Student Advocate

Rory MacRaeRory MacRae 561-7500 ext. 5075

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."  -- Lady Bird Johnson
“Ability is of little account without opportunity.”  -- Bonaparte
“It's up to each of us to help create a better world for our children.” – Dr. Spock

Individual Counseling • The Student Advocate provides individual counseling regarding academics, career development and personal/social issues with many students via parent/guardian, faculty/staff or self-referral. 
Section 504 and Chapter 408 Case Management • The Student Advocate provides case management for all of the Section 504 students and Chapter 408 declassified students.  The Student Advocate ensures that all students with a Section 504 Plan or a Chapter 408 Declassification Plan receive all appropriate accommodations.  The Student Advocate coordinates Section 504 Plan implementation and monitors the progress of each student. The Student Advocate is also responsible for revising each Section 504 Plan annually.

  • What is a Section 504 Plan? A Section 504 Plan is an agreement generated by the school with input from the student, the student’s parents/guardians, faculty/staff and/or outside medical or mental health professionals that address the individual academic and social needs of a student who also has a disability.  A Section 504 Plan allows a student with a disability to learn and grow in the educational setting by making reasonable accommodations.

School and Community Resource Liaison • The Student Advocate assists students and their families identify school and community resources that further enhance academics, career development and/or achieve personal/social growth.  The greater Plattsburgh community has some wonderful resources that can be integral in assisting students and their families with advocacy, mental health and behavioral interventions.
The following community resources are useful in assisting our students with academic achievement, career development and/or personal/social growth of students.
Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN) • www.bhsn.org/bhsn8.htm
22 US Oval, Suite 208 • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.563.8000

  • BHSN is a resource for counseling services and programming with a primary focus on prevention.

Champlain Valley Family Center • www.cvfamilycenter.org/default.htm
20 Ampersand Drive • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.561.8480

  • Champlain Valley Family Center offers substance abuse assessment and treatment for residents of Clinton County. Champlain Valley Family Center also provides education, prevention and specialized youth programs targeted to prevent and/or minimize the damage caused by alcoholism and substance abuse.

Clinton County Mental Health Clinic • http://www.clintoncountygov.com/Departments/MHAS/MHClinic.html
16 Ampersand Drive • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.565.4060

  • Clinton County Mental Health Clinic serves the mental health needs of Clinton County residents.  

Catholic Charities • http://www.cathcharities.org/counseling.html
4914 South Catherine Street • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.561.0470

  • Catholic Charities is a community agency that offers individual, family, and group counseling regarding a variety of topics from grief and loss to depression and anxiety.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Champlain Valley • http://nami-cv.org
14 Healey Avenue • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.561.2685

  • NAMI is a national agency available to our local community. NAMI of Champlain Valley offers an array of mental health services including: peer advocacy for consumers of mental health services; education programs for consumers and families; support groups for consumers and families; and an extensive resource library.
  • NAMI is also partnered with PHS to offer Teen Screen, a wellness screening that aims to identify risk factors associated with depression, anxiety, and alcohol and substance abuse. Please visit the following website for more information: http://www.plattscsd.org/phs/TeenScreen/TeenScreen.htm

Champlain Valley Physician’s Hospital (CVPH) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit
75 Beekman Street • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.561.2000

  • The CVPH Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit offers psychiatric evaluation, treatment, and care planning for children and adolescents who may have a psychiatric disorder.

Clinton County Department of Social Services • http://www.clintoncountygov.com/Departments/DepartmentOfSocialServices/SocialServicesHomePage.html  
13 Durkee Street • Plattsburgh, NY 12901 • 518.565.3222

  • The Clinton County Department of Social Services offers supportive services to families and children working from prevention and intervention-based models. This department is involved with social advocacy for students and families and provides a gateway to financial and personal support services. Please refer to the following website for a complete list of services: http://www.clintoncountygov.com/Departments/DSS/list_of_services.htm
  • Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) is an intervention available to parents/guardians and the school community which assists in providing at-risk students another layer of support. This program is meant to intervene in the child and family’s life to offer additional supervision and preventative programming that may help the student to get back on track.

Committee Representative • The Student Advocate is a committee representative advocating on behalf of students and their parents/guardians. The Student Advocate is currently serving on the following committees:

  • Plattsburgh Pride and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) • Plattsburgh Pride is a school-wide initiative meant to reduce inappropriate behavior while recognizing appropriate behaviors in the student population.
  • Student Intervention Team (SIT) • SIT was developed to monitor the progress of students academically, emotionally and behaviorally by using data to determine improvement in each domain. SIT makes recommendations and referrals to the Student Advocate who also serves as the Section 504 Coordinator, Academic Intervention Services (AIS), and other intervention/prevention based programs. Using data, SIT continuously monitors the effectiveness of these interventions.
  • Plattsburgh City School District Health Education Advisory Committee • The Plattsburgh City School District Health Education Advisory Committee meets regularly to set goals and discuss policies aimed to enhance the health and wellness of our students, their families and faculty/staff.

Community Services Leader • The Student Advocate stresses the importance of community service via various activities throughout the school-year with students.  One example of exceptional community service for our students is the “Dress Drive” held each Prom season.  The Student Advocate collects donations of contemporary gently used formal gowns that students may borrow for Prom. Please contact the Student Advocate if you would like to donate a dress and/or if you know of a student in need of a dress for Prom.