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MAKE AN INQUIRYCounseling and Student Services
Working collaboratively in supporting life transitions, social emotional growth, health and wellbeing
Dalian American International School
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
At Dalian American International School, Counseling and Student Services provide:
- Accessible, confidential support from our school counselors for students and families, through individual check-ins, small groups, and family consultation
- Guidance grounded in experience with the social, emotional, and life transitions students face: joining a new school, moving between countries and cultures, navigating friendships, managing stress, and growing into independence
- Year-to-year, developmentally appropriate social-emotional learning, delivered through classroom lessons and advisory, that builds self-awareness, healthy relationships, and resilience
- Wellbeing and mental health support, including early identification of concerns, a clear referral pathway, and coordination with families and outside professionals when additional help is needed
- Learning support that helps students with learning differences access the curriculum, build skills and confidence, and grow as independent learners, in partnership with teachers and families
SUPPORT SERVICES
Counseling and Student Services at Dalian American International School support the social, emotional, and mental wellbeing of every student. Through a year-to-year program of social-emotional learning, responsive counseling, learning support and family partnership, we help students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn.
Our comprehensive, developmental approach helps all learners build self-awareness, resilience, healthy relationships, and the cultural understanding to thrive in a global community. We walk alongside students through the transitions of growing up and of international life, guided by their individual strengths, interests, and goals.
Wellbeing and Mental Health
Counselling and Student Services promote the wellbeing of every student through prevention, early identification, and ongoing support. Counselors partner with teachers and families to notice when a student may be struggling and respond early. When a student needs more than school-based support, we help families connect with outside mental health professionals and coordinate care so students feel supported at school and at home.
Responsive Services
Counseling and Student Services respond to students' immediate, ongoing, or unexpected social and emotional needs. Support may include individual counseling, small groups, crisis response, and consultation with teachers and families. We take a collaborative approach, bringing together the adults around each student to plan support that helps them cope with challenges and life changes.
Transitions and Belonging
International school life brings frequent change: arriving in a new country, saying goodbye to friends, and moving between grade levels and schools. Counselors help new students and families settle in, support students who are leaving, and prepare students for key transitions such as the move into middle and high school. Our goal is for every student to feel known and to belong at DAIS.
Social and Emotional Learning
Students receive ongoing, developmentally appropriate social and emotional learning from kindergarten through Grade 12. Lessons are grade-specific and standards-based, delivered through classroom instruction and advisory. They build skills in self-awareness, self-management, relationships, responsible decision-making, and intercultural understanding, aligned to DAIS's school-wide learner outcomes.
Learning Support
Every student learns differently. Our Learning Support team partners with teachers and families to identify students who may benefit from additional support, set clear goals, and provide strategies, small group, and individual support that help students access learning alongside their peers and grow in confidence and independence.
Dalian American International School
THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWING YOUR STUDENT WELL
Counseling at DAIS begins with relationships. Our counselors work to know each student as a whole person, supporting the social, emotional, and personal growth that helps them thrive from kindergarten through graduation. Students take part in a year-to-year program, grounded in the international school counseling framework, that builds the skills they need for school and for life.
We come to know our students well by helping them understand themselves: their strengths, their emotions, their identity, and how they connect with others. For students growing up across cultures and countries, this self-understanding is a foundation for confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of belonging, both at DAIS and wherever life takes them next.
Wellbeing is part of everything we do. Through classroom lessons, advisory, small groups, individual meetings, and partnership with families and teachers, we notice how each student is doing and adjust our support to fit. Knowing our students well allows us to respond early, celebrate growth, and help every student feel seen, safe, and ready to learn.
ROLE OF COUNSELORS AND COUNSELING
Our school counselors are a key resource in your child's developmental journey, supporting their social and emotional learning, wellbeing, and mental health. Counselors advocate for students as they grow through our programs at Dalian American International School, and partner with families and teachers so every child feels supported.
With the guidance of our Counseling and Student Services team, students will:
- Develop a sense of identity
- Identify their strengths and areas for growth
- Understand and manage their emotions in healthy ways
- Build positive relationships and resolve conflict with care
- Develop coping strategies and resilience when facing challenges and change
- Know how and when to ask for help, and who they can turn to
- Set personal goals and build the habits to pursue what matters to them
- Develop intercultural competence and a sense of belonging through wellbeing and transition work within the school community
LEARNING SUPPORT
Every student learns differently. Our Learning Support team works alongside teachers and families to help students access the curriculum, build confidence, and grow as independent learners. Support is guided by each student's strengths and needs, and is designed to help them succeed within the full life of the school.
Through Learning Support, students and families can expect:
- Early identification of students who may benefit from additional learning support, in partnership with teachers and families
- Individualized support plans with clear goals, reviewed regularly to track progress
- Classroom strategies and adjustments that help students access learning alongside their peers
- Small group and one-on-one support to strengthen key skills such as reading, writing, math, organization, and study habits
- Collaboration with teachers to plan differentiated instruction and assessment
- Guidance for families, including referrals to outside specialists for further evaluation when helpful
- Support with transitions between grade levels and schools, so students carry their strategies with them
MEET THE TEAM
Caitlin Aleksick
Director of Student Services
Dr. Aleksick brings nearly 25 years of educational experience across classroom, school, district, and state leadership roles, with expertise in general and special education, behavioral and instructional coaching, and school climate. She holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership, Master's degrees in Educational Leadership and Special Education, a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, and U.S. educator licensure in general education, special education, and administration.
Queenie Zhang
Counselor
Ms. Zhang has a Master's diploma in Sociology from City University of Hong Kong and a School Counselor Certificate. She is also a member of International ACAC and China ICAC. With 8 years of teaching and counseling experience, Ms. Zhang is ready to meet every educational student's needs and ensure all graduates are accepted to the best universities all over the world.
Jessica Lim
Counselor
Ms. Lim has over ten years of work experience in the education and counselor industry. She is fluent in verbal and written communication in English, Mandarin Chinese and Korean. Among other recognitions, Ms. Seung Yeon Lim has a Korean National Youth Counselor Tier 3 certificate issued by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and and an Instructional Coach Certificate issued by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lily Li
Learning Support Assistant
Ms. Lily Li holds a Master of Science from Trinity College Dublin and a national high school teacher certification. She has more than two years of experience as a SEN Learning Support Teaching Assistant in our school.
Kelly Zhao
Counseling & Support Services Administrative Assistant
Ms. Kelly Zhao earned her Master of Arts in Education from the University of York and holds a Bachelor of Science (Honors) degree from the University of Toronto. Her professional journey includes her role as an International Education Counselor, where she gained valuable experience in supporting students and navigating the complexities of international education.
Contact Us
Our Counseling and Student Services team is here to support you! Please use the email address provided below:
