GUID 5950 School Counseling Internship Application and Information Dear Student: The information is designed to facilitate the Internship application process and to enhance the quality of the Internship experience for the School Counseling program. The current policies and procedures in effect as of August, 2015 are: 1. Student is responsible for reading all information thoroughly. 2. Note application deadlines: Sept. 25, 2015 for Spring 2016 and February 19, 2016 for Fall 2016. 3. Note that all theory and core courses must be complete. Essentially, this should be your last course. The student must be eligible for graduation at the end of the semester in which they do their Internship. 4. Internship consists of 150 total contact hours. Two thirds, or 100 hours, must be completed in an accredited school under the supervision of a certified Professional School Counselor. The onsite supervisor should have at least two years experience as a school counselor. The other 50 hours will be completed in the Internship class and the Center for Brief Counseling Clinic on campus. The class will meet from 4:30 pm to 7:50 pm as designated in the class schedule for the full semester. Attendance is crucial for students to complete the required hours. 5. Application for Internship must be made by the following dates. The School Counseling Curriculum Committee will not consider an application until the application and all requested information are submitted to the School Counseling office. For the fall semester, the Internship Application must be turned in by the end of the sixth week of the previous spring semester (for Fall 2016 the deadline is Friday, Feb. 19, 2016). For the spring semester the application must be in by the end of the sixth week of the prior fall semester (for Spring 2016, the deadline is September 25, 2015). Before submitting your application it is advisable to consult with your advisor. 6. NOTE MALPRACTICE INSURANCE MUST BE OBTAINED PRIOR TO THE START OF INTERNSHIP. Regular teacher, etc. malpractice does not provide the needed coverage (statement from OEA). Health Providers Service Organization (http://www.hpso.com/ ) is a recommended source for liability insurance. 1
You will need to provide proof of coverage before you start accumulating hours. 7. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to easily work with diverse populations (e.g. cultural, racial, religious, socio-economic status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation) and communicate their acceptance of the individual. Therefore, the school setting must provide a diverse experience. 8. Note that you fill out the application. It does not require signatures other than your own. 9. When you approach a counselor and/or principal about doing an Internship in their setting, be familiar with the course requirements. Then go over the requirements with the individuals and make sure you can meet these requirements in that setting. If you cannot meet the requirements, note any discrepancies on an attached sheet to the Internship application. If there appear to be large discrepancies, or if you are in doubt, contact the program coordinator immediately. Put your name in the blanks on the introductory letter to the principal/counselor. 10. A letter from the site principal and supervising counselor must accompany the application. This is to insure that all parties act in clear agreement to the proposal. Go over the list of requirements with the supervising counselor to make sure there are no major incompatibilities in requirements and what you can accomplish at the setting. 11. A current copy of your Oklahoma teaching certificate must be on file in the School Counseling office before you can be enrolled in Internship. 12. The formal written proposal for internship is due at the first class session. This is your first graded assignment for Internship. 13. The program coordinator MUST approve your portfolio prior to you receiving permission to enroll in Internship. The prospective Internship student is responsible for arranging an appointment with Dr, Beliele for this. 14. All students enrolled in GUID 5950 Internship will complete a background check through Trak-1 before they are placed in their internship setting. Background checks are valid for one academic calendar year. Ms. Emilee Bounds is the CEPS coordinator of background checks; please contact her at ebounds@uco.edu or 974-5105 if you have questions that cannot be found on our Frequently Asked Questions Webpage (http://www.uco.edu/ceps/trak-1/index.asp ). The cost of the background check is $10.29 to be paid directly to Trak-1 through a debit or credit card. To access the link to Trak-1 go to the yellow Quick Links section of the CEPS webpage: http://www.uco.edu/ceps/ 2
IMPORTANT: you are in the Advanced Professional and Special Services department and your program/major is School Counseling. 15. Finally, the Curriculum Committee will send you their approval or other recommendations concerning your Internship application. When your internship application is approved, you will receive an email with additional information from the program coordinator. 16. Students considering licensed professional counselor should also take GUID 5900 PRACTICUM at the end of 51 hours. Please contact the school counseling program coordinator for more information. Sincerely, Laressa Beliele, Ph.D., LPC Assistant professor, program coordinator School Counseling Program Donna Nigh Advanced Professional and Special Services University of Central Oklahoma 405-974-5290 3
Dear Principal/Counselor: is a graduate student at the University of Central Oklahoma where he/she is currently finishing the School Counseling program. The culmination of this program is the Internship experience. would like to explore with you the possibility of completing his/her Internship at your facility. She/he has a copy of the course requirements and will go over those with you to make sure that (1) it is mutually understood and agreed upon, and (2) that the general requirements can be completed at your facility. Thank you very much for your time and assistance. Should you have any questions, concerns, reservations, etc., please contact Dr. Laressa Beliele, LPC, Program Coordinator, at (405) 974-5290 or email at lbeliele@uco.edu. Sincerely, Laressa Beliele, Ph.D., LPC Assistant professor, program coordinator School Counseling Program, Advanced Professional and Special Services University of Central Oklahoma 405-974-5290 4
SCHOOL COUNSELING INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION: This course includes an intensive experiential component in school counseling. This course is an opportunity to utilize knowledge and skills gained in all courses in the School Counseling curriculum. GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1. To learn to function as a member of a developmental School counseling staff in a setting commensurate with employment expectations. 2. To develop a higher level of competence in the profession of school counseling and the ingredients of a balanced school counseling program. These ingredients are: a. Pedagogical Services: Systematic developmental guidance activities aimed at enhancing normal development and prevention. b. Counseling Services: Individual and group counseling. c. Student Assessment and Appraisal. d. Career and Vocational Development. e. Coordination Services (Emphasis on Referral). f. Placement Services. g. Consulting Services. h. Accountability Services. Note: Because each work setting is different, it may mean that all of these will not be equally explored during the Internship experience. Each area should be explored and consideration given to practical experience in each area. GENERAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Note: additional requirements may be made in class. 1. Application for Internship must be made by the end of the sixth week of the previous Fall or Spring semester. No applicant will be considered until the application and all requested information are submitted. This includes approval of the applicant s portfolio. Before submitting your application it is advisable to consult with your advisor. 2. A proposal, written and submitted to your University Internship Supervisor with the following considerations included is due by the first class session: a. Identification of the school selected for providing the Internship experience. Include a brief history and demographics of the setting. UCO, the College of Education, the Department of Advanced Professional and Special Services and in particular the School Counseling Program are firmly committed to promoting acceptance of all individuals. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to easily work with diverse populations (cultural, racial, religious, socio-economic status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation) and communicate their acceptance of the individual. These factors are assessed in GUID 5950 Internship. (See attached rubric for evaluation). It is required that the major internship site demonstrates diversity. 5
b. Identify the person under whose on-site supervision you will be for this Internship. (name, work phone number, email, and mailing address). Direct supervision will generally be under a certified school counselor with at least two years of experience. c. A description of the activities to be undertaken to develop competencies in a balanced school counseling program as listed in general objective two. (This may include other requirements than are listed.) d. A "time plan" with an indication of starting and termination dates. This must include at least one day with a block of 3 consecutive hours per week. Indicate the time of day, day of week, and any important variables (e.g., days you won't be there due to school holiday, professional conferences, etc.). 3. Developmental Guidance: a. Observe the school counselor preparing and presenting a classroom activity. b. Prepare a guidance activity for each grade level in your building. c. Present a developmental guidance activity in at least one class. d. Prepare a self-appraisal of your developmental guidance presentation. 4. Responsive Services: (Individual and Group Counseling) a. Interview new (transfer) students with at least one follow-up interview. b. Work with one or more students referred to the counselor s office for individual counseling. c. Work with a group of students who have been identified as having a common problem (academic failures, lonely, behavioral problems, etc.) d. Sit in on a parent counseling interview. 5. Student Assessment and Appraisal: a. Inventory all testing materials in your school and prepare an outline of the complete testing program, along with your suggestions for additions or changes. b. Observe and assist the counselor in preparing, administering, scoring, and interpreting test results on an individual and on a group basis. c. Sit in on and assist in a parent counseling interview where test interpretation and student placement constitutes the content of the session. 6. Other: a. Prepare or update and become familiar with a list of community resources available to the counseling office. b. Attend and participate in a staffing session (teachers, administrators, colleagues, community resource persons, etc.). c. Attend and participate in a planning session of the Guidance Personnel of the school. d. Attend and participate in an in-service activity. e. Attend workshops, conferences, conventions, district meetings, etc., as opportunities arise. 6
f. Keep a daily log and maintain a journal, including assessment of your activities and application of relevant theory. Copy of format will be provided. g. Assist in the daily activities of the counselor s office as required by your on-site supervisor. Students will be responsible for a log maintaining a record of at least four (4) hours of activities of their practicum in each of the following areas. Additional hours to total 100 may be accumulated in any of the areas or other school based guidance activities approved by the supervisor. Developmental Minimum* Classroom Guidance Activities 4 Large Group Activities 4 Small Group Activities 4 Counseling Individual 4 Group 4 Student Assessment e.g., New student intake, IEP 4 committees, school testing program, test interpretation for teachers, students or parents. Career and Vocational Development 4 e.g., Career day, career guidance, career placement, college or vocational placement Coordination and/or Contact with Community agencies, referral 4 Consulting with individuals & groups 4 Accountability/Guidance Program Evaluation 4 Professional Development 4 Attend guidance conferences and workshops Required hours in school setting 100 * If the intern setting does not provide opportunities in one of these areas the proposal must be approved by the program coordinator. 7
APPLICATION FOR SCHOOL COUNSELING INTERNSHIP to be submitted to Dr. Laressa Beliele I. NAME: Student ID#: ADDRESS: City State Zip PHONE: E-Mail: INTERNSHIP SITE: PRINCIPAL OR SUPERINTENDENT: SUPERVISING COUNSELOR: II. III. A letter from the site principal and supervising counselor must accompany this application. This is to insure that all parties act in clear agreement to the proposal. Go over the list of requirements with the supervising counselor to make sure there are no major incompatibilities in requirements and what you can accomplish at the setting. Semester/s you plan to do Internship (i.e. Spring 2016, etc.). Fall: Spring: IV. Guidance courses not completed prior to start of Internship. All theory courses, including Counseling Intervention Strategies MUST be completed. V. A current copy of your Oklahoma teaching certificate must be on file in the School Counseling office before you can be enrolled in Internship. Attach a copy of your teaching certificate if you have not previously submitted this to the School Counseling office. V. Proposed schedule for Internship hours. Time: (hours per week) (hours per day) Note: There should be at least one 3 hour block of time per week. Student's Signature: date: Are you also planning on enrolling in GUID 5900 Practicum)? yes no 8