Comprehensive Developmental Guidance Program

Running head: COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENTAL GUIDANCE 1

Student (Name Blinded)

Graduate Student

Comprehensive Developmental Guidance Program

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Part I

A school counseling program should be a cooperative effort. Involving all stakeholders during the implementation of a comprehensive developmental guidance program will ensure success. The ASCA views collaboration and teaming as an essential theme in school counseling programs. Standard 7 in the ASCA National Model states, “The professional school counselor is responsible for establishing and convening an advisory council for the school counseling program” (ASCA, 2005, p.64). School counselors must work with all stakeholders, both inside and outside the school system to develop and implement programs that support the achievement of goals set forth for every student (ASCA, 2005). The professional school counselor should include stakeholders from different viewpoints for the advisory team. Potential team members of an advisory committee can be school counselors, teachers, administrators, parents or guardians, students, and members of the community. A role of the school counselor is to manage all aspects of the counseling program. According to ASCA (2005), “The school counselor provides proactive leadership, which engages all stakeholders in the delivery of activities and services to help students achieve success in school” (p. 17). Teachers can work alongside school counselors in developing classroom guidance lessons that supports academic goals. Administrators also provide support for the school counseling program. Administrators provide facilities and resources needed for the school counseling program to be successful. Parents bridge the gap between school and home. Like school counselors, parents are encouraged to become advocates for their child. In junior high and high school, it may be beneficial to include students on the advisory committee. They can be the voice of their peers, and give the perspective that adults do not have. It

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is important to have members of the community on the advisory team. Members of the community such as “business, labor and community agencies partner with schools in a variety of ways by volunteering, mentoring, and providing sites for student service learning experiences and placements for school-related work programs and field trips” (ASCA, 2005, p.17). Through the collaborative effort of the members of the advisory team, school counseling programs become an integral part of the total school mission (ASCA, 2005).

Every school has a mission statement declaring the intention to close access, attainment, and achievement gaps between all student groups. A school’s mission statement “provides the foundation for the school’s counseling program and states the collective results desired for all students” (Erford, 2007, p.123). The school mission statement is important, as it gives the program an overall direction and vision. The mission statement describes the program’s purpose and a vision of what is desired for every student (ASCA, 2005). The counseling program mission statement should align with the school’s mission statement. The counseling program’s mission statement should give an idea of how the counseling program will support the goals of the school. It is important for the counseling program’s mission statement to show how it will “support the learning environment and at the same time makes unique contributions to meeting students’ needs and nurturing their process” (ASCA, 2005, p.30). The personal counselor’s mission statement is important to confirm that the vision of the school is shared by all stakeholders, especially by the school counselor. The school counselor is the leader of the counseling program. It is crucial to illustrate how the school counselor will support the school and the counseling program’s mission.

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School mission statement: We share with our community, the responsibility for the education and the commitment to excellence for each and every child.

Counseling program mission statement: Counselors will support district and campus administrators, teachers, staff, parents and guardians, and all other stakeholders in providing a rich learning environment so each and every student can be successful, and obtain qualities which will enable them to live meaningful lives in society and in the workplace.

Personal counselor mission statement: I will lead all stakeholders in implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that ensures that each and every student succeed academically and socially.

Part II

Assessments are a crucial component of the comprehensive guidance program. Results from assessments tell the school counselor if the needs of all students are being met. According to Erford (2007), “Systematic assessment identify the needs of students and the larger school community by reaching every subsystem of the school community to ensure that the needs of the diverse populations are included” (p.124). The school counselor cannot assume they are serving the needs of their population without gathering data.

Standard 8 in the ASCA states that school counselors must collect and analyze data to guide program direction and emphasis (ASCA, 2005). School counselors use data

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to make decisions regarding academic choices for students, make decisions about revisions to the guidance program, assure that every student has equity and access to a rigorous academic curriculum, and to establish goals and activities to close the gap (ASCA, 2005). Once the needs of the students are identified, data-driven goals can be developed.

Needs assessments summaries are important in two primary ways. First, needs assessments help school counselors understand various subpopulations, other than students. These subpopulations are teachers, parents, administrators, community organizations, local businesses, and the general public (Erford, 2007). Everyone in the subpopulation has a hand in the success of the education system. Second, needs assessments guide school counselors in setting priorities to be addressed in the comprehensive school counseling program (Erford, 2007). There are many examples of needs assessments. School counselors can develop a survey using a website called Survey Monkey. Developing a survey allows the school counselor to create questions that pertains to their population. The School-Wide Cultural Competence Observation Checklist can be used to audit how culturally competent the school is through the eyes of stakeholders.

There are many methods, instruments, and sources available for collecting data. A good source of information is focus groups. Focus groups can give the school counselor their perception, beliefs, attitudes, and opinions about the school and school counseling program. School counselors can interview parents and/or students to gather information. A discussion with parents and students will give the school counselor an idea of what parents and students personally feel. The school counselor can gather

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information by simply observing the school environment. For example, observing a class of 3rd graders can yield information on the needs of 3rd grade students. If working to help a struggling student, school counselors can look up the student’s grades, attendance record, discipline record, scores on state assessments, and any other source of information that can help the school counselor understand the student as a whole.

M. Robinson Elementary has a lot of positive things to offer parents and students. The staff of M. Robinson is very diverse. Many of the staff are Hispanic Spanish-speakers. Since most of our students are Hispanic, this comes as a comfort to them and their parents. It makes something as simple as calling the school easier for our parents who do not speak English. M. Robinson teachers are highly successful at helping students achieve academic and social success. They employ many techniques to accomplish this tremendous goal. The academic success of the students can be attributed to the many interventions that are in placed to support struggling students. There are a number of tutoring opportunities, such as recess tutoring, small-group tutoring, and Saturday camps. The survey I developed on Survey Monkey was aimed at gaining an insight into what teachers felt were effective academic interventions. Overall, teachers felt that the curriculum adequately prepares students for the TAKS test, students are not given enough challenging work at home and at school, teachers have done plenty to help students, whereas parents have not, teachers do not fully feel supported by the administration and parents. When asked what interventions they feel are most effective, most said that small-group tutoring and tutoring at recess helped. With this information, the administration can choose to keep these programs for next year if they wished. The most important piece of information obtained from the survey was the lack of support

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from parents and administrators felt by teachers. Teachers need to feel supported to be able to work at their highest level. From this needs assessment, the school counselor can develop ways to increase communication and the bond between teachers and the administration and parents. Student success increases as collaboration between stakeholders increases. School counselors can establish programs that promote parent involvement. Counseling programs should strive to bridge the gap between school and home. M. Robinson has a big need to increase the number of minority gifted and talented students. Some teachers have the misconception that only English-speaking students can be in the gifted and talented program. A Spanish-speaker in the bilingual program can be gifted and talented as well. Teachers must be open-minded when deciding whether a child is gifted and talented. There is not one mold that a child must fit into. School counselors should educate teachers on how to identify gifted and talented students. Educating other stakeholders is an important responsibility for school counselors. On the opposite spectrum, there are many minority students in the special education program. School counselors must also educate teachers on the signs that may indicate a child needs to be in the special education program. School counselors are usually involved in the process of testing a student for special education. Before the process of testing occurs, the school counselor should discuss with the teacher their concerns about the students. The school counselor can give an opinion on whether testing of the student should proceed. M. Robinson can benefit from a school-wide program that emphasizes characteristics of a well-rounded student. School-wide interventions have the greatest potential for creating the conditions conclusive to learning (Erford, 2007). Lessons to be

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taught should help students learn how to be a responsible, good citizen that contributes positively to society.

According to ASCA (2005), “The school guidance curriculum component consists of a written instructional program that is comprehensive in scope, preventive and proactive, developmental in design, coordinated by school counselors and delivered, as appropriate, by school counselors and other educators” (p.40). School districts expect guidance programs to be evidence based. It is not beneficial to implement a program that has not been shown to be effective. The guidance program should be designed to meet the needs and goals of all students. It should align with the school and counseling program’s mission statement. The goal of the guidance curriculum is to promote knowledge, attitudes, and skills through instruction in the areas of academic achievement, career development, and personal/social growth (ASCA, 2005).

Unfortunately, a middle school student in Cy-Fair committed suicide last year due to constant bullying. Since then, Cy-Fair has focused on intolerance of bullying, especially at the middle school and high school level. However, it is crucial to start educating students about the definition and effects of bullying from a young age. Education should start in elementary school. “Stomp out bullying” is an organization that educates parents, teachers, administrators, and students on how to end bullying. The website includes ideas of how schools can put an end to bullying. Schools can do so by having clear policies against bullying, creating a warm environment, and being aware of any incidences of bullying and stopping it. Ways to stomp out bullying should be discussed to students as a whole, such as in an assembly. This method of delivery

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ensures that all students and staff are on the same page when it comes to the intolerance of bullying.

Website: http://stompoutbullying.org/adults_educators_tips_endbullying.php.

One goal of all school mission statements is for every student to excel in academics. This includes passing standardized tests. Students in elementary school are nervous about taking standardized tests. Alongside the teachers, school counselors should educate students on how to be successful when taking standardized tests. Test anxiety is most prominent in 3rd grade, where students are taking the TAKS test for the first time. School counselors can educate students on anxiety in general, and how test anxiety is a normal emotion. This can be delivered as a classroom guidance lesson. Read the book “What to do when you worry too much: A kid’s guide to overcoming anxiety.” After reading the book, discuss with students how to overcome anxiety on tests.

Website: http://www.schcounselor.com/search/label/anxiety

Schools should promote a drug-free environment. With the budget cuts, my school had to eliminate our DARE program. It is the responsibility of the school to educate students on the effects of drugs. One method is to participate in Red Ribbon Week. In 2011, Red Ribbon Week is October 22-30. During this week, students are educated about the effects of drugs, ways of staying drug-free, and urged to stay drug-free.

Website: http://www.imdrugfree.com/

The guidance curriculum should instruct students on ways to achieve personal and social growth. School counselors should start guidance lessons early. “Learning to be a good citizen” can be taught to first graders. Each week, the focus is on one character

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trait. The school counselor introduces each character trait with a story, followed by a discussion.

Website: http://www.spring-ford.net/dept-admin/Guidance/Rguid/DevelopmentalLessons.htm

A component of the school counseling program is the implementation of responsive services. Responsive services meet the immediate need of students affected by life events or situations in the students’ lives. Responsive services can be delivered by individual counseling, group counseling, referral, consultation, and peer assistance programs. Elementary students seem to benefit the most from responsive services. (Erford, 2007).

Small group discussion sessions can be beneficial for students who experienced a loss recently. The school counselor can organize a grief group that meets during lunch, consisting of five or six students. Young students benefit from talking with people their age about death. They are able to gain ideas of how to cope with the loss from students who are in a similar situation. Activities can include making a collage of the person who died, sentence completing activities to express difficult thoughts and ideas, and games that promote expression of thoughts and feelings about grief. The activities can be broken down to about 6 sessions, if each session is 30 minutes long.

Website: http://www.ehow.com/info_8120144_grief-counseling-elementary-schools.html

Peer facilitation is an effective example of responsive services. Students are trained by counselors to be peer mediators. Peer mediators help other students work out their conflicts and teach them how to make changes so they can get along. Counselors and teachers can give additional support (ASCA, 2005). Peer mediation can work in 5th

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grade. By 5th grade, students are able to express their feelings more freely, and peers are able to help others resolve conflicts. Peer mediation is a program that can go on throughout the school year. Conflicts can hopefully be resolved in about 3 sessions.

Some students who are referred to the school counselor by teachers are those who are having difficulty in the classroom. Many times it is due to an inability to control their anger. The school counselor can teach anger management to a small group of students who have been referred by their teacher. “Four steps to managing your anger” is a guidance lesson that can be used with students in grades K-2. Students who are very young may not know how to control their anger. They do not know how to express themselves, so the result is anger. The guidance lesson teaches students ways of managing their anger, such as being able to communicate effectively, ways to solve problems, and how to make good decisions and be a good citizen. Four to six sessions should be sufficient to convey the strategies.

Website: http://wvde.state.wv.us/counselors/group-lessons.html

Some students are referred to the school counselor due to a lack of self-esteem. A lunch bunch can be created to help these students raise their level of self-esteem. Students can make a collage of themselves. Often, students with low self-esteem have a hard time describing themselves and their positive attributes. Students will cut out words or pictures from magazines that describes their personality or abilities. They will paste them onto a construction paper. The collage will be shared with others in a group. The discussions and activity can be accomplished in about 4 to 6 sessions.

Website: http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/misc/cecmisc/cecmisc052.html

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Individual student planning involves the school counselor coordinating ongoing systematic activities to assist students in individually determining personal goals and developing plans for their future (Erford, 2007). School counselors help students plan, monitor, and manage their own learning as well as becoming successful in academics, career and personal/social development (ASCA, 2005). School counselors help students make the transition from school to the next phase in their life. Parents and other school staff members are encouraged to join in individual student planning.

The school counselor can help students in the career decision making process. If students are at a lost at choosing a career, the school counselor can administer interest inventories. The results of the interest inventory can help guide the student in making a career decision, whether it be immediately entering the work field after high school or what to major in when they get to college. At the elementary level, career planning is still possible. Students can be educated on the importance of obtaining a good education and career. This is especially important for 5th graders, as their career path actually begins in middle school. In middle school, they need to have an idea of what they want to accomplish in life. The goals they made for themselves should continue on into high school. Before a student can choose a career, they must know what their interests are. An interactive computer game can aid students in finding what interests them. The results will give students an idea of what path they should take in their life.

Website: http://ctbyl.icsps.ilstu.edu/illinoisntc//index.asp

As early as elementary school, some students believe they cannot attend college because they do not have the funds to do so. One role of the school counselor is to promote a college-bound school with the help of other staff members. School counselors

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can speak with students on ways to make college a reality with a classroom guidance lesson. The lesson can include information on the benefits of college, earnings based on the level of education, and ways to obtain money to be able to afford college.

Job shadowing is a way for elementary school students to see the kinds of responsibilities they will have in the near future. This can be accomplished through the “Take our daughters and sons to work” program. The program aims to connect education to work and strengthens the bond between parents and their children.

Website: http://www.daughtersandsonstowork.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=936

Individual student planning also strives to promote personal/social growth. Students should be encouraged to explore their strengths and expand on them. Students can do an activity where they write or draw pictures to illustrate questions such as “What do you like?” “What are some goals you have?” “How are you going to accomplish these goals?” After the activity, students will have an idea of their strengths, goals, and ways to achieve their goals.

Website: http://www.schcounselor.com/search/label/social%20skills

Program/system support “consists of management activities that establish, maintain and enhance the total school counseling program” (ASCA, 2005, p.43). The professional school counselor is in charge of every aspect of the school counseling program. There is no other staff member equipped to do so because they were not educated on how to establish and maintain an effective school counseling program. To meet the goals of the school and counseling program’s mission statements, it is the responsibility of the professional school counselor to use their leadership and advocacy skills to promote a systematic change (ASCA, 2005). School counselors should

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participate in professional development regularly to update their knowledge and skills. This can be done with in-service trainings, where skills are updated in the areas of curriculum development, technology and data analysis, and other areas of special concern to the school and community (ASCA, 2005).

Professional school counselors can continue to be updated by joining professional associations. Professional associations hold conferences to improve the level of confidence of the professional school counselor.

Organizations:

Texas Counseling Association: http://www.txca.org/tca/default.asp

American School Counselor Association: http://www.schoolcounselor.org/

School counselors should collaborate, consult, and team plan with parents, teachers and other staff members on issues that are pertinent to the school and community. School counselors should provide information on the goals of the school counseling programs. Interventions and activities that will help accomplish the goals should be discussed as well. Parents and staff members should give feedback to the school counselor on the needs of students. This feedback will help the school counselor in designing and improving the school counseling program.

An important responsibility of the school counselor is that of data analysis. It is imperative that the interventions and activities put in placed are reviewed for their effectiveness. School counselors should conduct research on activity outcomes and discover gaps that exist between different groups of students (ASCA, 2005). This can be done via a discussion with teachers, focus groups, surveys, etc. Data analysis is crucial to

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the development and updating of the school counseling program. Data can be shared with all stakeholders to show the effectiveness of the school counseling program.

Part III

Standard 2.2 of the ASCA model states “the professional school counselor develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school goals” (ASCA, 2005, p. 63). The school counseling program should plan to meet the goals of all students. It is a responsibility of the professional school counselor to implement the school guidance curriculum through the use of effective instructional skills. Careful planning should be a priority (ASCA, 2005). The goals of a school counseling program should be to close the achievement gaps between student groups (Erford, 2007). Other examples of goals are: improving attendance and graduation rates, maintaining a safe and drug-free school, and specific goals that meet the needs of the local school district. School counseling programs link the goals of education and the mission of the schools at the national, state, district, and building level (Erford, 2007). School counselors should use data when drafting goals for the guidance curriculum. Goals are statements of the desired outcome of the counseling program. Goals should be written so results can be measured. It is no longer sufficient to only implement a school counseling program; the results of the school counseling program should be measureable. Goals should be prioritized to reflect the needs of the population.

Action plans are implemented to achieve the goals of the school counseling program. Action plans detail how the school counselor will go about efficiently and effectively deliver the school counseling program to achieve the desired results (ASCA, 2005). Action plans are put in placed to close the achievement gap between groups of

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students. Action plans include program indicators, student competencies, and ways of evaluating the program. School guidance curriculum action plans are designed to assist students in achieving the competencies outlined in the action plan. Action plans can include classroom and group guidance lessons. Data should yield the effectiveness of the action plan. School counselors can use the data to make decisions about the counseling program.

Goal I: To create and maintain a learning environment that recognizes and supports a diverse population

a) America has become more diverse throughout the years. People often call America the “melting pot” of cultures. However, a better description of America is of a “salad toss.” People of different cultures live in one country, but we do not blend into one culture. Each person is a contributing member of society, while keeping his or her cultural customs and beliefs. The demographics are rapidly changing. The professional school counselor plays a key role in “affirming diversity and challenging oppression” (Erford, 2007, p.75). Professional school counselors are the leaders in creating a school environment that is tolerant of all cultures, and one that promotes diversity. Students from different backgrounds need to feel safe to be who they are at school. Feeling safe is important to be successful in school. Multiculturalism is mandatory for a school counseling program. Possessing multiculturalism will help all school counselors and other staff members become more knowledgeable about the way in which culture and ethnicity affect the learning process (Erford, 2007).

b) Program indicators

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 Low income and minority students will be encouraged to participate in GT or advanced placement courses/programs

School counselor offers staff development to teachers about how to look for signs of GT. The school counselor should urge teachers to look at the individual, not what language they speak, culture they are, social economic status, etc.

Parents should be sent letters home on signs of GT in children and urged to refer their child to be tested if they feel their child is GT.

 There will be an increase in student achievement and test scores for subpopulations

The school counselor will create a lunch bunch with students who are low-achieving to find ways of helping them be successful.

Encourage teachers to pair students of similar background and ethnicity together during partner activities.

Promote college with “College week.” Include activities throughout the week to educate students on the importance of attending college.

 Students suspensions and expulsions will decrease significantly each year

At the beginning of the year, hold classroom guidance lessons on ways to get along with others, anger management, and the importance of following rules.

 Students will engage in appropriate behavior and social skills resulting in decreased discipline referrals

The school counselor will develop mini-lessons that teachers can present to students each morning. Lessons will take only take about 5 minutes, and is to be

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repeated and expanded upon each day of that week. Each week is dedicated to a certain social skill.

 Multiple coordinated support systems will exist to ensure students’ academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being

Teachers will track all students’ academics. At-risk students will be identified and discussed with the administration to determine interventions that will be put into place. If needed, student will be referred to the school counselor to participate in small group guidance or individual counseling.

The school counselor will visit with all students to introduce herself, explain her role at school, and encourage students to seek help if needed. The school counselor will also check in with teachers and other staff members to see if any students need social or emotional support.

Create a safe environment that promotes creativity and individuality.

c) Student competencies

1. Students will recognize the importance of being academically successful.

2. Students will honor the school’s diversity and act as a responsible citizen.

d) Program evaluation

Student competency #1: review academic data such as, but not limited to: progress report and report cards, standardized test scores, SAT/ACT scores, college acceptance rate at the end of the year. Use scores from the previous school year as a baseline to determine effectiveness. Revise interventions, if needed. Follow-up with teachers and administrators about possible revision to interventions.

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Student competency #2: Review the frequency of discipline referrals throughout the school year, focus group consisting of staff members, survey to get opinions on the effectiveness of interventions that was put in placed. Use frequency of discipline referrals from the previous school year as a baseline.

Plan IV

Standard 1 of the ASCA model states, “The professional school counselor plans, organizes and delivers the school counseling program” (ASCA, 2005, p.63). When developing the school counseling program, the professional school counselor should keep the needs of the school in mind. A goal of the school counseling program should be aligned with the school’s mission statement, since the school’s mission statement is a reflection of the needs of the students.

Standard 1.4 of the ASCA model stresses the importance of a positive interpersonal relationship with parents or guardians (ASCA, 2005). The school, including teachers, administrators, and counselors do not have a collaborative relationship with parents. In order for students to succeed, they need to be supported at home and school. This can happen when the school and home have an interpersonal relationship. According to Erford (2007), “While schools have traditionally stood alone in their mission to educate children, this isolation is no longer possible or desirable” (p.228). In today’s diverse society, schools need the help of parents to understand the needs of the students.

Goal 2: To establish a collaborative effort with parents/guardians to facilitate the academic and social/personal success of all students

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a) True collaboration requires schools and parents to jointly agree on specific problems and ways to solving them. Collaboration is a statement made by all stakeholders that they have a shared responsibility for the success or failure of the students. The programs and interventions listed for each program indicator below are avenues to student achievement.

b) Program indicators:

 Parents and guardians will be encouraged to volunteer in supporting the needs of the school

Teachers will be encouraged to contact all parents to explain the importance of volunteering at school.

Hand-outs will be distributed the first week of school asking parents to dedicate their time to the school.

 School will effectively communicate to parents/guardians of the needs of the school

School will hold TAKS night, PTA meetings, focus groups to discuss needs of school, parent symposiums, send out weekly school news and maintain a school web-site.

 School will assist parents/guardians in locating any necessary resources

Parents or teachers will contact the school counselor of any resources the student is lacking.

 School will communicate to parents/guardians on the physical well-being of students

Students will be screened for hearing and vision. Results will be sent home.

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 Multiple collaborative support systems will be in placed to ensure students’ academic and social/personal well-being

The school counselor will deliver the goals of the school counseling program through school-wide assemblies, classroom guidance lessons, small-groups, and individual counseling.

Teachers and other staff members will reinforce the goals of the school and counseling program’s mission.

Parents will cooperate with the school to ensure the success of their child.

Hold tutoring sessions, Saturday camps, and TAKs and curriculum nights

c) Student competencies

1. Students will understand the importance of academic and social/personal achievement.

2. Students will be participate in activities/programs designed to increase student success

d) Program evaluation

Student competency #1: Track progress of students by reviewing report card grades, scores on standardized tests, frequency of discipline referrals and referrals to counselor. Use data from previous school year as a baseline. Follow-up with parents and teachers on the effectiveness of the interventions.

Student competency #2: Keep record of students who participates in tutoring, Saturday camps, attends TAKS night, curriculum night, or other activities implemented to promote student success. Provide surveys to teachers and parents about the effectiveness of activities/programs designed to increase student success.

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Part V

One component of accountability of the school counseling program is the importance of disseminating results to all stakeholders. Sharing results with stakeholders such as teachers, administrators, staff, parents, students, school boards, and the community and business leaders educates everyone on the benefits of a school counseling program. Professional school counselors are called upon to take the lead in evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Of course, it is the responsibility of the professional school counselor to ensure that the comprehensive school counseling services are effective (Erford, 2007). Due to school reform and the importance of accountability, it is crucial for school counselors to collaborate with key stakeholders to ensure the academic, career, and personal/social success of all students. Sharing the results of the school guidance program is a means of collaboration. Stakeholders can discuss results and identify areas of the school counseling program that should be changed to meet the needs of students.

There are many ways to disseminate results. Dissemination of school counseling program results can be done through written report, a verbal presentation, a multimedia presentation, journal articles, a webpage, television, videotape, posters, emails, or a newspaper article (Erford, 2007). For written reports, there exist general guidelines such as being informative, forthcoming, and logical and organized. If an open house is held at the beginning of the year, school counselors can introduce themselves and share the results of the school counseling program from the previous year. School counselors have the opportunity to illustrate the effectiveness of the school counseling program. Many school counselors have a webpage describing the counseling program. Results of the

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counseling program can be added to the webpage. School counselors can make an informative brochure about the school counseling program, highlighting the positive results of the program. The method of delivery of results is not as important as the results themselves. The school counseling program should be data driven and evidence based. These criteria lead to an effective school counseling program. Sharing positive results with stakeholders stresses the importance of having a school counseling program. It is for the best interest of the students that schools offer programs that will help students be successful.

Conclusion

My knowledge of professional school counseling changed throughout the course of this class. It was interesting to learn how the profession of school counseling came about and how the role of the school counselor has changed throughout the years. The role of the school counselor changes as the needs of the student population changes. I realized the importance of educating others on the role of school counselors and the importance of a school counseling program. It is the responsibility of the school counselor to advocate for the implementation of interventions and programs, through which students will benefit. It is also the responsibility of the school counselor to advocate for those who cannot do so for themselves. I learned the importance of having a data driven, evidence based school counseling program in placed to promote the success of all students. It is also not advisable to implement a program without evaluating its’ effectiveness. Results should be examined and changes to the school counseling program should be made, if necessary. The goals of the program should be developed with the

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student’s interest in mind. Goals should be measureable and attainable through appropriate interventions.

As a new school counselor, I can see some challenges in implementing my comprehensive school guidance program. Unfortunately, school counselors have many administrative duties. This may not leave as much time as desired to implement the program. In addition, in many elementary schools there is only one school counselor. It is not humanly possible to fully implement every aspect of the CDGP and complete the administrative duties that come with the job. If a school counselor joins a school where there are school counselors in placed, this may also create a problem. My vision may not be the same vision shared by the school or the current school counselor (s). The biggest challenge is aligning the proposed CDGP to the mission of the school and researching the needs of the school’s population. The CDGP should support the goals of the school mission. With the cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders, I think all challenges can be overcome.

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References

American School Counseling Association (2005). The ASCA National Model: A

Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition. Alexandria, VA:

Author.

Erford, B.T. (2007). Transforming the school counseling program. New Jersey:

Pearson Education, Inc.