Counselor's Corner

Click HERE to meet our School Counselor, Miss Lauren Smith, M.A., P.P.S., A.P.C.C.

Visit our virtual counseling corner HERE!

Contact Information:

Phone: (310) 798-8626 ext. 1358

Miss Smith strives to make school an enjoyable experience for students and empowers them to succeed alongside peers and adults. Her passion is to help and serve children and their families flourish at home and in school. Counseling sessions are facilitated by Miss Smith using solution-focused techniques and emphasizing social-emotional learning to promote positive behavior change. Additionally, she participates in crisis assessment and intervention, mental health consultations and links the school to community services. Miss Smith graduated from Chapman University with a background in school and clinical counseling. She is on campus on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

Click HERE to easily access a few of the Counselor's social and emotional learning resources!

Click HERE to access our emotional safety net. Parents/guardians, please review this plan or safety net with your child. A safety net provides a space where we can rely on something or someone to cushion the impact of hardship. This allows us to handle our emotions appropriately with support from loved ones, friends and professionals.

Comprehensive School Counseling Program

At Birney Elementary, our School Counselor provides a comprehensive counseling program to promote your child's social-emotional development and support the development of mindsets and behaviors necessary for postsecondary success. Students have faced unprecedented challenges over the past several years, and the counseling program aims to make them feel welcome, respected and supported. As part of a comprehensive school counseling program that improves student achievement and promotes student development, the Counselor combines individual counseling, small group counseling, Lunch Bunch activities, school-wide programs, and consultations and collaborations that follow a partnership between schools, families, and communities.

Mission Statement

Birney Elementary offers a multicultural community of lifelong learners who value flexible thinking, collaborative problem solving, and creativity. Together we respectfully value each other and our unique contributions. We teach, practice, and promote tolerance by embracing diversity for all. Each of us demonstrates integrity, honesty, and accountability. We are global citizens preparing for the world of tomorrow.