Juli Waters is the school counselor at HEA. She has a background in working with high risk youth, and since moving to Salida in 2010 has worked with the Mentors Plus program and was the school counselor the last 5 years at Chaffee County High School in Buena Vista. Juli will address the developmental needs of all students through a comprehensive school counseling program addressing the academic, career and personal/social development of all students.
Juli will be working with HEA students on Mindfulness and a DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) curriculum to help students be more mindful, regulate their emotions, and communicate their needs better in each relationship they have. Research shows that students who work on these skills will better perform academically, can develop the skills of happiness and well-being, problem solving, and can teach them to be less reactive, more comfortable, and less aggressive.
Juli will also be working with each individual student on their ICAP (individual career and academic plan) ensuring every student has a post secondary plan when they graduate. This will include interest surveys, resumes, mock interviews, college and trade school visits, internships, financial aid and scholarships.
In addition to individual and group counseling, Juli will work leading the MTSS, (Multi-tiered Service System). Regardless of how good a teacher is, some individual student is going to be behind or ahead of the instruction. Our MTSS system is the formal process by which staff create plans to address learners that require extension or restructuring of a lesson. Our counselors help teachers create formal plans and monitor those interventions and changes until the staff can find the magic bullet for each student.
Juli will also lead in connecting with other agencies that are more equipped to support students and families with social or emotional needs, these resources might include:
Solvista Mental Health: 539-6502; 275-2351 emergency #
Mental Health Crisis LIne: 844-493-TALK (8255)
Youth @Crossroads: Dibby 530-2577
Alliance Against Domestic Abuse: 539-7347
Planned Parenthood: 539-7291 233 E 2nd St, Salida
Salida Pregnancy Center 539-7436
Alcoholics Anonymous/Alanon/Alateen: 1-888-425-2666
NIDA website: drugabuse.gov