Counselor's Corner

colourful peopleGreetings, Oakville families! My name is Holly Salters, and I currently serve as Oakville Elementary's School Counselor. It is a true joy and privilege to be a part of the Oakville community. I hold a Master of Arts in Counseling from Missouri Baptist University and an Educational Specialist degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in Counseling Psychology and Mental Health Practices in Schools. 

My school counseling certification spans grades K-12, but elementary is truly where my heart lies. I am a firm believer in the importance of early intervention and prevention. My goal is to support the students, families and staff of Oakville Elementary in such a way that promotes community, service, learning and caring. I hope you find this site informative and helpful in academic, personal, and social endeavors with your students.

What Does an Elementary Guidance Program Look Like?

For some of you, Oakville is a place you call home with familiar faces and familiar spaces. For some of you, though, coming to Oakville Elementary will be a new experience. I want to take a moment and give a brief snapshot of what my roles are here at Oakville Elementary as your counselor and what the Comprehensive Guidance Program looks like.

Individual and Group Counseling: I am available to meet with students for 1:1 counseling on an ongoing basis or on an as-needed basis. I am fortunate to also have the support of Mrs. Megan Moore of Lutheran Family and Children's Services in providing 1:1 counseling and group counseling. Students may meet with these counselors upon referral and with the proper parental consent. I may also conduct group counseling based on student need (i.e., multiple students dealing with grief).

Guidance Curriculum: School counselors act in a preventive manner, too! I (with the help of Mrs. Moore) have the privilege of conducting monthly lessons in each classroom related to academic, personal/social/emotional and career development. Most lessons come from an evidence-based curriculum called SecondSTEP, a social-emotional learning program. We may explore topics such as bullying, learning how to get along and manage conflict, learning about our feelings, expressing feelings, and a variety of other topics. 

System Support: Part of the guidance program involves the promotion, development and implementation of initiatives school-wide. This includes consultation with students, families and staff members. It includes crisis management, day-to-day functioning of the school, community outreach, conducting professional development, and a number of other facets. I also take part in building committees designed to provide students and our OES community opportunities for engagement. One example of this would be serving on the Disabilities Awareness Day committee. Counselors do a lot of individual and small group work, but supporting the overall mission of the school is just as important. 

Individual Planning: This aspect of the guidance program ensures student academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs are being met. As a liaison with the Special School District of St. Louis County, I get to take part in coordinating special education testing, and I also aid in gifted testing, developing academic plans, assisting with yearly benchmark assessments (school-wide), and other activities geared at helping students meet with success academically and in the world of careers. In this same facet, I am also responsible for coordinating yearly mandated state testing.

I am grateful to be a part of OES, and I sincerely look forward to a great school year with you and your students! Please let me know if there's anything I can do to support your child!

Sincerely,
Holly Salters
Guidance Counselor
314-467-5815

The Mehlville School District strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment against employees, students or others on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sex including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and other characteristics protected by law. The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: contact Adam Smith at 314-467-5006 or [email protected].