School Counselor
B. F. Day School Counselor
School Counselor Mr. Taylor
Hello B.F. Day Community,

I am John Taylor, the school counselor at B.F. Day. We are excited to make this year a great year. This school year we will have a school counseling intern, Ms. Shelly. She is currently getting her Master’s in Education, specializing in school counseling from Seattle University. Ms. Shelly did her practicum last school year at B.F. Day, and this year she is completing an internship with us. We are lucky to have her join our team! She will be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The school counselor role is one that is multi-faceted and unique. Duties may include, but not limited too; individual student planning, small groups on friendship/anxiety/emotional regulation/family separation collaborating with community resources to support families, advocating for students and families, responding to daily concerns from students/staff and families and lastly, being an advocate for our students and their needs. It truly takes a village to raise and support a child. I am happy and lucky to be able to play my part. Thank you again, and I look forward to continuing my career at BF Day for years to come. Thank you B.F. Day families for your continued support of my role here at B.F. Day.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” ~Dr. Seuss
Taylor’s Tidbits
Each month in the Dayette, I have a section called “Taylor’s Tidbits” where I share relevant and helpful tips or strategies to support our students both at school and at home. This may be in response to current events going on in the world, or it may be in response to trends or patterns we are seeing at school.
Resources For B.F. Day Families
Food Assistance
Food Bags for Families
I want to share a resource for families who may need weekly food assistance. We partner with Wallingford’s Family Works Food Bank to provide weekly, non-perishable food bags. Students will receive a bag each Friday afternoon. If you are interested in this form of assistance, please reach out to myself or Ms. Sonja and I will connect with you to follow up! ~John Taylor, School Counselor
Counseling Program
“The elementary school years set the foundation for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for children to become healthy, competent and confident learners. Elementary school counselors have an impact on these years by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program and collaborating with school staff, parents and the community to create a safe and respectful learning environment.” (American School Counseling Association, 2017)
Please note* I provide brief solution focused therapy I do not provide long-term therapy.
Counseling Program Goals
- Empower students to be the best version of themselves, both academically and emotionally.
- To provide social and emotional support by supporting students and teachers in the explicit teaching of life skills through one on one counseling, group counseling, and classroom guidance lessons.
Basic Services
- Classroom Guidance Lessons to every classroom every week
- Small Group Counseling: to expand, enrich, and reinforce specific skills in areas such as social skills, emotion management, divorce support, anxiety, problem solving.
- Individual Counseling: to address specific needs of individuals who may need additional support.
- Supporting students and families who are in crisis
Additional Services
- Academic Problem Solving
- Connecting Families to Community and Mental Health Resources
- Collaborating with Teachers
- Collaborating with Families
- Assisting with School Transitions
- School-wide Anti-Bullying Efforts
- Assisting with implementation of the BF Day Way.
Resources/Curriculum
We utilize resources and curriculum from a variety of sources including:
- Second Step Social-Emotional Curriculum
- RULER (mood meter)
- Sound Discipline: Positive Discipline
How to Access Services
Anyone can access or request services for a student if concerns arise. Those who typically refer students to the counselor are:
- Families
- Teachers
- Administrators
- Specialists
- Students (self-refer)
How? Simply call 206-252-6016 or email Jrtaylor@seattleschools.org your concern.
Online & Community Resources
Puget Sound Adlerian Parenting Calendar: A great online resource for parenting classes, support groups, and parent education events in the local area.
Sound Discipline: Helps families and schools build respectful relationships with children using Positive Discipline approaches.
SENG: Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted: A resource to help families of academically advanced students meet emotional needs and challenges.
Books that Heal: A bibliotherapy blog with children’s books on various topics to help address emotions, development, and life’s changes and challenges.
Parents Helping Parents: A nonprofit parent-directed family resource that provides guidance, support, and services to children with special needs and their families.