As the Woodlands Hill Counselor, I have the privilege to work with all of our students in PK-5th grade in their classrooms, in small groups, and in short-term individual counseling meetings to support the whole child through social and emotional learning. Collaborating with families, teachers, staff and community members is essential to my role to benefit and meet the needs of all WHE students. 

COUNSELING DELIVERY:

Classroom Guidance Lessons: These lessons will be presented in the classrooms for students in grades PK-5 at least one time each nine-week grading period.  Lessons will teach developmentally appropriate life skills.

Group or Individual Counseling: Group or individual counseling is provided for students experiencing areas of needed growth. These may include decision-making, personal responsibility, self-awareness, social awareness, and coping with separation/divorce or loss.  Groups generally range from 4 to 6 students and last for 6 to 8 sessions. The students for these groups or individual sessions can be recommended by parents/guardians or by staff members.

Individual/Personalized Counseling: Short-term one-on-one counseling support is available to all students in grades PK-5. Students may self-refer or be referred to the counselors by teachers/staff and/or parents. Confidentiality is respected. 

I will be meeting with each student throughout the year.

You can learn more about Personalized Counseling in Humble ISD through this video link-

Consultations: I am available to have meetings with teachers, administrators and/or parents to discuss the needs of individual students. I am here for all students and want to ensure that your child has a productive and positive school year. 

Any student can request to meet with me or they can be referred by a teacher, administrator, or parent.  I encourage you to reach out if you have concerns regarding your child.

**Confidentiality** Please note that all information discussed is confidential between me and your child, unless they express that they are hurting themselves, hurting someone else or someone is hurting them.

Please feel free to call me, or stop in so that we can meet face to face.

If you would like to Refer a student for individual counseling, please email me at Email Kristin Johnson 

Thank you!

If your child is referred to the school counselor, the very word “counseling” may make it sound like a mysterious process. It isn’t! 
Counseling is a relationship built on confidentiality and trust: student trust, parent trust, and teacher trust. Adequate information is the foundation of trust—all involved must have information about the limits and processes of counseling. The following information describes the overall process of counseling.

2024-2025

Dear Woodland Hills Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!!  Counseling services at WHE include individual 1:1 personalized counseling meetings, small group counseling, guidance lessons, parent and/or teach conferences, and outside referrals.  Along with those services, we do have a therapy dog that comes to WHE!

This will be George Springer: the Comfort Dog's 7th year to be a part of the WHE Counseling Team.  He is a seven year old Golden-Doodle Mix Breed and has been trained to work with counseling sessions (individual and group) as well as visiting classrooms during guidance lessons.  This opportunity has been made possible by the Humble Education Foundation to fund his training through LET’S GO!! Dog Training. The grant funded was for George's extensive training to prepare for the Good Canine Citizen Certification.

George will be on campus a couple of times a week for the full school day. (There are no set scheduled days, however, staff will be made aware first thing in the morning on the days he will attend school).

We all have stressful days and hard times, and students need to feel they have a calm place for regrouping their feelings.  Through the WHE Personalized Counseling Program, our goal is for students to return to the classroom ready to learn and feel successful.

 If you DO NOT want your child to work with George, please contact: School Counselor, Kristin Johnson.

 George and I look forward to working with your children this school year!

In May 2018 I was awarded funds from The Humble ISD Education Foundation grant I wrote in February 2018 “Paws for a Cause: Canine Counselor.”  This grant proposal includes the addition of a four-legged counselor/comfort dog to our school’s counseling program. This project will be instrumental in encouraging the emotional well-being of at-risk students, increase students’ confidence, working on self-management skills, decrease stress, eliminate test anxiety, and promote social interaction, while building relationships to create positive connections with peers and adults.

George has been in a very comprehensive training to become an AKC Certified Comfort Dog through the amazing Let's Go! Positive Reinforcement Dog Training, LLC.  He graduated from training in June 2018.  He worked hard for his first year as a comfort dog.  George is 7 years old.  He’s a Golden-Doodle breed, and we adopted him from a family member in October 2017 when he was only 9 weeks old!!

While he is on campus, George will have a specific role to play.  He will always be under the care of his handler, (Kristin Johnson), the counselor!  George is an extremely sweet dog who shows zero aggression towards others.  The students will have special opportunities to read to him and other positive interactions as supervised by the school counselor.

Woodland Hills Elementary is one of several schools in the Humble ISD school district who have the incredible opportunity for comfort dogs through grants funded by The Humble ISD Education Foundation.

All students will learn the following about safety with George:

5 Things to know about me (and all pets):

1. Be gentle and calm.

   • Please don't make sudden moves and startle me. Please don't pet me too hard or pull on my ears or tail.

2.  Understand that I am not a toy.

   • I'm always happy to see you, but sometimes I don't want to play.

3.  There must always be an adult present when children play with me. 

   • I feel safer for both you and I when there's an adult nearby. Don't you?

4.  Help take care of my basic needs and respect my moods.

   • I need my owner to feed me, give me fresh water every day, give me a safe place to sleep and play, and help keep me clean.

5. Treat me with kindness and make me feel safe. 

   • Please don't pinch me or pull on my tail or ears. Please don't do anything I wouldn't expect.