School Counseling

The Methacton School District Counseling Program maximizes student potential in academic, career, personal and social development. The program encourages student success through collaboration with families, staff, and community.

Arcola Counseling Services

Aligning with the Methacton School Counseling Program mission, the Arcola School Counseling Program is dedicated to fostering the academic, personal/social, and career development necessary for all students to thrive as successful learners, lifelong individuals, and persons of exemplary character.

Objectives

To be available to students, parents, and teachers during the school year.
To meet with students individually or in small groups.
To support and help strengthen the work of the teachers.
To work with other school personnel - the administrators, the nurse, the psychologists, the speech and hearing therapists.
To utilize the services of community agencies.

Appointments

Counselors see students based on referrals made by students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Encourage your child to talk with his/ her counselor early. He/she may be more willing to accept help when he/she seeks it for himself/ herself. With the teacher's permission, a student may come to the counseling office at any time. The counseling slip will be given directly to the student or placed in the homeroom teacher's mailbox on the appropriate day. If the scheduled time is not convenient for the student or teacher, the student will be rescheduled.

Our emphasis at Arcola is child-centered approach; therefore the role of the school counselor is even more vital to the school operation. The counselors are in continuous contact with teachers through frequent attendance at team meetings and as a working member of each teaching team.

HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Students can stop by the Counseling Office any time or email their counselor to make an appointment, or
Parents can call or email the counselor or the office administrative assistant directly.

Policy for Extended Absence School Work

The counseling office will contact your child's teachers to secure materials and assignments missed during your child's absence from school. PLEASE NOTE that the absence from school must exceed a minimum of three (3) school days before that can be done. This policy, though, does not limit access to your child's textbooks and notebooks. If you know that the absence will be that length, please call the counseling office directly to make those arrangements first thing in the morning. Voice mail makes it possible to make this request during non-school hours. (610) 489-5000 Extension 30202

High School Program Planning Guide

Summer School Remediation Information

2024 Arcola Summer School

Remediation courses are designed for students who earned below 60% for their final grade.

Summer School runs from Monday, June 17 to Thursday, July 25

Remediation courses are available through Methacton's cyberschool (Methacton Virtual Academy via Brandywine Virtual Academy - BVA) during the summer. Once registered, students will work on their course(s) online at home until they are finished.

Click HERE for a document that contains more detailed information. (Spanish)

Click here to register for remediation courses:

2024 Arcola Summer School Registration

Registration is only open until June 28

Small Group Counseling

As part of a comprehensive school counseling program within the Methacton School District, Arcola counselors co-facilitate short-term, educational support groups. The small groups are designed to support students' development of social, emotional and academic skills. Within a smaller, more individualized setting, students are taught interpersonal, coping and study skills for use in the wider school environment. Groups also support resiliency and assist in removing barriers to learning, allowing students to better access the district's academic curriculum.

Opportunities to participate in educational support groups vary with the needs of students. Although participation in educational support groups is voluntary, students may be referred through the Individualized Education Planning (IEP) process or the Methacton Assistance Program for Students (MAPS) process. At other times, students may be recommended for small group participation by the school counselor, a teacher, the principal or the student's parents. The groups offered through the Arcola counseling department are inclusionary.

Below are groups that we have facilitated in the past based on the needs of the student population. Some groups are ongoing, while others run for a marking period or a semester. Please contact your student's school counselor for more information on whether or not a group is active. Written parental consent is required for most groups prior to student participation.

Comfort, Hope, and Healing
This group is for students who are looking for a place for a little comfort, hope and healing. Life is a challenge and we can get through it with a little support from those who understand our loss and grief. In this group students will have the opportunity to meet with other students who know how tough it is when a parent, sibling or family member leaves or passes away.

Out to Lunch with the Guys
This group for boys meets one day per cycle during lunch. Boys get a chance to meet with other boys in their grade to discuss school, parents, and friends. Topics will include (but are not limited to) making and keeping friends, communicating with others, getting involved in school and in the community, and making good choices.

Girl Talk
This group for girls meets one day per cycle during lunch. In this group, a wide variety of topics are discussed from friends to school to parents. Join Girls Talk for some good discussions on what is important to you!

Organized Chaos

This service is for students who need help getting organized before the school day starts. We meet outside the School Counseling Office every day between 8 and 8:15 AM. Students will be given lots of space to organize their backpacks, look for "lost" papers, and get their "life" in order all before 1st period! Any 7th or 8th Grade student is welcome to attend whenever they need some organization on an as-needed basis after they check in with their homeroom teacher.

College and Career Readiness - Naviance

Naviance is a software program that the school counseling office uses with students to explore careers as part of Methacton's college and career readiness program. At Arcola, Naviance is used to:

Help all students discover more about themselves using several different career exploration tools

Help 7th Grade students learn what career clusters may be a good match for them based on activities that interest them, personal qualities that they have and subjects that they enjoy studying in school.

Help 8th Grade students continue their exploration using Career Key, which is based on Holland's Theory of Career Choice. It uses six personality types to help match students to career pathways.

To access Naviance, look for the "Naviance Student" link on the launchpad.

Resources

Montgomery County Suicide Crisis and Prevention Resource Guide

Behavioral Health Service Providers

Addiction

https://addictionresource.com/

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Digital Citizenship

A tool to help parents empower their children to become smart digital citizens

https://thesmarttalk.org

Drug and Alcohol Awareness

http://www.drugfree.org/

Eating Disorders

http://renfrewcenter.com/

Grief and Loss

http://www.bereavementcenter.org/

Internet Safety/Cyberbullying

http://cyberbullying.us/

Learn Anything

Help with any subject

https://www.khanacademy.org/

North Montco Technical Career Center

http://www.nmtcc.org

Parental Guides to Media and Technology

http://www.commonsensemedia.org

Pennsylvania Career Information

http://www.workstats.dli.pa.gov/Products/ByCustomer/Pages/Students.aspx

Student Tips

Guides on how to study, how to do better on tests, and how to become a better reader/writer.

Study Skills Online

https://www.mathscareers.org.uk/study-skills-in-stem-introduction/

Teen Health

Advice on hundreds of physical, emotional, and behavioral topics concerning teenagers

https://teenshealth.org/

Teen Talk Line

Connect with a fellow teen to discuss whatever’s on your mind with absolutely no judgments

https://www.accessservices.org/services/peer-teen-line/

Test-Taking Strategies (video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0P5U9s4wYE

Volunteering

https://www.volunteermatch.org/

Mark Mueller - Grade 7

I am very excited to be here at Arcola! My goal is to work with the entire community to help every student be the best they can be!

School Counseling is a second career for me; I spent over 25 years working in the high technology field, primarily in sales. In my last job I ran a national sales organization and traveled extensively. Name a major city in North America and I have probably been there! I needed a change and decided to go back to school for a Masters in School Counseling at Villanova University because it combined two of my passions: teaching and mental health. My undergraduate degree is in Computer Science and many of my friends consider me a computer geek!

I am not a native Philadelphian, but this area has been my home since I moved here in 1984 from Buffalo, New York. My wife Mary and I have two awesome boys, John and Paul. In my spare time I love to run, bike, read, and do volunteer work.

I am looking forward to a great year working with all of our students, parents, teachers, administration and community. If you need to contact me I can be reached by phone at (610) 489-5000 ext 30220 or email at mmueller@methacton.org.

Contact the Counselor

Elaina Maksimow - Grade 8
Contact the Counselor

Elaina Maksimow - Grade 8

Hello! My name is Elaina Maksimow, and I am so grateful to serve as your School Counselor. I am a proud mother of three wonderful children who keep me grounded, motivated, and continuously learning each day.

I attended Rowan University, where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish in 2000. I later returned to Rowan to pursue my passion for supporting students’ academic, personal, and career growth, obtaining my Master of Arts in Student Personnel Services in 2005.

For over 22 years, I have dedicated my career to education, teaching in Catholic schools and serving as a high school counselor in New Jersey. Most recently, for the past three years, I have had the privilege of teaching Spanish in the Methacton School District. This experience allowed me to combine my love of language with my commitment to building relationships and fostering cultural awareness among students.

In 2025, I obtained my Master of Education from DeSales University along with a certification to teach English as a Second Language. This additional training has strengthened my ability to support diverse learners and ensure that all students feel welcomed, understood, and empowered.

In addition to my work in K-12 education, I am also an Adjunct Professor at DeSales University during the summer months, where I supervise field students in education. I find it incredibly rewarding to mentor and guide future educators as they begin their journey in this impactful profession.

I am growth minded and always looking for ways to challenge myself and better serve my students and colleagues. Currently, I am pursuing a certification in Instructional Coaching through Kutztown University. This training will allow me to support teachers in refining their instructional practices to maximize student learning and success.

I have developed a diverse skillset throughout my educational and professional journey, which allows me to assist every student in reaching their full potential. I believe that every student has a unique story and limitless possibilities. My goal is to walk alongside each of them, empowering them to become the best version of themselves.

I look forward to working together this year to create a positive, supportive, and inspiring school environment for all.