Comprehensive School Counseling ProgramAdvisory Council
George Washington High School
2013-2014
Presented by
Tara Lavizzo,
TerriLynn Vigil,
Leigh Cassidy
& Jay McCann
GSCA Advocacy Committee (2010)
Yesterday’s Guidance Counselor vs. Today’s School CounselorGuidance Counselor• Reactive• Services to a few• Impact measured via
feelings and perception• Ancillary role to school
involvement process• School counselors in
isolation
Professional School Counselor• Proactive/Data Driven• Services to ALL• Impact measured via
achievement data• Essential role in the school
improvement process• School counselors as school
leaders• Develops, manages, and
evaluates a comprehensive school counseling program
A Comprehensive School Counseling Program
• Addresses academic, career, & personal/social development of all students
• Delivers Guidance Curriculum to ALL students• Provides Intentional Guidance for SOME • Utilizes Data• Impacts student performance (Achievement,
Behavior, Attendance,)• For GWHS, a 3-5 year action plan that will build
capacity and remove barriers• GWHS is one of two high school counseling program
in Denver Public Schools to pursue RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program)
Julie Hartline & Gail Smith (2011)ASCA
A Comprehensive School Counseling Program to meet the needs of ALL students
PROGRAM FOUNDATIONDetermines the academic, career, and personal/social needs of the students
DELIVERY SYSTEMAddresses the students’ needs via four delivery methods
MANAGEMENTInvolves stakeholders and measures the impact of the school counseling program
ACCOUNTABILITY Evaluates the program based on outcomes and makes adjustments
Julie Hartline (2009)
School Counseling Pyramid of Intervention
Individual Support(Tier 3)
Intentional Guidance
(Tier 2)
Guidance Curriculum (Tier 1)
Specialized Interventions (Tier 4)
School Improvement Plan
Tier 1: Guidance Curriculum“Developmental in design, educational and preventative in nature,
and comprehensive in scope, the guidance curriculum ensures that every student in the school will receive services from the guidance program.”
Lessons that are delivered to ALL students Lessons on transitioning to high schoolLessons on academic planningLessons on goal settingLessons on career awareness
Standards based (ASCA)
Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch (2007) Julie Hartline & Gail Smith (2011)
Tier 2: Intentional Guidance
Academic, career, or personal/social interventions are provided to SOME students
SOME students need moreSmall Group CounselingGroup Guidance Activities
Motivation Groups Academic Groups Group for seniors without a future plan Brown Bags for seniors
Julie Hartline & Gail Smith (2011)
Tier 3: Individual Support
Can Include: Individual student planning (appraisal or
advisement)
Consultation with parents, teachers, and community organizations
Individual counseling
Crisis Counseling/Response
Referrals to outside agencies or SSW
Peer Facilitation (mediation, conflict resolution, mentors, tutors, peer support programs)
Julie Hartline & Gail Smith (2011)
Tier 4: Specialized Interventions (Coordinated by Mental Health Team)
Agency Referral
Emergency Crisis treatment
Family Preservation
Hospitalization
Probation/Incarceration
Disabilities Programs
Long-Term Therapy
Julie Hartline & Gail Smith (2011)
Counseling Program Goals for 2013-2014
Goal #1- To decrease the achievement gap by increasing academically-focused interventions
Goal #2- To increase college-readiness for all students by offering post-secondary preparation
Goal #3- To increase visibility, distribution and communication of resources to all stakeholders in order to provide equal access to college-readiness within the school
Goal #1- To decrease the achievement gap by increasing academically-focused interventions
Create Student Intervention Team
Decrease the number of students on the D and F list.
Improve students’ attitudes, skills and knowledge with regard to study skills, stress and motivation
Goal #2- To increase college-readiness for all students by offering post-secondary preparation 90% of each 9th, 10th and 11th grade class will
complete Personal Educational Plans (PEPs) through Naviance.
Increase amount of students taking the Accuplacer to broaden remediation classes offered at high school
Welcome to High School presentations
Pathways to Your Future workshop
ACT prep
Incoming Freshmen Night
AP Showcase Night
Goal #3- To increase visibility, distribution and communication of resources to all stakeholders in order to provide equal access to college-readiness within the school
Technological resources Website
Electronic bulletin board
Newsletter/Calendar
Showing Data and RAMP process
Schedule change process
School-wide programs (during school) Choice of Studies presentations
College Fair
Electives Fair
Evening programs
FAFSA, Financial Aid, Admissions, Back to School Night, Incoming 9th graders, Junior meeting, ACT Prep, Essay Writing, NCAA Clearinghouse
Barriers to achieving goals
Pre-collegiate scheduling, invitations, follow up, interviews, etc
Setting up all classroom presentations/ meetings, College Readiness Day
access to computers, computer labs/community room and students for PEPs/Classroom guidance,
rescheduling PEPs when teachers don't come
Unreasonable amounts of emails
Getting students signed up for Accuplacer, marketing Accuplacer, Accuplacer paperwork
4 year course plans on PEPs
Coordination and administration duties
Barriers to achieving goals
Inputting all course requests for the following year- data entry in IC
Student requested schedule changes for over 2 weeks, angry parents regarding schedules,
Administrative requested schedule changes for classes created after school starts
Compiling course descriptions (for due diligence regarding what each class is)
Building schedules for students who do not turn in Choice of Studies Form
Cleaning up the master schedule at the end of school year (getting them out to students earlier)
Enrolling new students
Deciphering new student transcripts
Concurrent Enrollment
Balarat- help sign up; monitor; rescheduling; check attendance; update grades
RIB schedule changes
Course and schedule changes
Barriers to achieving goals
ACT Pre-enrollment bubbling and follow up with those that didn’t come
Uploading every single transcript sent to colleges to Naviance (initial, mid-year, and end of year)
Letter of rec submissions/transcript submissions
OTG report
Scheduling 504 meetings
PSAT Registration and sign ups
Handing out papers/ schedules at Parent-Teacher Conferences
AP test proctoring
Accuplacer test proctoring
Summer school registration
Data entry and clerical
Needs Assessment Results
The GWHS School Counseling Department conducted a needs assessment during the 2013-2014 school year. Below is a brief summary of the data collected.
I feel sad. – 4.3%- All the time
- 26.1%- Some of the time
I feel angry. – 5.6%- All the time
-28.8%- Some of the time
I feel comfortable talking to my teachers:
a. Strongly agree 20.9% (90)
b. Agree 54.4% (234)
c. Disagree 19.3% (83)
d. Strongly disagree
5.3% (23)
TOTAL RESPONSES
100% (430)
Needs Assessment Results
What will be the biggest barrier to you going to college?
51.5% said Cost/No Financial Aid
30.2% said Grades
25.4% of all students have never visited a college?
87.1% of students would be willing to pay $10 for transportation
Students want more help in the following areas:
• Study Skills - 65.6%
• ACT Prep - 50.1%
• Anxiety/Stress - 40.7%
• Involvement in School Act. 36.9%
• Organizational Skills - 27.9%
• Catching up on Credits - 27.6%
• Self-esteem - 20.7%
Action Plan for next year
According to ASCA’s best practices, and based on our student need assessment data, the school counseling department at GWHS would like to focus their work towards: Intentional guidance for social/emotional concerns
College awareness and financial planning
Intentional guidance around building academic skills
Improving tutoring
ACT Preparation
Academic support groups and/or classes
How we see students needing our help as a program
Reflection & Feedback
How can the Advisory Council help guide the work of School Counseling Department at GWHS?
Are there additional areas of need/support that have not yet been identified?
Questions???
Thank You!!
Now our department is ready to RAMP up!