Counseling Department

The Solorsano Middle School Counseling Department will deliver a comprehensive school counseling program based on our counseling core values; one that cultivates, inspires continual growth and resiliency through advocacy and student empowerment. We will provide all students with academic, social-emotional and college and career readiness. We are committed to working collaboratively with all community stakeholders as we are all equally invested in our students’ aptitude and future success.

Comprehensive School Counseling Program

Counselors are available to help all students in the areas of academic, social/emotional, and college/career readiness. Our counseling program follows a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) model.

This framework consists of three tiers of prevention and intervention:

All students receive Tier 1 supports such as counselor classroom presentations, lunchtime activities, and California Colleges lessons. These supports are offered by the entire ASMS counseling team.
Some students receive Tier 2 supports such as short-term counseling, small groups, and referrals to community-based agencies provided by our school social work counselor.
Few students require Tier 3 supports, which are considered intensive supports.

The counselors are readily available to support students and their families.

Families may request an appointment to see a counselor by filling out this counselor appointment request form, by calling the school, or by email.
Students may request an appointment by email or by coming to the office and filling out an appointment request (also known as a "purple slip.”)

Roles of the ASMS Counseling team

School counselors:

Support student academic development
Assist with orientation and transitions from school to school
Provide college and career development

School social work counselor:

Provides crisis intervention
Assesses social emotional and behavioral needs
Provides ongoing counseling (individual and group)

All counselors:

Advocate for students' needs
Support student social emotional development
Provide short-term counseling
Conduct home visits (as needed)

Counseling Indirect/ Direct Services

The ASMS counselors take pride in developing lessons presented either in the classroom, during lunch-time activities, or at school-wide assemblies. These lessons align with our district LCAP goals and counseling standards, according to the American School Counselor Association.

The counseling team helps students understand how academic performance relates to the world of work, family life and community service and help students understand the importance of postsecondary education and/or training as a pathway to a career.

Other activities and events from the counseling team:

Kindness Week (January)
High school expectations (January)
Career Day (March)
Mental health (May)
Student check-Ins (September)

College Week (October)
Cookies with Counselors
Diversity
LGBTQ+ ally inclusivity
Mindfulness

A-G California college acceptance requirements
Transcript review
Grade point average
Academic success
Peer support groups

Schedule Changes

Administration creates the master schedule with the input of the teachers and counselors, and all student schedule changes are completed by the second week of school to ensure a smooth transition and stability for the students and teachers. In general, counselors assist the administration with scheduling, but making schedule changes after the second week of schools is very rare.

Examples of a valid schedule change request:

Missing a period/s
Scheduled for a duplicate class
Schedule for the wrong grade level

Example of invalid schedule change request:

Changing a teacher
Changing lunches
Changing to be with friends
Changing to have a class different time of day.

Requests for specific teachers can not be granted because of the nature of the scheduling process.

California Colleges/College & Career Exploration

How Can Solorsano Students Use CaliforniaColleges.edu?

Gilroy Unified School District has a partnership with California Colleges. The California Colleges platform provides Solorsano students the opportunity to start planning early for life after high school. All students and parents will create a California Colleges account.

Through this platform the students can take career assessments and use the search tools to develop college, major, and career lists, write goals and journals, track activities, and read a variety of age-appropriate content to develop and explore their knowledge. The school counselors will provide classroom presentations that will allow the students to navigate the college and career lessons.

Parents, you have access to your student’s results to any of the assessments. Together, students and families may review and discuss the results, see what piques your student’s interest!

Contact Us

Meet the ASMS counseling team. Your counselor will be a resource for you during your time at Solorsano. Contact them directly with any questions as you are on your Eagle journey.

Francisca Garcia
School Counselor
francisca.garcia@gilroyunified.org
Students with last names A-K

Rosie Ramon
School Counselor
rosie.ramon@gilroyunified.org
Students with last names L-Z

Zee Figueroa
School Social Work Counselor
zihuatzin.figueroa@gilroyunified.org
Short-term, school-based counseling for individual students and small groups of students; provides referrals to community-based agencies for further support

Follow the ASMS Counselors on Instagram