The 2019-20 school year is the 10th anniversary of the Center for Positive Solutions, a resource for families in the Pioneer School District.
The Center for Positive Solutions is a partnership between families and the school district. The partnership promotes positive change by supporting and mobilizing family strengths.
The center is staffed by licensed master social worker Kay Kilburn, and licensed clinical social worker Sheri Bell-Beyer. In addition to holding social work licenses through the New York State Office of Professions, Mrs. Kilburn and Mrs. Bell-Beyer are both state-certified school social workers.
Mrs. Kilburn and Mrs. Bell-Beyer have worked in the mental health field with families and children, and have over 45 years of combined experience.
While the Center for Positive Solutions is a school-based program, confidentiality is maintained by the therapists for all families who participate in the program. Information about any family being seen at the center is not released to others—including the school—without the family’s consent. This provides the family a safe therapeutic environment to discuss and work on any issues that need to be addressed.
The office for the center is based at Pioneer High School; however, ALL district families are eligible for the center’s free services, which are by appointment. Evening hours are also available.
The Center for Positive Solutions can assist families in a number of ways:
- Providing short-term counseling for individuals, couples and families
- Linking families with resources in the community
- Focusing families on common goals by identifying strengths and resources that families already possess
- Encouraging and supporting parents’ involvement in their children’s education
- Offering parent education groups
“The therapists provide family counseling three days a week -- Thursday during the day from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mondays from noon to 8:00 p.m. and Wednesdays from noon to 7:30 p.m.” said Mrs. Kilburn, who has been working with students and families at Pioneer since 1999. “We try to get families in to see us as soon as possible, but sometimes there could be a two- or three-week wait for an appointment.”
The Center for Positive Solutions stresses a team approach to finding solutions to the challenges faced by families and children today. To contact the center, please call 716-492-9485.