Welcome to ECA/CEC Counseling!

ECA and CEC’s Counselor: Alicia Faulds
Office hours: 7:30am- 3:30pm
To make an appointment for both students and parents:
Please email me at alicia.faulds@aps.edu, text or call (505) 967-9525 or stop by my office and fill out an appointment request form.  Expect a response within 48 hours.

IMPORTANT: Don't Miss out on important dates, opportunities and graduation information! Join the Google Classroom and Remind App

ECA (NOT CEC) SENIORS AND PARENTS, CLASS OF 2023

ECA Senior Page

Google Classroom: 
Use the link:
classroom.google.com/c/NDUyNTEyMDQyMDgz?cjc=c7bcams
Or go to Google classroom and use:
JOIN CODE: c7bcams

Remind App:
Use the link: www.remind.com/join/dk4d8cg
or
text: @dk4d8cg to the number 81010

ECA (NOT CEC) JUNIORS AND PARENTS, CLASS OF 2024
Google Classroom
Use the link:  
classroom.google.com/c/NDk3NTA5NTc2MDgz?cjc=zezx72c
or go to google classroom and use:
CLASS CODE: zezx72c

Remind: 
Use the link: www.remind.com/join/879fd8k
or
text @879fd8k to the number 81010

The mission of the Counseling Department at the Early College Academy and the Career Enrichment Center is to provide a data driven, comprehensive counseling program that helps students acquire the attitude, skills, and knowledge to improve attendance, behavior, and academic achievement.

The school counselor provides developmental curriculum content in a systematic way to all students through the school counseling core guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, referrals and collaboration, and program management and school support. 

School counseling services are aimed at the more effective education and socialization of the student within the school community.  School counseling services are not intended as a substitute for psychological counseling, diagnosis, or medication (which is not the responsibility of the school). 

Academic Achievement Concerns –Our Professional School Counselor helps students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the lifespan.  Our PSC helps students to complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of choices for post-secondary college and career options.  Our PSC also helps students understand the relationship among academics and the world of work as well as between life at home and life in the community. PSCs may also provide group counseling for students having similar academic concerns such as test anxiety, school adjustment, and attendance.

Personal/Social Development Concerns – Our Professional School Counselor helps students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills that help them understand and respect themselves and others.  Our PSC helps students make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve their goals.  She also helps students understand safety and survival skills.  Some student issues that our PSC addresses includes: short-term solution-focused interventions for peer conflict, peer relationships, school stress, test anxiety, drug and alcohol issues, anger management, and suicidal ideation.  She also help students and their families find outside professional help when an issue requires a long-term intervention.  ECA and APS contract with New Mexico Solutions to provide a Professional Mental Health Counselor on campus for longer term counseling needs/services.  See the school counselor for more information.

College & Career Planning – Our PSC helps students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills to investigate the world of work and make informed career decisions that align with their current interests.  Our PSC also helps students to employ strategies to achieve future career goals and understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and the world of work.  Students have the opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and the EXPLORE as one means of identifying possible career goals.  Students also participate in an advisory that helps them to explore their post-high school plans.  Those plans are then documented in the spring semester through the Next Step Plan (NSP), which all students (8th – 12th grades) are required to complete.

Resources for Academic and Career Planning – ECA’s School Counseling Center maintains a wide variety of resources for academic and career planning that are available for student and parent use.  Career information includes career institutions and armed services brochures.  College information includes catalogs, directories, videos, applications, and scholarships.  Handouts with scholarship and career information website search engines are also available.  Other resources include registration materials and study guides for national college entrance tests (ACCUPLACER< ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests).  Files are maintained for high school students on alternative schools, tutoring programs, summer opportunities, scholarships, and foreign exchange programs.

How To Schedule An Appointment With A School Counselor - Our goal is to assist students and families in a timely fashion.  A parent who wishes to meet with the school counselor may schedule an appointment by calling the school.  Students can make appointments by completing a counselor appointment request form available in the counseling office.

Benefits/Risks - There are both risks and benefits associated with participation in counseling.  Counseling may improve a student’s ability to relate with others, provide a clearer understanding of him/herself, along with goals, values, strengths, weaknesses, and an ability to deal with everyday stress.  Counseling may also lead to unanticipated feelings and change.

Nature and Limits of Confidentiality - Information discussed in counseling sessions is generally confidential between the School Counselor and the student.  However, there are exceptions:

1. The student appears to be in danger of harming self or others.  Danger of harming self or others includes a suicidal or homicidal threat and purposeful self-injury (e.g., cutting).  It may include other “risky” behaviors such as drug/alcohol use, plans to commit a violent act against another person, and promiscuous sexual activity (due to heightened risk of contracting/spreading a dangerous disease like HIV).
2. The student appears to be a victim of child abuse or neglect or may have abused another child.
3. The student has committed a serious crime or is planning a serious crime that involves potential harm to self or others (e.g., plans to take part in a drive-by shooting).
4. The student has committed, or is planning to commit, illegal activity at school (e.g., weapons possession, drug/alcohol possession or use, assault and battery).