Counseling

​Passages Academy is an alternative school for the NYC DOE, and it provides specialized counseling and educational services to students who are involved with the justice system. The focus is on combining academic instruction with critical social-emotional learning and planning for successful re-entry into the community.  Passages Academy sites often have a significantly lower student-to-counselor and student-to-social-worker ratio than traditional schools, allowing for more individualized attention.

Services Provided by School Counselors

• Academic Support: Helping students with scheduling, course selection, credit accumulation, and developing effective study and organizational skills.
• Social & Emotional Support: Providing individual and small-group counseling to address issues like stress, conflict resolution, attendance concerns, peer relationships, and behavioral challenges.
• Transition Planning: Supporting students as they transition between grade levels (e.g., middle school to high school) or educational environments.
• Developing coping and pro-social skills.
• Addressing underlying emotional and behavioral needs.
• Facilitating a transition plan (via the Individualized Learning Plan, or ILP) for the student’s return to a community school or educational program upon release.
• Providing mandated Related Services (such as counseling) for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).​
• Given the percentage of Passages Academy students that have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), the counseling team is vital in ensuring these students receive their legally mandated services.
  • Special Education Plan (SEP): Counselors help modify and implement the student's existing IEP into a Special Education Plan (SEP), ensuring that required "Related Services," such as counseling, are provided within the detention setting.
  • Behavioral Support: They coordinate the development of a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) for students with significant behavioral needs.

Transition Counseling
The core of the Passages Academy counseling model is the Transition Plan (ILP/Plan to Succeed). This plan is initiated upon the student’s arrival and involves:

• Academic Assessment: Determining the student's current credits, goals, and necessary instruction.
• Social-Emotional Goal Setting : Identifying necessary support networks and coping mechanisms.
• Community Connection: Connecting the student and family with a transition team member, advocate, or a Community-Based Organization (CBO) representative to provide support post-release.
• Re-Enrollment: Facilitating the Home School Re-entry Process to ensure students are immediately re-enrolled in their home school's register upon release, preventing an interruption in their education.

We strongly encourage parents and guardians of students enrolled at Passages Academy to proactively connect with the school's counseling team for detailed information regarding their child's academic trajectory and transition planning. The counselors and social workers are the key facilitators for understanding your child's Individualized Learning Plan (ILP), ensuring they receive mandated Related Services (if applicable), and coordinating the critical re-enrollment process for their return to a community school. By establishing open communication with the Passages Academy counseling team, you can gain valuable insight into the supports your child is receiving and ensure a smoother, more supported transition back home