Foundation
"School counselors create comprehensive school counseling programs that focus on student outcomes, teach student competencies and are delivered with identified professional competencies" (ASCA, 2012).
The foundation of a comprehensive school counseling program is the basis for which the entire program is built upon. It is necessary to have the support of a strong foundation in order for the management, delivery, and accountability of the program to be effective. The foundation constitutes the "what" of the program; specifically, the knowledge, attitudes and skills that students learn as a direct result of the comprehensive school counseling program. School counselors must collaborate with other important stakeholders, including administrators and staff, parents/guardians, and the entire community, in order to develop a solid foundation that focuses on the needs of every student. The key element of a comprehensive school counseling program's foundation is the program focus. This focus is made up of school counselors' beliefs about student needs and student success, and school counselors' vision and mission statements, which should align with the vision and mission statements of the school. These vision and mission statements will then guide the development of program goals.
As a future professional school counselor, I believe that all students have the ability and desire to achieve success in school, and they deserve the opportunity and support needed to achieve their absolute best and reach college and career readiness. I also believe that it is my responsibility as a professional school counselor to be a leader in my school by collaborating and cooperating with all stakeholders and advocating for equity and positive change for all students. In order to be an effective professional school counselor, I must maintain accountability for my comprehensive school counseling program by using of data to make informed decisions and evaluate the effectiveness of myself and my program, adhering to the ASCA National Model, and applying the ASCA Ethical Standards to all of my decisions.
One of the main focuses I will have in my program is establishing a proactive program rather than a reactive program. I believe all students can benefit from a comprehensive school counseling program, not only the students who may be struggling and/or seek out my services. It is my responsibility to be an open and welcoming figure that my students feel supports and cares for them. One way to establish this proactive behavior is by having strong, data-driven core curriculum classroom lessons that address potential issues before they become problematic. These may include issues related to college and career readiness, such as learning about and practicing effective work behaviors to keep students on track in the classroom and prepare them for their future responsibilities. Another avenue for implementing a proactive program would be to use student attendance, discipline, and achievement data to identify at-risk groups and, combined with needs assessments to determine the specific needs of these at-risk students, provide group counseling lessons catered to these groups.
The foundation of a comprehensive school counseling program is the basis for which the entire program is built upon. It is necessary to have the support of a strong foundation in order for the management, delivery, and accountability of the program to be effective. The foundation constitutes the "what" of the program; specifically, the knowledge, attitudes and skills that students learn as a direct result of the comprehensive school counseling program. School counselors must collaborate with other important stakeholders, including administrators and staff, parents/guardians, and the entire community, in order to develop a solid foundation that focuses on the needs of every student. The key element of a comprehensive school counseling program's foundation is the program focus. This focus is made up of school counselors' beliefs about student needs and student success, and school counselors' vision and mission statements, which should align with the vision and mission statements of the school. These vision and mission statements will then guide the development of program goals.
As a future professional school counselor, I believe that all students have the ability and desire to achieve success in school, and they deserve the opportunity and support needed to achieve their absolute best and reach college and career readiness. I also believe that it is my responsibility as a professional school counselor to be a leader in my school by collaborating and cooperating with all stakeholders and advocating for equity and positive change for all students. In order to be an effective professional school counselor, I must maintain accountability for my comprehensive school counseling program by using of data to make informed decisions and evaluate the effectiveness of myself and my program, adhering to the ASCA National Model, and applying the ASCA Ethical Standards to all of my decisions.
One of the main focuses I will have in my program is establishing a proactive program rather than a reactive program. I believe all students can benefit from a comprehensive school counseling program, not only the students who may be struggling and/or seek out my services. It is my responsibility to be an open and welcoming figure that my students feel supports and cares for them. One way to establish this proactive behavior is by having strong, data-driven core curriculum classroom lessons that address potential issues before they become problematic. These may include issues related to college and career readiness, such as learning about and practicing effective work behaviors to keep students on track in the classroom and prepare them for their future responsibilities. Another avenue for implementing a proactive program would be to use student attendance, discipline, and achievement data to identify at-risk groups and, combined with needs assessments to determine the specific needs of these at-risk students, provide group counseling lessons catered to these groups.
Reference: American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.