Counseling: Project PAL

Madison Elementary School is proud to provide Project PAL, our elementary school counseling program.

*** OCT 22-26: RED RIBBON WEEK ***
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School Counselor

My name is Kimberly Pappas and I have been counseling within the Redondo Beach Unified School District since 1994.  I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling and also hold a Pupil Personnel Services Credential, which requires completion of at least 30 semester graduate units of school counseling, and a minimum of 450 hours of school-based internship, including practicum which involves students.  I am a certified counselor within the State of California.

I am available at Madison on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I provide individual and group counseling, conduct classroom guidance activities, assist in the creation of student Individual Education Plans, coordinate counseling progress reports, and serve as consultants to parents, teachers and administrators.

I can be reached by phone at school at (310) 798-8623 or by email at kpappas@rbusd.org. I hope that you will find this information to be of value to you and your family. If you have any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to give me a call!

Project PAL

Project PAL is designed to serve the needs of all children at each stage of their development. Many children today face complex societal pressures and changes within their family structure. As a result, children bring many issues and concerns to school with them. A troubled child may experience difficulties learning.

Providing counseling services at the elementary level promotes developmental and preventative interventions that help guide children to success at school. To better serve students, elementary counselors will consult with teachers and parents to coordinate efforts within the child's total environment. I will also work closely with the students to help them better understand themselves and others. Children will be encouraged to make choices and decisions that will lead to positive outcomes in their lives.

Mission Statement

Utilize a developmental, preventative curriculum that will increase the resiliency of all students, enabling them to be productive learners and to develop skills necessary to achieve lifelong health and happiness.

Academic Development Goals

1. Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills contributing to effective learning in school.
2. Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options.
3. Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.

Social Development Goals

1. Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect themselves and others.
2. Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.
3. Students will understand the sensitivity to our diverse society and celebrate the value of each individual they meet.

Project PAL Services

1. Classroom Based Instruction - Counselors visit classrooms and help students build a variety of mental-emotional and social skills, such as coping with stress and solving problems.
2. Individual Counseling - Counselors work with individual students in a confidential setting in order to help them better understand their feelings, attitudes, concerns and behavior. A unique relationship is established between the counselor and the student, built on respect and trust.
3. Group Counseling - Counselors work with small groups of students who are experiencing shared concerns or developmental difficulties in areas such as interpersonal relationships with peers or adults, school attendance, academic achievement, or coping with life changes such as grief and loss.
4. Referrals - Counselors sometimes refer students and families to outside professionals to help meet their specific needs.

Further Information

For more information about the Project PAL program, please visit the RBUSD Project PAL web page.