The purpose of National School Counseling Week is to focus public attention on the unique contributions of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school, behavioral and emotional, and future success.
Most school counselors are keenly aware of their ethical duty to advocate for their
profession; however, many ask what information is most important to share.
Because districts have local control over how they budget their money, and a large
amount of control currently in helping counselors align with national and state
standards through an ASCA endorsed developmental counseling program, it is
crucial that school counselors continuously help school board members,
administrators, and the community recognize the standards set for school
counselors, the importance of a developmental school counseling program, and the
unique skillset school counselors have been trained to perform. Studies show that
school counselors are integral to student success, especially when allowed to
function using their skills and training to create developmental programs within their
schools.
How Should A School Counselor's Time Be Spent?
Distribution
and Appropriate Uses of School Counselor Time
What Are The Appropriate School Counselor Activities?
ASCA
Appropriate Activities for School Counselors :
*Working
with students to provide small and large-group counseling services
*Documenting
school counseling contacts and activities
*Consulting
and collaborating with teachers to present guidance curriculum lessons
*Consulting
and collaborating with teachers to improve classroom management skills
*Interpreting
cognitive, aptitude, and achievement tests
*Theory
based individual counseling with students
*Theory
based small group counseling with students
*Consulting
with parents
*Disaggregating
data
*Theory
based counseling with at risk students
*Appropriate
referral of students with extended therapeutic needs (more than 6-8 sessions
per occurrence)
*Interpreting
student records
*Assisting
the school principal with identifying and resolving student issues, needs and
problems
*Advocating
for students at individual plan meetings, student study teams and school
attendance review boards
Inappropriate
Activities for School Counselors:
*Building
the master schedule and registering all students
*Registering
and scheduling new students
*Coordinating
or administering cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests
*Signing
excuses for students who are tardy or absent
*Performing
disciplinary actions
*Sending
students home who are not appropriately dressed
*Teaching
classes when teachers are absent
*Computing
grade-point averages
*Maintaining
student records
*Clerical
duties
*Supervising
study halls
*Supervising
classrooms or common areas
*Maintaining
clerical records
*Assisting
with administrative duties
*Preparing
IEPs (individual education plans)
*Managing
school attendance review boards
*Schedule
changes
*Data
entry
Adapted
from Campbell, C.A. (1997). Sharing the vision: The ASCA national standards for
school counseling programs, Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor
Association; and Trotter, et. al. (2008). The 7Cs School Counseling Model.
Happy National School Counseling Week 2016!!!
Kristine Kilgour, M.Ed., LPSC
School Counselor & Supreme Court Approved Mediator
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