Counseling at Saint James School
At Saint James, the school counselor creates and implements a comprehensive school counseling program that strives to meet students where they are. The counselor helps elementary and middle school students achieve academic success and develop social-emotional skills needed by today’s Catholic school students.
The counselor is available to the entire student body. She meets with small groups to focus on timely issues as well as individually with students on an as-needed basis. The counselor consults regularly with teachers and is available to parents and guardians via email, phone, or in-person by appointment.
School counseling is voluntary and confidential. Referrals can be made by the student, parents, teachers, administrators, or other appropriate school staff.
Meet Our Counselor
Ann M Croft, LCSW
Ms. Croft is the school counselor at Saint James School. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a BA in Psychology and Education and spent a decade as a 4th and 6th grade classroom teacher in both Catholic and public elementary schools in the DC area. After earning her Master in Social Work from VCU and spending time as a stay-at-home mom, she returned to the school setting in 2021 to work as a counselor. Ms. Croft is licensed as a social worker in the state of Virginia.
Counseling Resources
Through professional development, Ms. Croft stays informed about the ever-changing psychological needs of today’s children. She is available during the school day to talk with parents about the social emotional health of their students. In addition, here are some of her go-to resources.
Child Development
- Louise Bates Ames wrote a series of small books for each year of a child’s life from birth to pre-teen years. (Example – “Your Nine-Year-Old: Thoughtful and Mysterious”) While these books are 30 years old, the basic information stands the test of time and can be helpful when a parent is feeling overwhelmed or confused by a child’s behavior.
The Middle School Years
- Books by Rosalind Wiseman: Queen Bees & Wannabes and Masterminds & Wingmen are two of my favorite books by Wiseman. They describe in detail the complex inter-workings of middle and high school cultures and norms for both boys and girls. Wiseman also has online resources specific to cultures of dignity that encourage adults and teens to honor each other’s strengths.
- Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour is a helpful book for any parent of a teenage girl who is working to navigate the ups and downs of adolescence.
Grief & Loss
- Some websites to help navigate grief and loss; The Dougy Center, The Wendt Center
- Helpful books; The Invisible String by Patrice Karst; Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parent and Child by Earl A Grollman
Our Children & The Digital World
- The Screenagers Podcast – Hosted by the creator of the Screenagers movies to engage parents in conversation about changing technology and the involvement in the lives of kids and teens.
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt – Published in March, 2024, this book is an eye-opening dive into the effect of smart-device use and loss of free-play on kids and teens.
- Wait Until 8th is a parent-driven resource to help families work with other families as they determine how they want to introduce their children to technology specific to smart devices.
