MERRITT

Mrs. Cantrell, Elementary/MS Counselor

Mrs. Cantrell has been in education for over ten years. She has been at Merritt since 2013. In addition to being the Elementary and Middle School Counselor, she is responsible for Title 1, ELL, Gifted and Talented, Indian Education, and the Merritt Mentor Program. 

She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and from Southwestern Oklahoma State University with a Master's degree in School Counseling.

Middle School Programs

1. Always Changing for 5th/6th Girls and Boys
2. Being Girl - Health and Wellness Program for Girls 7th and Up 
3. Online Safety
​4. Puberty Education
5. Weekly FLEX Classes (Middle School):
    - Bully Prevention
    - Character Development
    - Kindness & Compassion
    - Career Awareness
    - Team Building Activities​  

Avaiable Services

Our school counselors are available to provide the following services to students, parents, school staff, and the community:
​
Direct Services for Students
Direct services are in-person interactions between school counselors and students and include the following: 

School Counseling Core Curriculum: This curriculum consists of structured lessons designed to help students attain the desired competencies and to provide all students with the knowledge, attitude, and skills appropriate for their developmental level. The school counseling core curriculum is delivered throughout the school's overall curriculum and is systematically presented by school counselors in collaboration with other professional educators in K-12 classroom and group activities.  

Individual Student Planning: School counselors coordinate ongoing systemic activities designed to assist students in establishing personal goals and developing future plans. 

Responsive Services: Responsive services are activities designed to meet students' immediate needs and concerns. Responsive services may include counseling in individual or small-group settings or crisis response. 

Indirect Services for Students
Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselors' interactions with others including referrals for additional assistance, consultation and collaboration with parents, teachers, other educators and community organizations. 

Our Counseling Philosophy

We believe that given proper support, all students:
can achieve at high levels according to their strengths.
can maximize his or her potential. 
​have equal access. 
have dignity and support.

Counselors are a bridge between students, teachers, and administrators:
in valuing and encouraging community and parental input. 
in using every opportunity to discuss academic, career, and personal social development.

Our School Counseling Program:
is available to every student. 
is age-appropriate. selects measurable student competencies based on local need in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social domains. 
is preventative and responsive. 
has a delivery system that includes school guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support. 
includes a plan for intentional guidance for underserved student populations. 
monitors student progress and following through. 
seeks improvement each year based on results data. 
shares successes with stakeholders. is culturally sensitive.

Our school counselors will...
abide by the professional school counseling ethics as advocated by the American School Counseling Association.
continually participate in professional development activities essential to maintaining a quality school counseling programs.