Counseling
The mission of Orange Beach Elementary’s comprehensive school counseling program is to provide a safe, trusting learning environment in order to aid all students in developing their foundation for academic, social, emotional, and career processes so that each may become healthy, functioning citizens.
The services provided by the comprehensive school counseling program encompass classroom lessons, individual student meetings, small groups, and campus club/projects. Classroom lessons taught include topic areas of character traits, academic, personal/social, and career introduction/exploration. Small groups cover changing families, grief, study skills, and social skills. The counseling program also oversees the Peer Helper program, backpack program, and clothes closet for the school.
All students are entitled to informed consent. Should a child need extended individual or any small group counseling sessions, an informed consent form must be signed by a guardian prior to counseling. Confidentiality will be secured within legal and ethical constraints, in consideration of the following exceptions: self harm, endangerment of others by child, endangerment of child by others.
Lyle Cooper is the professional school counselor at OBES. Mr. Cooper is a University of West Florida and Capella University graduate. Prior to serving as a school counselor, Mr. Cooper was a crisis counselor in mental health in Baldwin, Escambia, and Okaloosa counties.
Mr. Cooper holds a K-12 School Counseling certificate in Alabama, is a National Certified Counselor, an Associate Licensed Counselor, and member of the Alabama Counseling Association. “As a native of the island, I am excited about having the opportunity to help raise our community’s next generation in this capacity!”