Mrs. Amanda Lombardo, School Counselor
Mrs. Lombardo
About Me
I grew up near the Bloomsburg Area and consider Bloomsburg my home. After briefly living in Baltimore, MD (my favorite city!) for college and to start my teaching career, I returned to be near family. I studied English and Secondary Education and taught ELA in classrooms in Baltimore City, the Columbia-Montour AVTS, the Milton Area School District, and even South Africa before realizing School Counseling was a perfect fit for me. I received my M.Ed. in School Counseling from Bloomsburg University and joined the Bloomsburg Area SD as a member of the Elementary School Counseling team in 2019. I have never regretted it. Bloomsburg is a special district that allows students to be who they are and cultivate their many interests.
I currently live in the town of Bloomsburg with Mr. Lombardo, our two children, Lily & Julian, our dog, Luna, and cat Prudence. I love reading, gardening, being outside, and dancing. Like many school counselors, I run on coffee and my favorite food is ice cream. When I grow up, I would like to own a used bookstore and write children's books.
While many people think of school counselors as someone in an office either discussing colleges or providing advice, school counseling is so much more! I was drawn to the role by the opportunities to help large groups of students by identifying and addressing building/district trends, advocating for all students and families, and helping to set positive school culture, all of which are things I get to do every day. My time teaching in the classroom and building relationships with every student in the building is simply the best icing on the cake.
Here to Help
I serve as the school counselor at both W.W. Evans Elementary School and Beaver-Main Elementary School, working with students in grades K - 5. One of my favorite things about this job is getting to walk Kindergarten students to class on their first day and then help prepare those same students for the middle school. I love getting to know all the students and families as I watch these students grow and learn over the years in between!
Contact Information
Amanda Lombardo, School Counselor
Beaver-Main/W.W. Evans Elementary Schools
Email | Amanda Lombardo
Voicemail | 570-784-3167
I can sometimes be hard to find because I travel between buildings and spend a lot of my time in classrooms with students instead of in my office. Email and voicemail listed above are the best ways to reach me.
Current Schedule
Day 1- Evans full day
Day 2- Evans full day
Day 3- Beaver-Main AM, Evans PM
Day 4- Evans full day
Day 5- Beaver-Main full day
Please use the number listed above as the best way to reach me for students in either building
Program Information
Counseling
- Classroom guidance lessons - career and Social/Emotional Learning (SEL) topics
- Small group counseling - topics based on observed classroom behaviors in groups of students
- Brief individual counseling
- Consultations with teachers and parents
- Schoolwide Positive Behavior Program
- Resources and referrals to outside programs and organizations
- Academic support and advocacy as a member of the educational team
Children may benefit from counseling services for a variety of reasons throughout their developmental stages. Seeking help in the form of counseling does not necessarily indicate a severe or underlying issue. Counseling services in schools are designed to be brief, focused, and positive experiences for children to help them develop important skills. I use a variety of counseling techniques including solutions-focused/solutions-oriented counseling and cognitive-behavioral therapy. When working with a student, I try to remain focused on a current concern that may be impacting his/her immediate or future success.
Students needing more regular or long-term support or who are experiencing ongoing concerns in the home/family are not a good fit for counseling in the school setting. I always strive to support these students any way I can, but would likely recommend establishing a counseling relationship with a Mental Health Counselor, or therapist to support these needs.
Participation
All students grades K-5 participate in classroom guidance lessons once per cycle. These lessons will focus on Social-Emotional Learning and Career Exploration.
Topics Include
- Positive Peer Relationships and Social Skill
- Empathy
- Inclusion
- Respect
- Mindfulness and Coping Strategies
- Problem Solving
- Community Career Awareness and Exploration
- Post-Secondary Options
- Personal Interest, Strength, & Goal Exploration
- Skills for Academic Success
Current Curriculums/Programs
SmartFutures - career learning and developing a personal career portfolio
Kindness in the Classroom - Social/Emotional based lessons centering on respect and kindness
Sanford Harmony - Social/Emotional lessons centering on communication and emotions
Kelso's Choices - a problem solving program for students K-2
IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE CURRICULUMS, I USE MANY EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES AS THE BASIS FOR MY CLASSROOM LESSONS
Confidentiality
Confidentiality with young students can be a confusing and difficult idea. Students have the right to a confidential counseling relationship, which is important in establishing trust and rapport. When counseling minors, parents have the right to be informed of their child's overall progress should they wish. There are three reasons for which I am required to break confidentiality:
- a student shares information that leads to a suspicion of abuse or neglect that has not yet been reported. In this case, I will contact the appropriate authorities. Often, in these cases I am not able to contact the parent/guardian to inform them of the report.
- a student shares information that leads me to believe he/she may harm him/herself or others. In this case, I will do my best to notify parents as appropriate, but I must make an immediate report to the appropriate authorities.
-
a court orders that I release information pertaining to a student I am counseling. In this case, I will make every effort to speak with the student and notify parents as appropriate, but I must comply with a court order.
Confidentiality in group counseling is even more difficult. I will ask students who participate in group counseling to understand that they can always share what they said in group, but not what others say. Students who repeatedly do not respect the confidentiality of group counseling and the privacy of other group members may be asked to leave the group. It is important for students and parents to understand that when working in groups, especially with young children, complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
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