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Counselor's Corner

Welcome to the Cottonwood Elementary Counseling Page

I am Darline DeBry, and I’m your School Counselor. I work with students on Monday and Wednesday. You may contact me through Mrs. Verdi, the school secretary. 


Feel free to explore the information below regarding counseling services and the programs that we use here at CWE.


Cottonwood Elementary Counseling

What are the responsibilities of an Elementary School Counselor?

That is a great question! School Counselors must earn a master's degree in education (MEd). They are highly qualified to perform the following duties:

  • Are School Counselors Therapists?

    No, we are not therapists.  We have the expertise to work with small groups, or individual students, to extend SEL understanding and lessons.  Students who need therapy should seek out a professional therapist.



  • The majority of the counselor’s time is spent supplying SEL lessons to the students and training the staff.

    Lessons are taught once a week in your child’s classroom with the help of teachers and aides.  At Cottonwood Elementary the SEL lessons are focused on emotional resilience, problem-solving, self-regulation, impulse control, empathy, and much more.


    The lessons taught are foundational and lasting.  

    RULER is the current SEL curriculum taught at Cottonwood Elementary.  RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.   RULER is for each individual, classroom, school, community, and family.  Please explore the RULER sources included on this web page.

  • Elementary School Counselors also teach Life Skills Training, Promoting Health, and Personal Development to all 4th-grade students as required by the state of Utah.

    The lesson topics included Self-Esteem, Decision-Making, Smoking Information, Advertising, Dealing With Stress, Communication Skills, Social Skills, and Assertiveness.  The intent of this program is to educate students about the lifelong health risks of using tobacco, drugs, or alcohol.  Students are introduced to advertising techniques that make using these substances look attractive and desirable.  The lessons also suggest the importance of self-worth and the difficulties associated with peer pressure.

  • College and Career Readiness.

    The focus of CCR on the elementary school level is to introduce different careers and the training required following high school graduation.  CCR is NOT a plug for attending college.  Rather, it is an introduction to the world of work, becoming a productive and contributing member of society.  We encourage students to take their studies seriously, make goals,  and have good organizational habits.  This will help prepare elementary students to be more successful in middle school and high school.

  • What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)?

    The lessons taught are foundational and lasting.  


    RULER is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.  RULER is the current SEL curriculum taught at Cottonwood Elementary.  RULER is for each individual, classroom, school, community, and family. 
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