School Counseling Department 2014 2015 Success Plan

School Counseling Department 2014 2015 Success Plan

Somers Central School District K-12 School Counseling Services Mission Statement: We, the Somers School District Counseling Department, will nurture our school community by advocating for and promoting a healthy learning environment in order to ensure individual student success in current and future endeavors. Vision An excellent school counseling program ensures that the importance of each student is recognized. We will make a concerted effort to communicate and demonstrate our concerns and commitment for each student. As a result, each student will feel that he or she is valued as a member of the school community. In an exemplary counseling department: Attention is focused on facilitating the successful transition of our students between the four schools. Each student and family is provided the information, assistance, and support that enable him or her to develop personalized educational and career goals. The social-emotional well-being and academic progress of each child are continually monitored, and appropriate services are initiated as needed. The resources of the department are available to individual students, families, classes, grade levels, and teachers. Professional learning is encouraged and supported in a collaborative environment. Values In order to advance our shared vision of an excellent counseling program, we will: Provide each child with a safe and caring environment that enables him or her to develop appropriate educational and career goals. Collaboratively monitor the social and emotional wellness of each child and deliver personalized services. Grow as a professional team and build on our strengths. Provide support to students and families in the present and future. Model the honesty, integrity, and respect we hope to develop in our students. Provide confidentiality, when appropriate, to colleagues, parents/guardians, and children.

School Counseling Goals Provide each child with a safe and caring environment that enables him or her to develop appropriate educational and career goals. Goal: By 2015, every student will be introduced to and monitor his or her educational and career goals. Objective: Ensure that a personalized learning plan is developed for every student. Action 1: Ongoing assessment of a K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Curriculum. Update the Student Personnel Accountability Report Card (SPARC). Ongoing Curriculum Mapping Review Action 2: Implementation of new programs focused on the development of educational and career goals: Bucket Filler Success Highways program Career Cruising program Collaboratively monitor the social and emotional wellness of each child and deliver personalized services. Goal: By 2015, school counselors will participate in a district wide team supporting the Whole Child. Objective: Identify and collaborate with the WCST at the building level and implement prevention and intervention programs at all RTI levels. Action 1: Identify roles and responsibilities of school counselors. Review the school counselor job description Monitor school counselor student meeting data Action 2: Establishing a social emotional wellness monitoring system:

CARES student social emotional team at elementary, intermediate and middle school MS Support Service Team Student groups for identified social emotional needs Support HS TSP Program Action 3: Identify elements needed from IC and other student data to monitor progress. Behavior reports Flags identifying student failures Training on data interpretation Goal: By 2015, the school counseling department will develop alternate forms of communicating resources on academic, social/emotional and career/college readiness. Objective: Modify program delivery methods to ensure that information is readily available to all students and parents. Action 1: Explore different tools to share information: Elementary Newsletters Remind 101 K12 School Counseling Websites TUSKER Tube Provide resources to individual students and families. Goal: By 2015, the school counseling department will develop different delivery methods of programs for students and their families. Objective: Implement different tools in delivering resources to students and their families regarding topics related to the school counseling program. Action 1: Explore technology to assist in providing easy access to information. K12 School Counseling Websites Elementary Newsletters Remind 101

Action 2: Creation of new programs to support student and community needs. Roadmap to College and Career Program- 2 nd year Grade level HS community coffee with counselors Elementary Parent Program 8 th grade HS visitation

School Counselor Responsibilities and Duties This is a guide for the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program focused on the academic, career, and personal/ social development skills of students through individual, group and classroom lesson delivery systems. Professional school counselors are advocates, leaders, collaborators, and consultants who create opportunities for equity in access and success in educational opportunities by connecting their programs to the mission of schools and subscribing to the following tenets of professional responsibility (ASCA, 2010). Academic Domain: In assisting student academic growth and success, school counselors: Develop individual plans with academic strategies, as needed. Collaborate with teachers, the student, and parents on supporting academic success. Review educational progress and goals with students. Provide individual conferences to develop and support academic goals. Assist with academic issues through response to intervention strategies, parent/teacher meetings, and monitoring student progress. Social Emotional Domain: In supporting student social-emotional wellness, school counselors: Maintain a climate of mutual respect for all. Collaborate with students, teachers, parents and administration on problem solving. Assist students in coping with social emotional issues. Adhere to all confidentiality laws in accordance to HIPPA, FERPA, and FOIL. Provide access and support to students for all in-school and extra-curricular activities. Provide families with community resources and referrals, as needed.

College and Career Domain: In preparing students for college and career readiness skills, school counselors: Provide information and assistance for all post-secondary education options. Develop a college transition program. Create a career exploration activity to assist in an understanding of the student's abilities and interests. Review career goals with students. Accountability: School counselors maintain a comprehensive guidance program focused on the whole child. In order to improve the program school counselors: Develop a comprehensive school counseling calendar of activities. Create a curriculum map to establish all lessons and activities aligned to national standards of school counseling. Utilize program evaluation surveys after lessons and activities to gain knowledge of student understanding. Collect data from teachers and parents to assess student and community needs. Maintain a time and task analysis to support school counselor's professional activities.