A new school year can bring a host of challenges, but recent research shows that a school counselor's involvement in a student's life can make a difference.

The school counselor's role is to act as the first line of contact for parents and students for assistance in academic, social or personal development.

However, a survey by the American School Counselor Association shows that more than one-third of parents report having little or no contact with their child's school counselor during the previous school year.

With students heading back to school across the country, the association is encouraging parents to proactively communicate with their child's school counselor at least three times a year to guide their child's success.

"By communicating with one another at the beginning, middle and end of the school year, parents and counselors can have a definite impact on a child's potential," said Richard Wong, the association's executive director. "Strong in-school counsel

ing programs contribute to overall student success. Regular communications between parents and counselors can help a child tremendously," said Rich Lapan, Ph.D., professor of the department of educational, school and counseling psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The survey measured the frequency with which the parents initiated contact with the counselor. Almost a quarter (24 percent) of surveyed parents reported initiating no contact with their child's school counselor during the previous school year and 13 percent said they initiated only one contact during the same period.

In an effort to help busy parents communicate more effectively with their child's school counselor, the association is offering four tips to improve parentcounselor dialogue: +Understand the expertise and responsibilities of your child's school counselor. +Meet or contact your child's counselor at least three times during the school year. +Discuss your child's challenges and concerns with the school counselor. +Learn about your child's school and social connections from the school counselor. +Work with the school counselor to identify resources and find solutions to problems.

Parents can visit www.SchoolCounselor.org online to learn more about the various roles and services of school counselors and how to work with them to help their children achieve success.

This story provided by StatePoint Media.