Running head: NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1

Transcription

1 Running head: NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 1 Comprehensive School Counseling Program for Newport Junior High School Kathy Roberts, Rachel Tincher, and Kate Woodruff Northern Kentucky University

2 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 2 Abstract This manuscript describes the proposed comprehensive school counseling program for Newport Junior High School (NJHS) in Newport, Kentucky. This program is developed based on the recommended National Model from the American School Counselors Association (ASCA). In addition, the specific school needs for NJHS were identified from an interview conducted with Samantha Booker, the current School Counselor at NJHS, the examination of the 2010 NJHS Report Card, and the evaluation of teacher and student needs assessments. The ASCA National Model contains four elements: foundation, delivery system, management systems, and accountability. Each element is carried out through the themes of advocacy, leadership, and collaboration, resulting in systemic change. Appendices are included for the convenience of the Newport Junior High School counselor and administration.

3 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 3 The ASCA National Model graphic is a registered trademark of the American School Counselor Association.

4 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Charts and Tables... 6 Overview of the Comprehensive School Counseling Program. 7 Chapter One: Foundation.. 9 Mission Statements Beliefs and Philosophy Counselor Time Distribution.. 12 ASCA National Standards and Competencies 17 Demographics Needs Assessment and Advisory Team.. Outline of NJHS Comprehensive School Counseling Program Personal/Social MEASURE. 23 Academic/Career MEASURE. NJHS Master Calendar Chapter Two: Delivery System. 39 Guidance Curriculum.. 41 Personal/Social Academic/Career Individual Student Planning Responsive Services System Support Chapter Three: Management System 74 Management Agreements Advisory Council Use of Data Action Plans Use of Time. 80 Calendars. 81 Chapter Four: Accountability 90 Results Reports School Counselor Performance 92

5 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 5 The Program Audit. 94 Summary and Conclusion References. 126 Appendixes 135

6 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 6 List of Charts and Tables Page Figure 1: Time and Task Analysis Form 14 Table 1: Appropriate and Inappropriate School Counselor Duties Table 2: Figure 2: Middle School Counselor Time Distribution Form.. MEASURE Cycle. Figure 3: Personal/Social Umbrella.. 22 Figure 4: Academic/Career Umbrella.. 29 Table 3 : Data Used to Monitor Effectiveness of Comprehensive School Counseling Program Table 4 : School Guidance Curriculum/Closing the Gap Action Plan Components Table 5: NJHS Comprehensive School Counseling Program Five Year Plan Table 6 : NJHS Comprehensive School Counseling Program Master Calendar Table 7 : ASCA Counselor Performance Standards 93 Table 8 : ASCA National Standards as Applied to Newport Junior High School Comprehensive School Counseling Program Table 9 : ASCA Developmental Crosswalk as Applied to Newport Junior High School Comprehensive School Counseling Program

7 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 7 Overview of the Comprehensive School Counseling Program for Newport Junior High School The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, which is the current and agreed upon model for school counseling, has been created within the past five years (ASCA, 2005). In recognizing the identity crisis of school counseling as a profession (Cobia & Henderson, 2007; Dahir, 2001), many current school counselors are unaware of the ASCA National Model and have not yet adopted it. However, a comprehensive school counseling program allows all students equal access to services provided by the school s counseling program, and it is becoming a necessity that this model be implemented by all schools (ASCA, 2005; Cobia & Henderson, 2007; Gysbers & Henderson, 2000). This comprehensive program, outlined by the ASCA model, defines developmental competencies and abilities for students and standards for counselors and schools and facilitates student development in three domains: academic development, career development, and personal/social development (ASCA, 2005; Cobia & Henderson, 2007). This manuscript details a comprehensive program developed for the school counseling department at Newport Junior High School (NJHS) which follows the requirements above. It has been designed using existing research as a guideline, including The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (the ASCA National Model) (ASCA, 2005), Cobia and Henderson (2007), and several state models and resources. This document provides a detailed description of the foundation, delivery system, management system, and accountability system to implement a comprehensive school counseling program specifically designed to remove barriers to success for all students at Newport Junior High School. It is important to note this current design considers local demographic needs and

8 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 8 political conditions and will inevitably be affected by the evolving needs of students, parents/guardians, teachers, staff, and administration at NJHS.

9 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 9 Chapter One: FOUNDATION The ASCA National Model graphic is a registered trademark of the American School Counselor Association.

10 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 10 Mission Statement Newport Independent District Vision Statement Newport Independent School District aspires to be an exemplary school system, a system that delivers on the promise of providing all of the children of this community with access to high quality education, a safe, inviting environment and the best possible chances of success. With staff and student high expectations, improvement in academic performance will result from respect for student diversity, disciplined work, sustained professional development, and consistency over time. Parental and community support will guide student interests and decisions. Newport Independent District Mission Statement The Mission of Newport Independent School District is to nurture, guide, instruct, and challenge our students; to equip them with the intellectual and social skills needed to function successfully and wisely as adults in a complex, diverse world. Newport Junior High School Counseling Program Mission Statement The mission of Newport Junior High School counseling program is to provide a comprehensive, developmental counseling program which will assist all students in acquiring the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to become effective students, responsible citizens, productive workers and lifelong learners. The comprehensive counseling program is an integral part of the school s total program which is committed to student diversity and the potential of all students to achieve success. By addressing the personal/social, academic, and career needs of all students, the comprehensive counseling program will equip students with the intellectual and social skills needed to function successfully and wisely as adults in a complex, diverse world.

11 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 11 Beliefs and Philosophy The Counseling Program at Newport Junior High School Believes: All students have the right to participate in the school counseling program. All students ethnic, cultural, and racial differences and special needs are considered in the planning and implementation of the school counseling program. The school, home, and community are equally responsible for the educational development of our students. Education is a lifelong process in which individuals grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally. Newport Junior High School s Counseling Program Should Include: A delivery system that includes individual counseling and guidance, classroom guidance, peer programs, group counseling, consultations and coordination of services with stakeholders within the school and community. Τhe creation, collection, and synthesis of data on Newport Junior High School annually by administering needs assessments to students, faculty, staff, administration, and parents of NJHS, as well as local community agencies who regularly collaborate with the NJHS school counselor. Τhe annual collection and synthesis of local, state, and national data, including utilization of the annual school report card to evaluate program effectiveness and identify areas of concern. The Counselor at Newport Junior High School Will: Collaborate with all school personnel and stakeholders in order to implement a

12 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 12 comprehensive school counseling program available to all students with the understanding this program is a part of the larger school system and cannot be accomplished by one individual (House & Hays, 2002; Cobia & Henderson, 2007). Abide by professional school counselor ethical standards and professional guidelines as specified by the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005) (see Appendices A and B). Abide by the American School Counselor Association (2005) suggestions of appropriate professional school counseling duties and coordinate with school administration to eliminate inappropriate school counseling duties currently implemented (refer to Table 1). Advocate for the academic, career, and personal/social well-being of all students. School Counselor Time Distribution Structured planning of the school counselor s time is essential in implementing the comprehensive school counseling program designed to meet the needs of all students (ASCA 2005). According to ASCA (2005) and Cobia & Henderson (2007), school counselors will distribute their time between: School counseling curriculum: classroom guidance and school-wide activities Individual student planning: appraisal, advisement, and placement follow-up Responsive services: consultation, personal counseling, crisis counseling, and referral System support: research and development, professional development, staff/community public relations, community outreach, and program management (Cobia & Henderson, 2007). According to the ASCA National Model, the majority of the school counselor s time

13 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 13 should be spent in direct services with students, staff, and families (ASCA, 2005). As a first step to understanding NJHS counselor s use of time it is recommended that the school counselor keep track and document the activities performed throughout the days (ASCA, 2005). This allows school counselors and administrators to determine where the focus of time is going and how much time is being spent on non-school-counseling activities such as administrative tasks. The Counselor Time and Task Analysis Form is presented in Figure 1 below.

14 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 14 Figure 1: Time and Task Analysis Form Counselor Time & Task Analysis Form Time Guidance Curriculum Individual Planning Responsive Services System Support Nonguidance Activities 7 7:30 7: :30 8: :30 9: :30 10: :30 11: :30 12: :30 1: :30 2: :30 3: :30 4: :30 5: :30 6: :30 7: :30 8:30 9 Guidance Curriculum Individual Planning Responsive Services System Support Nonguidance Activities Number of Blocks: Daily Percentage: Total Number of Blocks: Total Percentages:

15 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 15 School counselors intending to deliver a comprehensive school counseling model should eliminate or reassign inappropriate school counseling duties as defined by the ASCA National Model (2005) in order to meet this goal of being in direct service to and contact with students. Appropriate and inappropriate school counseling duties (ASCA, 2005) are presented in Table 1 below. Furthermore, the time distribution for a middle school counselor as recommended by the ASCA National Model is presented in Table 2. This provides an opportunity for the school counselor to assess the time they are currently spending on inappropriate activities as compared to recommended practices. Additionally, one and two year goals can be charted to allow the counselor to track the progress toward more effective practices over the course of time.

16 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 16 Table 1: Appropriate and Inappropriate School Counselor Duties Appropriate Activities Individual student academic program planning Interpreting cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests Counseling students who are tardy or absent Counseling students who have disciplinary problems Counseling students as to appropriate school dress Collaborating with teachers to present guidance curriculum lessons Analyzing grade-point averages in relationship to achievement Interpreting student records Providing teachers with suggestions for better management of study halls Ensuring that student records are maintained as per state and federal regulations Assisting the school principle with identifying and resolving student issues, needs and problems Working with students to provide small- and large-group counseling services Inappropriate Activities Registration and scheduling of all new students Coordinating or administering cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests Responsibility for 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 Supervising study halls Clerical record keeping Assisting with duties in the principal s office Work with one student at a time in a therapeutic, clinical mode Advocating for students at individual education plan meetings, student study teams and school attendance review boards Disaggregated data analysis Preparation of individual education plans, student study teams and school attendance review boards Data entry

17 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 17 Table 2: Middle School Counselor Time Distribution Form Curriculum Ind. Planning Responsive System Supt. Delivery System Current % of Year One Goal Year Two Goal Recommended Components Time Spent Percentage Guidance Curriculum 25% - 35% Individual Student Planning 15% - 25% Responsive Services 30% - 40% System Support 10% - 15% ASCA National Standards and Competencies Standards and competencies defined at the national level will provide a foundation for the implementation, evaluation, and progression of the NJHS comprehensive school counseling program. For nationally defined standards and competencies, the counseling department will consult the ASCA National Model (2005). Currently the Kentucky state counseling department

18 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 18 does not have standards dedicated to school counseling. There is a movement toward the ASCA National Model that is in place, and it will be the school counselor s responsibility to stay informed as to the progress of the State Standards to incorporate them appropriately into the comprehensive school counseling program when available. Demographics Newport Junior High School transitioned this year from Newport Middle School (NMS). One impetus for this transition was the unsuccessful transition on a number of students from middle school to high school, resulting in a higher dropout rate. The following report card statistics are based on the former Newport Middle School ( ) school year. These is the most current statistics online; but, it is the responsibility of the school counselor to be informed of the most current statistics in order to alter the comprehensive school program accordingly. According to the Kentucky School Report Card (2008), Newport Middle School had an enrollment of 397 students in grades 6 through 8, with an average retention rate of 1.7% and a dropout rate of.4%. The average attendance rate was 95.6%. The ethnicity composition of NMS was approximately 79% Caucasian, 13% Black-American, and 2.9% Hispanic, and 5.1% other or undeclared. The % of free and reduced lunch is approximately 80%. NMH met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the school year, but has not been identified for school improvement according to the AYP specifications of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The students participating in the free and reduced lunch program did not meet the AYP standards, but earned a safe harbor, making significant improvement. There were 397 students at NJH with 343 students who had at least one parent attend a parent teacher conference. The overall student performance rate on all state tests is 42.9%.

19 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 19 Newport Middle School is located in Newport, Kentucky. According to the Public School Review (2010), Newport has an approximate population of 36,542 people with an average household median income of $37,016. On average, 26% of individuals over the age of 25 have earned a college degree. Needs Assessments and Advisory Team Conducting needs assessments with all NJHS stakeholders, including students, parents/guardians, teachers, administration, and staff members, will be the first step, after solidifying the foundation, to fully defining and implementing a comprehensive school counseling program (see Appendices C, D, E, F, and G). The needs assessment will be the starting point for direction of possible changes within the Delivery System. It is the school counselor s responsibility to express the importance of involvement of all stakeholders. Needs assessments will ensure areas of importance are prioritized and identified by the school counselor when considering programs to be incorporated into the Delivery System of the comprehensive school counseling program, as detailed in Chapter Two, and will provide an ongoing procedure by which the school counseling program can be evaluated and improved. Further, these needs assessments will ensure an appropriate plan of action is implemented, as discussed in Chapter Three. Refer to Figures 3 and 4 for an outline of programs to be implemented in the Delivery System of the comprehensive school counseling program after review of the (or the most current available) NJHS Student and Teacher Needs Assessments (see appendices H and I) and the 2008 NJHS Report Card (see Appendix J). In addition to the needs assessments given to stakeholders, a Newport Junior High School Advisory Team will be created and led by the NJHS counseling staff to provide council and

20 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 20 direction in the stages of implementation and evaluation of the program. The advisory council will include representatives from all entities and individuals which have relations with the school, including the student body, parents or guardians of students, teachers, administration, staff members, and community organizations. The NJHS Advisory Team will be kept to a minimum of 8 members and a maximum of 20 members, as is advised by ASCA (2005). This team will be the guiding force by which the school counseling program can ensure all students, as well as all other stakeholder concerns, values, and needs are appropriately and effectively met. Prospective candidates will be personally invited by the NJHS counseling staff to be a part of the advisory team (see Appendix K), and all members will be encouraged to make a commitment to sit on the council for a minimum of one year. Outline of Newport Junior High School Comprehensive School Counseling Program The following represents the basic outline of the Newport Junior High School Comprehensive School Counseling Program. Figure 4 introduces an assessment method called Mission, Elements, Analyze, Stakeholders-Unite, Results, Educate (MEASURE), which is an effective way of assessing the NJHS comprehensive school counseling program, as it shows how students have changed as a result of school counselor and stakeholder efforts. Figures 3 and 4 portray a description of programs offered within the delivery system of the comprehensive school counseling program, as described in Chapter 2. The MEASURE following each figure describes stakeholder action to be taken to implement the comprehensive school counseling program, as well as how to assess the effectiveness of efforts described within each MEASURE. In Chapters 1 and 3 there is a NJHS Master Calendar which details when each program will be delivered to all students after all components of the comprehensive school counseling program are implemented.

21 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 21 Figure 2: MEASURE Cycle Educate: Educate all stakeholders of efforts to move data and the Results of these efforts Mission: To connect NJHS s mission to the ASCA National Model Results: Data is used to revise existing MEASURE or identify starting point for new MEASURE Element: Target of specific baseline data and action plan to impact specified data Stakeholders- Unite: Stakeholders work together to impact overall data Analyze: Further disaggregate data to target specifics within the Element.

22 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 22 Figure 3: Personal/Social Umbrella Personal/Social Suicide Teen Anger Positive Bullying and Prevention Pregnancy Management Leadership Harassment QPR Training for CG: Preventing STEAM Teen Counselors Teen Counselors staff Pregnancy Signs of Suicide Counselor Camp Joy The Olweus program for students Leadership Program Bullying Preventions Healthy Visions Visiting community Leaders in Action Parental Involvement After school Ambassadors

23 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 23 PERSONAL/SOCIAL MEASURE Mission, Element, Analyze, Stakeholders-Unite, Results, Educate A Six-Step Accountability Process for School Counselors Name and Address of School: Newport Junior High School, 30 West 8 th Street, Newport, KY Principal: David Upchurch Name of Counselor(s) Leading the Initiative: Samantha Bucher Enrollment: 397 School Demographics: Caucasian/Non-Hispanic: 79% Black-American: 13% Hispanic: 2.9% Other: 5.1% Free/reduced lunch: 80% English as Second Language: 2% Special Education: 17% STEP ONE: MISSION Mission Connect your work to your school s mission in keeping with the ASCA or your state s comprehensive school counseling model. The mission of Newport Junior High School counseling program is to provide a comprehensive, developmental counseling program which will assist all students in acquiring the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to become effective students, responsible citizens, productive workers and lifelong learners. The comprehensive counseling program is an integral part of the school s total program which is committed to student diversity and the potential of all students to achieve success. By addressing the personal/social, academic, and career needs of all students, the comprehensive counseling program will equip students with the intellectual and social skills needed to function successfully and wisely as adults in a complex, diverse world. STEP TWO: ELEMENT

24 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 24 Element What critical data element are you trying to impact? (Examples include grades, test scores, attendance, promotion rates, graduation rates, postsecondary going rate, enrollment into honors or AP courses, special education, discipline referral data, and so on. What is the baseline for the data element? Where do you hope to move it (goal)? Element: School wide discipline referrals, expulsion and suspensions Baseline: 8 out of 10 Students receive a form of discipline weekly. Goal: Decrease school wide discipline by 50% STEP THREE: ANALYZE Analyze the data element. You can use percentages, averages, raw scores, quartiles, or stanines. You can aggregate or disaggregate the data to better understand which students are meeting success. You can disaggregate by gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or in a multitude of ways to look at student groupings. The baseline data revealed: STEP FOUR: STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE to develop strategies to impact the data element Beginning Date: August 2011 Ending Date: May 2012 Stakeholders Strategies School counselor(s) Deliver faculty and staff training for identification of bullies Notify faculty of bully repeaters Deliver classroom guidance on bullying and conflict resolution Conduct problem solving groups Help establish peer mediation program Work closely with community agency to provide sessions for conflict resolution Honor students with certificates for acts of kindness Administrator(s) Provide leadership and support for all facets of the program

25 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 25 Compare and school year data Teachers Collaborated with counselor to create safe classrooms Focus on team approach to assist students rather than writing office referrals Implemented behavioral interventions for students. Students Participate in peer tutoring when referred or self-referred. Participate in peer mediation and anger management training Actively participate in classroom guidance Identified bullies and tell adults Learned when to seek help from adults Sports Teams Coaches encouraged students to join sports teams to learn discipline and positive leadership skills Parents Ask counselor for strategies to help their child Participate in PTA Youth and Community Associations Community churches offered retreats focusing on anger management and healthy self-expression skills Camp Joy Leadership Program Other Support Staff Made counselor aware of potential situations of conflict Parent Teacher Associations Helped in PTA meetings where the mission of the school was shared Welcomed parents to serve as volunteers at the school Participated in Parental Involvement Prevention Program STEP FIVE: RESULTS Results Restate your baseline data. State where your data are now. Did you meet your goal? Restate baseline data: Results (data now): Met goal: Yes No

26 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 26 Questions to consider as you examine results and revise your MEASURE: Which strategies had a positive impact on the data? Which strategies should be replaced, changed, or added? Based on what you have learned, how will you revise Step Four, Stakeholders- Unite? How did your MEASURE contribute to systemic change(s) in your school and/or in your community? STEP SIX: EDUCATE Educate others as to your efforts to move data. Develop a report card that shows how the work of the school counselor(s) is connected to the mission of the schools and to student success. Following is an example of a report card.

27 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 27 Newport Junior High School MEASURE OF SUCCESS Principal: David Upchurch School Counselor(s): Samantha Bucher Enrollment: 397 Principal s Comment Results School Counselor(s) s Comment Critical Data Element(s) Faces Behind the Data Systemic Changes Stakeholders Involved Counselor(s): Administrator: Teachers: Parents: Students: Colleges and Universities: Business Partners: NOTE: The Educate step in MEASURE has been adapted with permission from the Student Personnel Accountability Report Card sponsored by the California Department of Education and Los Angeles County Office of Education.

28 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 28 Figure 4: Academic Umbrella Academic and Career Failing Grades Making Mistakes Dropout Prevention Future Quarterly Incentives for All Passing Grades Quarterly Organization Check High School to Junior High Peer Tutoring College/Military Fair Weekly Homework Help Testing Taking Strategies Guidance Curriculum Quarterly Meeting with Counselor Career Fair Group Counseling for Retained Students

29 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 29 ACADEMIC/CAREER MEASURE Mission, Element, Analyze, Stakeholders-Unite, Results, Educate A Six-Step Accountability Process for School Counselors Name and Address of School: Newport Junior High School, 30 West 8 th Street, Newport, KY Principal: David Upchurch Name of Counselor(s) Leading the Initiative: Samantha Bucher Enrollment: 397 School Demographics: Caucasian/Non-Hispanic: 79% Black-American: 13% Hispanic: 2.9% Other: 5.1% Free/reduced lunch: 80% English as Second Language: 2% Special Education: 17% STEP ONE: MISSION Mission Connect your work to your school s mission in keeping with the ASCA or your state s comprehensive school counseling model. The mission of Newport Junior High School counseling program is to provide a comprehensive, developmental counseling program which will assist all students in acquiring the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to become effective students, responsible citizens, productive workers and lifelong learners. The comprehensive counseling program is an integral part of the school s total program which is committed to student diversity and the potential of all students to achieve success. By addressing the personal/social, academic, and career needs of all students, the comprehensive counseling program will equip students with the intellectual and social skills needed to function successfully and wisely as adults in a complex, diverse world. STEP TWO: ELEMENT

30 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 30 Element What critical data element are you trying to impact? (Examples include grades, test scores, attendance, promotion rates, graduation rates, postsecondary going rate, enrollment into honors or AP courses, special education, discipline referral data, and so on. What is the baseline for the data element? Where do you hope to move it (goal)? Element: Drop Out Rate Baseline: During the school year, 8.4% of students dropped out. Goal: Decrease the dropout rate to 4%. STEP THREE: ANALYZE Analyze the data element. You can use percentages, averages, raw scores, quartiles, or stanines. You can aggregate or disaggregate the data to better understand which students are meeting success. You can disaggregate by gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or in a multitude of ways to look at student groupings. The baseline data revealed: Over 50% of drop outs are minorities. Having to repeat a grade increases the chance that a student will drop out. Students with behavior issues are the most likely to drop out. STEP FOUR: STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE to develop strategies to impact the data element Beginning Date: August 2011 Ending Date: May 2012 Stakeholders Strategies School counselor(s) Work with elementary and intermediate teachers to identify students with behavior issues early on. Incorporate goal-setting, peer tutoring and peer mentoring programs. Meet with each student during their freshman year. Create NJHS PTA.

31 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 31 Match identified (behavior issues/retained) students with a peer tutor/mentor. Administrator(s) Support the school counselor by allowing time in the NJHS Master Calendar for programs delivered and/or supported by the comprehensive school counseling program. Support the school counselor by providing space to hold programs delivered and/or supported by the comprehensive school counseling program. Collaborate with school counselor to provide teacher and community stakeholder in-services regarding student academic, career, and personal/social development. Encourage collaboration among all stakeholders, namely regarding coordinating referrals, counseling sessions, individual student planning sessions, and guidance curriculum lessons. Re-assign non-essential school counseling duties, as recommended by ASCA National Model, to front office personnel. Teachers Identify students with behavioral issues and notify counselor. Incorporate journaling activities as discussed with school counselor into curriculum. Assist in referring students to NJHS for peer tutoring. Assist in referring students to NJHS peer mentoring. Assist in identifying failing freshman and sophomore students. Cooperate with school counselor to implement guidance curriculum activities into classrooms. Attend and participate in all inservices provided by administration and/or the school counselor. Assist and cooperate with school

32 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 32 counselor in coordinating Individual Student Planning appointments, and in scheduling all other student appointments affiliated with the comprehensive counseling program. Students Participate in peer tutoring when referred or self-referred. Participate in peer mentoring when referred or self-referred. Keep and maintain goal-setting records. Participate in classroom guidance activities. Student organizations (clubs, teams, etc.) NJHS: Conduct peer tutoring for referred students. NJHS: Serve as peer mentors for stressed students. Parents Attend Parent/Teacher Conferences. Contact counselor as necessary for student progress. Monitor and praise student progress and success. Encourage and praise completion of homework assignments and participation in peer tutoring, peer mentoring, and other activities implemented by comprehensive counseling program. Participate in PTA Community agency members Gear Up: Tutor failing freshman & sophomore students to prevent dropouts. Kids Café: Provide homework help for students in need of academic assistance. Brighton Center: Provide literacy support for families and students. Boys and Girls Club: Provide after school homework help for students. Local business owners Participate in Career Fair. Encourage and allow students to job shadow at their businesses. Colleges and universities Participate in College/Military Fair. Invite NJHS students to their respective campuses. STEP FIVE: RESULTS

33 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 33 Results Restate your baseline data. State where your data are now. Did you meet your goal? Restate baseline data: Results (data now): Met goal: Yes No Questions to consider as you examine results and revise your MEASURE: Which strategies had a positive impact on the data? Which strategies should be replaced, changed, or added? Based on what you have learned, how will you revise Step Four, Stakeholders- Unite? How did your MEASURE contribute to systemic change(s) in your school and/or in your community? STEP SIX: EDUCATE Educate others as to your efforts to move data. Develop a report card that shows how the work of the school counselor(s) is connected to the mission of the schools and to student success. Following is an example of a report card.

34 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 34 Newport Junior High School MEASURE OF SUCCESS Principal: David Upchurch School Counselor(s): Samantha Bucher Enrollment: 397 Principal s Comment Results School Counselor(s) s Comment Critical Data Element(s) Faces Behind the Data Systemic Changes Stakeholders Involved Counselor(s): Administrator: Teachers: Parents: Students: Colleges and Universities: Business Partners: NOTE: The Educate step in MEASURE has been adapted with permission from the Student Personnel Accountability Report Card sponsored by the California Department of Education and Los Angeles County Office of Education.

35 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 35 NJHS Master Calendar Comprehensive School Counseling Program Month Grades Activity ASCA National Standards August 7 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -8 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -8 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -9 th Quarterly Incentives for all passing grades (ongoing) Quarterly check in with students organizations by teachers (ongoing) QPR: training for Staff Signs of Suicide for students Teaching Organizational Skills High School to Junior High Peer Tutoring (ongoing) Group Counseling for Retained Students (ongoing) Homework Help- Weekly Tutoring (ongoing) Service Learning with Teachers(ongoing) A:A1.1;A:A1.2;A:A1.3;A:A1.4;A:A1.5; A:A2.2;A:A2.3;A:A2.4;A:A3.1;A:A3.2; A:A3.3;A:A3.4;A:A3.5;A:B1.1;A:B1.2; A:B1.3;A:B1.4;A:B1.5;A:B1.6;A:B1.7; A:B2.1;A:B2.2 ;A:B2.3 ;A:B2.4;A:B2.5; A:B2.6;A:C1.1;A:C1.4; A:A2.1;A:C1.5; A:C1.6; A:B2.7;A:C1.3; A:C1.2; C:A2.9;C:C1.1;C:A1.6;C:A1.10;C:A2.1 ;C:A2.8;C:C1.2;C:A1.7; C:A1.3; C:A1.4; C:A1.9;C:A2.2; C:A2.4; C:A2.5;C:A2.7; C:B2.3;C:C2.2;C:C2.3 C:A1.2;C:A1.3; C:A1.4; C:A1.5; C:A1.8;C:B1.1C:B2.1; C:B2.4;C:C1.7;C:C2.1;C:A2.3;C:B1.2; C:B1.7; C:C2.2; C:C2.3;C:C2.4;C:A1.1; C:B1.5;C:B1.8; PS:A1.1;PS:A1.4;PS:A1.11;PS:A2.6;PS: A2.8;PS;C1.5;PS.C1.9 Brighton Center (ongoing)

36 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 36 7 th -9 th Teen Counselors (ongoing) 7 th -9 th Identifying Student for Positive Leadership Roles (on-going) Quarterly meeting with Counselor if at-risk Crayons to Computers (ongoing) 7 th -9 th September 7 th 7th-9th 7th-8th 7th-9th 7th-9th Teaching Organizational Skills Test Taking Strategies with Counselor Olweus Bullying Prevention Program S.T.A.N.D. Teacher in Service (anger management) A:A1.1;A:A1.2;A:A1.3;A:A1.4;A:A2.1; A:A2.4;A:A3.1;A:A3.4;A:A3.5;A:B1.1; A:B1.2;A:B1.3;A:B1.5; A:A1.5;A:A2.1;A:A2.2;A:A2.3;A:A2.4; A:A3.1;A:A3.4;A:A3.5;A:B1.1; A:B1.2;A:B1.3;A:B1.4;A:B1.5;A:B1.6; A:B1.7;A:B2.1;A:B2.2 ;A:B2.3 ;A:B2.4; A:B2.5;A:B2.6;A:C1.1;A:C1.4;A:C1.5; A:C1.6;C:A1.7;C:A1.10;C:A2.1;C:A2.8; C:A2.9;C:C1.1;PS:A1.1;PS:A1.2;PSA1.5-9;PS:A2.2-7;PS:B1.2;PS:B1.7-8;PS:C1.3-6;PS:C1.9; PS:A1.2-3;PS:A1.10;PS: PS:B1.9;PS:B1.11;PS.C1.7;PS:A2.1; PS:A2.3; October 7 th- 9 th 7 th -8 th 7th-9th 7th-9th Career Fair Teen Pregnancy: Who has the most influence? CG: Anger Management CG: STEAM A:A1.2;A:A1.3;A:A1.5;A:B1.1;A:B2.7; A:C1.3;A:C1.4;A:C1.5;A:C1.6; C:A1.2;C:A2.2;C:A2.6;C:A2.8;C:B1.5; C:B1.8;C:B2.1; PS:C1.9;PS:A1.1:PS:A1.6-8;PS:B1.2-3;PS:C1.3-7;PS:A1.1-2;PS:A1.5-9:PS:A2.3; PS:A2.6-7; PS:B1.4;PS:B1.6-7;PS:C1.5;PS:C1.7;PS:C1.10;PS:A1.1-3;PS:A1.9;PS:A2.1-4;PS:A2.6-7;PS:B1.3;PS:B1.6;PS:B1.9;PS:B

37 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 37 8 th -9 th Camp Joy November 7 th- 9 th 7 th -9 th 7 th -9 th Signs of Suicide for Students S.T.A.N.D. Community Service Project PS:A1.1-2;PS:A1.5-6;PS:A1.6-8;PS:A1.11;PS:A2.6;PS:B1.2-5;PS:C1.5-7;PS:C ; PS:A1.2-3;PS:A1.10;PS:A2.6-7; PS:B1.9;PS:B1.11;PS.C1.7;PS:A2.1; PS:A2.3; December 7 th- 9 th Healthy Visions PS:A1.1-2;PS:A1.4-8;PS:A1.11 PS:A2.5;PS:B1.1;PS:B1.3;PS:B1.5 PS:B1.8;PS:C January 7 th- 9 th Signs of Suicide for Students PS:A1.1-2;PS:A1.5-6;PS:A1.6-8;PS:A1.11;PS:A2.6;PS:B1.2-5;PS:C1.5-7;PS:C ; February 7 th- 8 th Olweus Bullying Prevention Program PS:A1.1;PS:A1.2;PSA1.5-9;PS:A2.2-7;PS:B1.2;PS:B1.7-8;PS:C1.3-6;PS:C1.9 March 7 th- 8 th 7 th -9 th 7th-9th Teen Pregnancy: Who has the most influence? S.T.A.N.D. Community Service Project PS:C1.9;PS:A1.1:PS:A1.6-8;PS:B1.2-3;PS:C1.3-7; PS:A1.2-3;PS:A1.10;PS:A2.6-7; PS:B1.9;PS:B1.11;PS.C1.7;PS:A2.1; PS:A2.3;

38 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 38 April 7 th- 9 th 7 th -9 th College/Military Fair Camp Joy A:A1.2A:A1.3;A:A1.5;A:B1.1;A:B2.7; A:C1.3;A:C1.4;A:C1.5;A:C1.6; C:A1.2;C:A2.2;C:A2.6;C:A2.8;C:B1.5; C:B1.8;C:B2.1; PS:A1.1-3;PS:A1.9;PS:A2.1-4;PS:A2.6-7;PS:B1.3;PS:B1.6;PS:B1.9;PS:B ; May 7 th- 9 th 7th-9th S.T.A.N.D. S.T.A.N.D. School-Wide Presentation PS:A1.2-3;PS:A1.10;PS:A2.6-7; PS:B1.9;PS:B1.11;PS.C1.7;PS:A2.1; PS:A2.3;

39 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 39 Chapter Two: Delivery System The ASCA National Model graphic is a registered trademark of the American School Counselor Association.

40 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 40 Delivery System The delivery system is the how of the implementation process (ASCA, 2005). Counselors are in a unique position to collaborate with administration, faculty, and staff to provide each classroom with unique activities promoting each student s academic, career, and personal/social development (ASCA, 2005; Cobia & Henderson, 2007). The Delivery System includes preventive and developmental activities and sessions delivered: in the classroom setting as part of curriculum instruction, in the form of individual or small group student planning sessions, and in the form of responsive services such as small groups, referrals, and peer mediation groups. These programs may also include assemblies, field trips, community service projects, retreats, and parent workshops promoting student academic, career, and personal/social development. Each activity implemented in the Delivery System shall reflect the needs of the NJHS population based upon the Annual NJHS Report Card, annual needs assessments, selfreferrals, and teacher referrals. The needs assessments are collected from all the stakeholders in order to get the most comprehensive view as to what areas need to be addressed to help the students achieve success in all areas of their lives. Specific topics to be addressed in the Delivery System will fall under two categories: Personal/Social and Academic/Career. These two broad categories have been chosen because they are the two areas of primary concern for the NJHS teacher and student population, as per the NJHS Needs Assessment and School Report Card Data. The guidance curriculum is composed of various topics relating to social issues and vocational and college preparation. Further, the Individual Student Planning component of the Delivery System will primarily target Academic/Career, and the Responsive Services component of the Delivery

41 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 41 System will primarily target Social. The System Support component of the Delivery System, whose services will be incorporated into either MEASURE as deemed appropriate, includes collaboration with various resources to ensure all programs and services are implemented at a high quality and available to all students. Collaboration to implement the delivery system is crucial, as the school counselor does not have sole responsibility for the comprehensive school counseling program (Cobia & Henderson, 2007). Finally, assessments built into each component implemented as part of the delivery system will evaluate student progress in the following ways, including but not limited to: observing academic scores, attendance records, discipline records, surveys, or by implementing a MEASURE (Mission, Elements, Analyze, Stakeholders-Unite, Results, Educate) (Stone & Dahir, 2007). Guidance Curriculum According to ASCA (2005), the guidance curriculum is the written instructional program that is comprehensive in scope, preventative and proactive, developmental in design, coordinated by school counselors, and delivered as appropriate by school counselors and other educators. Each component of the guidance curriculum will be specified as Counselor Delivered or Counselor Supported to maintain proper school counselor time allocation listed above. Counselors, teachers, and/or community agencies typically deliver the guidance curriculum through planned activities in which entire classes of students participate. The NJHS guidance curriculum will include four parts: classroom instruction, interdisciplinary curriculum development, group activities and parent workshops and instruction. The school counselor will be responsible for laying the groundwork for learning with thorough and thoughtful planning units and lessons (see Appendix L). The guidance curriculum, which includes various modes of

42 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 42 delivery, will be discussed according to two categories: Social, and Academic/Career. Although programs facilitated through the guidance curriculum primarily fall under either the category of Social or Academic/Career, additional topics may be included in the delivery system as deemed necessary. These services will be incorporated into the Social or Academic/Career MEASURE as appropriate. Personal/Social School counselors will collaborate with faculty, administration, and staff to implement preventive and developmental programs in every classroom at NJHS. These networks will enable an interdisciplinary developmental and preventive curriculum to be implemented by coordinating with teachers and staff to integrate personal/social development with academic subjects (ASCA, 2005). According to recent NJHS student needs assessments, over 50% of students were concerned about suicide or hurting oneself, teen pregnancy, anger management and bullying or harassment. Although other areas of concern were demonstrated on the needs assessments, the above areas can be addressed through multiple parts of the delivery system, including classroom instruction, interdisciplinary development, and school-wide activities. To address the broad spectrum of social issues, classroom guidance lessons will be delivered on: suicide prevention/hurting oneself, teen pregnancy, anger management and bullying or harassment. One of the major concerns from teachers and administrators at NJHS has been the trend toward negative leadership among the students. To turn this trend around we will be giving students an opportunity to get involved in a positive leadership organization, including a weekend retreat and community service activities. This positive leadership component will provide positive

43 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 43 behavior examples for the school community and will help to combat the issues of bullying or harassment and anger management. Suicide Prevention Over 600 Kentuckians die each year from suicide. The suicide rate in Kentucky is the twelfth in the country and it is the second leading cause of death for Kentucky citizens of all ages (Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group (KSPG), 2008). According to the Kentucky Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 15 percent of Kentucky high school students (1 in 7) reported having seriously considered suicide within a 12-month period. In addition, 17.4 percent of Kentucky middle school students (nearly 1 in 5) reported that they had seriously considered killing themselves at some point in their lives. (Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (KCHFS), 2010) Despite these statistics, experts believe that suicide is one of the most preventable forms of death. Suicide prevention is reliant on the people closest to the at-risk person to identify the signs and intervene by getting them referred to a mental health provider (Quinnett, 2007). Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear, signed a law in April 2010 requiring all school administrators, counselors, and teachers to receive at least two hours of training on suicide prevention each year. Therefore, in accordance with Kentucky law and in keeping with the results of the student needs assessments, the NJHS comprehensive school counseling program will provide several intervention strategies in suicide prevention. QPR suicide prevention gatekeeper training. Before the beginning of school, all staff will attend an in-service QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer. According to the Surgeon General s National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (2001), key gatekeepers are people who regularly come into contact with

44 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 44 individuals or families in distress and gatekeeper training has been identified as one of a number of promising prevention strategies (Quinnett, 2007). In addition, Quinnett references research from Garland and Zigler (1993) and Kalafat and Elias (1995) stating, The potential of gatekeeper training programs has been documented as a promising tool in school settings to enhance intervention for youth at elevated risk for suicide (2007). Therefore, the QPR training will provide the first line of defense in suicide prevention at NJHS (see Appendix M and N). Journaling. To incorporate personal/social development areas into classroom learning experiences, teachers, staff, and counselors should collaborate to implement and evaluate the use of journals. During English classes teachers can assign students to write weekly personal freewriting journals which encourage self-reflection and exploration (Young, 2009). These journals would likely encourage students to explore issues regarding stress, self-esteem, and anger management. Teachers will review the journals mainly to check for participation, but, they will also have the opportunity to look for signs of crisis (see Appendix O). Signs of suicide program for students. In November, all students will go through the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program. SOS is a two day guidance program that includes both prevention screening and education. Students are taught to recognize signs of depression and suicide in themselves and others, as well as the appropriate response to these signs. Students will also participate in guided classroom discussions about suicide and depression (see Appendix P and Q). Teen Pregnancy Teen pregnancy continues to be a concern in the Newport School District. Early intervention and education is the strategy for the NJHS comprehensive school counseling

45 NEWPORT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 45 program. Through classroom guidance lessons at the 7 th and 8 th grade levels, students will explore this issue. In addition, the school counselor will meet one on one with students through referrals from administration, teachers, parents, or the student themselves. Teen pregnancy guidance program. The teen pregnancy classroom guidance program that will be used is titled, Preventing Teen Pregnancy: Who has the most influence (see Appendix R)? According to the National Campaign on Teen Pregnancy (2010), Teenagers who have strong emotional attachments to their parents are much less likely to become sexually active at an early age and less likely to have a teen pregnancy. The curriculum selected will allow students to explore and discuss ways in which peers, parents, schools, and the media influence teenagers decisions and behaviors regarding sex and pregnancy prevention. In the end they will create projects to educate parents on the role they can play to prevent teen pregnancy. This lesson plan will be implemented in October by the 7 th and 8 th grade Language Arts teachers over a three day period (see Appendix S). Healthy visions. Because teenagers have a tendency to believe it will never happen to me, another program in the comprehensive plan is to take students through a five day program series regarding healthy relationships and healthy decision making. Healthy Vision's Life Skills Program educates student to help them make informed decisions about their sexual health, relationships, and drug and alcohol abuse (see Appendix T). They will cover topics such as cyberrelated issues such as Facebook and sex-ting, healthy dating relationships including topics such as controlling and abusive relationships, as well as the negative effects of using alcohol and drugs. The healthy visions program is nationally recognized. Their peer speakers relate to students candidly and on their level as they challenge them on core issues of self-respect and self-control.