School Counseling short range plan

Long-Range Plan

Introduction

Professional school counselors serve a vital role in maximizing student achievement. Incorporating leadership, advocacy and collaboration, professional school counselors promote equity and access to opportunities and rigorous educational experiences for all students. Professional school counselors support a safe learning environment and work to safeguard the human rights of all members of the school community. Collaborating with other stakeholders to promote student achievement, professional school counselors address the needs of all students through prevention and intervention programs that are a part of a comprehensive school counseling program. To achieve maximum program effectiveness, the American School Counselor Association recommends a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:250. This comprehensive school counseling program long range plan is devised to incorporate a long-term counseling plan at Wilson High School.

Description of the School

Wilson High School is located in the north section of Florence, South Carolina and serves students 9th thru 12th grade. There are 1174 students attending Wilson High School. Of this total, there are 614 males and 583 females.

Wilson High School was founded in 1866 as a Freedom’s Bureau School following the American Civil War. Our school’s mission from the beginning has been to develop in all students the knowledge, skills and character to achieve personal success. At Wilson High School, we provide a wide variety of academic opportunities including a Middle Years Program, a Diploma Program as part of our International Baccalaureate World School, Advanced Placement courses and Dual Credit Classes. In 2016, Wilson High School instituted an Early College Program, where students will graduate high school with an Associate Degree from Florence-Darlington Technical College. This will better prepare our students for the workforce or post-secondary education.

Description of the Population of Students.

Florence is a very diverse community, which has a great impact on the educational environment. The chart below shows a breakdown of Wilson High School demographics and displays the various ethnicities.

Male Female

Due to the low socio-economic status: 64% of Wilson High School students receive free or reduced lunch and 36% are full pay. Wilson High School also benefit from APEX afterschool and International Baccalaureate Program.

Description of other Factors

Mission statement .

Wilson High School’s mission statement is as follows: “At Wilson High School, we commit to developing in all students the knowledge, skills, and character to achieve personal success.” In conjunction with Wilson High School’s mission statement, the current comprehensive school counseling program at Wilson High School states that, “Counseling Staff provide a comprehensive school counseling program that improves student achievement and enhances the academic, career, personal, and social development of all students”.

Beliefs and philosophy.

As previously stated, the long-range plan will follow directly in line with the beliefs and philosophies of Wilson High School as constructed in the vision statement. The current program supports the collaborative efforts of faculty, staff, community, and students to promote a cohesive environment conducive to student success both individually and communally.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

The primary functions, roles and responsibilities of the school counselor are vital to the success of the program. Roles should always align with ASCA’s national model as well as the South Carolina Department of Education Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program Model. Both of these models reinforce guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services and system report. These include implementing the CSCP, meeting the needs of assigned student population, consultation with faculty, staff, and parents, and provision of educational programs. These functions reinforce guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services and system report while incorporating various roles related to parent education, student discipline, working with students with disabilities, and the implementation of the Education and Economic Development Act. This long-range plan contains both direct and indirect student services, mission, and philosophies of Wilson High School.

Role of the Counselor in Parent Education

A school counselor’s first and foremost focus should, of course, be their students. However, to maintain a healthy, safe and resilient school community, school counselors need to include parents in the equation. Call parents when there is bad or good news to share about their child’s achievement or behavior. Welcome parents and families and talk about your philosophy, your goal of creating community. Describe your role. Make your program known.” It is the responsibility of the counselor to provide educational opportunities for parents in individual and group settings.

Role of the Counselor in Working with Students with Disabilities

The school counselor takes an active role in student achievement and postsecondary planning by providing a comprehensive school counseling program for all students. As a part of this program, school counselors advocate for students with special needs, encourage family involvement in their child’s education and collaborate with other educational professionals to promote academic achievement, social/emotional wellness and college/career readiness for all

Role of the Counselor in Student Discipline

School counselors promote positive student behaviors to create a safe, effective learning environment for all students. It is not the school counselor’s role to mete out punishment but instead to help create effective behavior change focused on positive, healthy behaviors. Counselors should avoid disciplinarian roles, but should be an active resource to students for conflict/problem resolution. Counselors may implement reactive and proactive counseling strategies to aid in positive student behavioral outcomes.

Role of the Counselor in the Implementation of the Education and Economic Development Act

In May 2005, Gov. Mark Sanford signed the Education and Economic Development Act, legislation designed to give South Carolina students the education tools they need to build prosperous, successful futures. Focused on seamless K–16 education, Personal Pathways promotes career awareness and exploration beginning in elementary school. In the 8th grade, students work with their parents or parental designees and guidance counselors to create Individual Graduation Plans (IGPs) that reconcile their academic and post-graduation goals. IGPs are adjusted annually to allow for a student’s continued academic growth and career exploration through high school. Personal Pathways ensures seamless transition to post-secondary education by establishing articulation agreements among the state’s high schools and two- and four-year colleges. Counselors should meet with students to discuss their individual graduation plans (IGPs).

Role of Counselor in Implementing Guidance Curriculum Standards for Student Development

Research shows the implementation of a school counseling program, as outlined by “The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs,” has a positive impact on student achievement. The development and implementation of these programs requires leadership from well-trained, highly competent high school counselors and includes a collaborative effort with school administrators, classroom teachers, school staff and community stakeholders.

Counselors’ duties involve the implementation of the following three areas of focus for student development. Students should: learn to live, learn to learn, and learn to work. These three categories broadly encompass all duties of the counselor as they relate directly to the student. Counselors play an important role by providing personal and social development opportunities that can enhance personal growth (Learning to Live), encouraging academic success and progress (Learning to Learn), and focusing on life beyond schooling such as careers (Learning to Work).

Objectives

The current plan has established both long-term and on-going objectives to implement a successful guidance program. Objectives are as follows:

1. Be responsible for individual, group, and/or classroom guidance and counseling in academic, occupational, emotional, social, and/or psychological development and growth.

2. Take both proactive and reactive measures to handle and resolve counseling related issues as needed.

3. Collaborate with faculty, staff, administrators, mentors, parents and professionals.

4. Maintain a working relationship with community stakeholders and business leaders as professional contacts for student job shadowing opportunities, service learning projects, internships, and other work-based-learning initiatives.

5. Coordinate, refer, and advise students toward possible internships, service learning projects, job shadowing, and other career development activities.

6. Recommend and assign students to specific programs, organizations, and beneficial help/support programs while collaborating with parents as needed for referrals.

7. Contribute, manage, and organize undertakings that produce a successful guidance program.

8. Participate in professional growth and development training.

9. Be familiar with school, cultural, and community trends.

10. Understand, interpret, and use testing, behavioral/discipline reports, and student post-secondary planning data and for advancing school improvement.

11. Attend professional development workshops.

COMPREHENSIVE DEVELPMENTAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING PROGRAM COMPONENT

Guidance Curriculum

The purpose of guidance curriculum is to provide students with social, academic, personal, and post-secondary counseling through group and classroom settings. SCDE recommends 15-25% of a school counselor’s time be dedicated to this task (SCDE, 2008).

Group or classroom activities through which the National Standards for School Counseling Competencies related to academic, career development, and personal/social development are delivered or taught. Teachers and counselors collaborate to integrate activities from the Comprehensive School Guidance and Counseling Curriculum into classroom lessons and into school-wide programs. Examples are:

1. Junior/Senior Parent Information Night

2. classroom IGP guidance

3. SAT/ACT workshops

4. ASVAB interpretation workshops

5. Financial Aid night

6. Career presentations,

7. Career assessments

8. Personal/social skills workshops

9. Bullying intervention services

Counselors may utilize resources such as advisory meetings, PowerPoints, career specialists and/or other faculty/staff to address the needed topics

Individual Planning

The purpose of this service is to allow students to “explore, plan monitor, and manage their own learning as well as their personal, academic and career development”. This is counselor directed and individually based. Suggested time is between 25-35%. School counselors meet individually with students to analyze how their interests, abilities, and achievements interface with educational planning, academic achievement and career information. Students may individually access information through a variety of computer information systems, or gain information about themselves through interest and/or learning styles inventories. Appropriate educational decisions are encouraged to assure that the student gains the skills and preparation to pursue his/her goals.

Responsive Services

These services attend to the immediate needs/concerns of the students. They involve consultation, individual or small group counseling, crisis management counseling, and referrals. Suggested time is between 25-35%. This is the counseling component for which school counselors receive master’s level preparation and training. It includes confidential individual and small group counseling. Consultation with teachers, parents and agencies who can assist students and families is included in this role. Counselors will take appropriate steps to advocate, assist, and support every student’s academic, emotional, social, psychological, and behavioral well-being.

System Support

The school counselors will be a supportive staff to the leadership team, but should also utilize the administrative team as a support for guidance functions. Suggested time is between 10-20%. These undertakings involve an enhancement of the guidance program as a whole to include but not limited to Professional development, building professional relationships with stakeholders, teacher consultations, advisory councils, community outreach, guidance planning/management, and data driven accountability. This includes program coordination and outreach activities to promote partnerships within the community that support the development of students. Examples are school/business partnerships, advisory groups, agencies and parent organizations. Program development, research and evaluation of program outcomes should be shared with various groups since it can demonstrate the impact of the counseling program on student outcomes.

Members of the Wilson High School Guidance Staff are:

Letitia Plowden Counselor for 10th -12th (E-J)

Director of Guidance -

Courtney White Counselor for 10th-12th (Q-Z)

John Davis Counselor for 10th-12th (A-D)

Monica Rogers Counselor for 10th-12th (K-P)

Angela Williams Counselor for Freshman Academy (J-Z)

Lillian Mitchell Counselor for Freshman Academy (A-I)

Mr. Keels School Based Therapists

Jonathan Greene Work-Based Learning Facilitator

Guidance Phone Number Guidance Fax Number

843-664-8140 843-664-8176

Special Services

· 9th Grade Repeater

· 504s

· Early College

· Dual College

· Scholarship

· Virtual School

· Transcript Evolutions (New Students)

· Special Programs

NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

Description of Formal and/or Informal Needs Assessments and Sources of Information

There are a number of avenues school counselors can assess student, parent, and staff/faculty needs. The two broad approaches include formal or informal assessments. Formal assessments are data driven and can carry more mathematical weight and calculation while informal evaluations are more “content and performance driven”. To achieve the best results for students, school counselors regularly assess their program to: n determine its effectiveness n inform improvements to their school counseling program design and delivery and show how students are different as a result of the school counseling program. Results and implications allow the guidance department to prioritize various needs, topics, and issues. These needs can be categorized as immediate or on going. They also allow the department to evaluate the communication successes and failures as it relates to student, parent, and faculty services, identify trends, and disseminate appropriate information to faculty/staff and administration. It also allows administration to focus on academic areas of improvement.

GOAL(S)

Tentative Guidance Schedule

August

· Register new students

· Correct schedule conflicts

· Make schedule adjustments

· Review transcripts – transfer HS credit

· Review Senior graduation progress

· Open house night schoolinks

· All students should be registered in

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

September

· Schoolinks student onboarding

· Schoolinks student log-ins

· Schoolinks “find your path” assessment

· Schoolinks “making the most out of high school” learning unit

· Parent meeting/ IGP course planning

· Check students grades

· Conduct meetings with students who are in danger of failing

October

· Schoolinks parent/guardian log-ins

· Schoolinks “would you rather” assessment

· Parent meeting

· College fair

· College application day

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

November

· Schoolinks complete learning style assessment

· Specifically target Sophomore/Junior IGP conferences in English 2/3 courses (classroom and individual setting)

· Conduct other IGP conferences with parents/students as needed

· Careers Day/ASVAB interpretation workshop as needed.

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

December

· Continue IGP conferences as needed

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

January

· Help coordinate Financial Aid Night

· Schedule Changes/adjustments

· Review seniors who failed semester and quarter classes

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

February

· Continue IGP conferences as needed

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

March

· Continue IGP conferences as needed

· Specifically target 9th grade students for IGPs and their sophomore course requests

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

April

· AP testing registration

· Assist with SCDE 16-17 Graduates report

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

May

· Coordinate AP testing

· Conduct (Social, behavioral, academic, career) counseling as needed

June

· Graduation Day

· Promotion/Retention

· Summer School

July

· Pre-registration

APPENDIX A

STUDENT ASSESSMENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE PROGRAM

SOUTH FLORENCE HIGH SCHOOL DATE__________________

Circle your grade: 9 10 11 12

The guidance department would appreciate your assistance in helping us to provide the most effective services to

our students. Please respond honestly to each statement below:

Yes No N/A

1. I know who my counselor is. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

2. I know how to contact my counselor. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

3. My counselor is usually available when I need to see him or her. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

4. My counselor responds to my request in a timely manner. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

5. My counselor is available to discuss personal issues

with me individually. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

6. The guidance counselors occasionally conduct classroom

guidance sessions (for example: freshman orientation classes,

test information and registration). 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

7. The guidance counselors offer small-group sessions on

topics of interest or need to students. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

8. The guidance office provides information about:

a. Selecting Courses 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

b. Grade Point Averages 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

c. Transcripts 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

d. Promotion 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

e. Graduation Requirements 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

f. Careers 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

g. Summer Programs 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

h. Personal/Social Concerns 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

9. The guidance office provides information in senior classes about:

a. College Admissions 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

b. College Selection 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

c. Financial Aid and Scholarships 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

d. Completing College and Scholarship Applications 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

10. The guidance office provides information about:

a. Career Planning 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

b. Postsecondary Options 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

11. The guidance counselors help me to understand test scores. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

12. I see my counselor at least once a year. 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀

APPENDIX B

HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE PROGRAM NEEDS SURVEY

I AM... Administrator Teacher Student Parent

Plans are currently being made for next year’ school counseling program and activities. In order to effectively address the needs of the students, we request your input. Please check 10 of the following topics you believe most important to our students.

After you have marked the above items, please go back over your selections and star (*) the three you believe to be most critical.

What other needs have you identified that are not included in the above list?

Please add any suggestions you have for program improvement.

TOTAL ENROLLMENT 9TH 10TH 11TH 12th 370 286 268 243

GENDER

Sales MALES FEMALES 614 583