folder we can provide it for you.  If you request more than two copies, a charge will be assessed at 5 cents per copy.  Again, please call ahead and we will try and have it ready for you or will send it home via your child. If you are transferring out of Ocala Springs Elementary we will make sure all necessary documents are forwarded to your child's new school.

Registration

Requirements include:

• Certified birth certificate
• Florida physical (dated one year prior to 1st day of school)
• Florida blue immunization form
• Social Security card (requested by not required)
• Proof of residence (lease/mortgage and electricity bill)
• Completed registration packet

Family Access through Skyward:

Please make sure you have received your log in for Family Access in Skyward. You must come to the school with a government issued photo ID to requrest your log in information. Family Access allows you to view attendance and grades for your child. No student information will ever be provided over the phone.