Meet the School Counselor
Dear BCA families,
I am so excited to be working with you this year! As your school counselor, my hope is to make these challenging times a little less challenging for you. On this page you will find multiple resources close to BCA for you to have easy access to. Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or individual concerns. I am happy to provide more specific resources upon request.
Warmly,
Ms. Samantha Muse
As a school counselor, I serve the needs of ALL students.
I provide individual counseling (on a case by case basis), group counseling (also on a case by case basis), and classroom guidance lessons (for every class). I provide guidance and support for students experiencing social-emotional, academic, or future planning issues or concerns. And, in the classroom, I facilitate lessons on topics such as: bullying prevention, empathy, kindness, social skills, identifying emotions, coping skills (eg. anxiety, depression, stress), study skills, and career readiness.
Additionally, I collaborate with key stakeholders, such as: administration, teachers, parents/caregivers, and community agencies and leaders to identify concerns/issues and work together toward goals and solutions.
I spend half of my week at Bellevue Children’s Academy and the other half at Willows Preparatory School.
BCA (PK-5th Grade):
- Mondays & Tuesdays 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
- Wednesday 7:30 am – 11:30 am
WPS (6th-10th Grade):
- Wednesdays 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
- Thursdays & Fridays 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
Students frequently pop in to tell me about relatively minor or time-limited issues. If that happens, I may not notify you unless: there is a safety concern, your child has asked to see me repeatedly, or if the worry or problem is significant (by adult standards).
Students may come to me in a variety of ways. Usually it is by recommendation of the classroom teacher and/or the parent. Often, students may approach me themselves and ask if they can see me to discuss an issue that came up during the day. Students may also ask their teacher or someone in the office to give me a message.
Contact Information:
I can be reached via email at samanthamuse@bcacademy.com. Once I receive an email from you, if you wish to speak with me via telephone, we can schedule a Teams meeting.
Covid-19 Resources:
- King Country Covid-19 Resource Guide
- Caring for Family During Covid-19
- Coping with Covid-19
- United Way
- Parenting and Coronavirus Webinar (Video provided by BCA/WPS Parent Association)
- Harvard University: “Helping Children Cope with Coronavirus and Uncertainty“
- National Association of School Psychologists: “Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource“
- Child Mind Institute: “Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus”
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America: “How to Talk to Your Anxious Child or Teen About Coronavirus”
- Smart Social: “At-Home Educational Online Activities for Students and Parents” (Free worksheets to download/print, read aloud stories, free live streaming classes & activities, virtual field trips, brain breaks, movement breaks):
- Enjoyable activities for young children: “100 Activities To Do At Home During School Closures“
- Common Sense: “Resources for Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic“
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease (Specific Reactions of Children According to Age Group at end of document)
Wellness Resources
- Social Wellness
- Community Health Access Program
- Disaster Distress Helpline
- King County Library System- Reduce Stress and Anxiety
- Teen Link
- Sunshine Behavioral Health
- Youth Eastside Services
Resources for Children
BCA Counselor Newsletters (PDF)
- Vol. 1 – What is the role of School Counselor at BCA?
- Vol. 2 – When you are feeling stressed or anxious