Running head: COUNSELING PROGRAM 1

School Counseling Program for Waianae Intermediate School Heather-Cate Cody Liberty University August 21, 2011

COUNSELING PROGRAM Demographics Waianae Intermediate School is located on the Leeward side of the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Moreover, we are a small community serving approximately five hundred students from grades 7th to 8th. As it pertains to our community of Waianae, it is extremely low in terms of socioeconomic status with about 95% of our students on free or reduced lunch. In addition, sadly, our area also has a higher than average problem with economic issues such as a high cost of living and homelessness. As of last year, we were estimated to have nearly 700 homeless families living along our coastline. Thus, as you can imagine, this affects the make-up our school tremendously in terms of meeting the needs of all of students both in and outside of school. Philosophical Statement After examining the ACSC national model for school counseling, the goals for the counseling program at Waianae Intermediate School are to guide students to achieve success in their

academic, career, and personal/social development. Moreover, it is also our intent to ensure they are safe not only in school, but after hours as well. By maintaining community support, we will be dedicated to ensuring each of our students and their families are provided with the basic amenities such a shelter, electricity to do homework, a bed to sleep in, food, and water. Additionally, each of our students will know that we truly care, and want to help. In communities, as ours, when you have nothing but your family and friends, building relationships are the most important factor in reaching your students. In terms of the scope of our counseling program, we believe it should be comprehensive in scope, preventive in design, developmental in nature, and comprised of four major activities: (a) planning and implementing counseling curriculum, (b) advising each student

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in establishing personal goals and developing future plans, (c) meeting students immediate needs and concerns, and (d) promoting professional development for counselors. With this said, the mission of the Waianae Intermediate School Counseling Program is to provide a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate counseling program addressing the emotional, social, academic, physical, and career developmental needs of all students. As school counselors, we view ourselves as professional school advocates who provide support to maximize student potential and academic achievement. Moreover, in partnership with school faculty as well as parents and our local community, we continuously strive to facilitate the support system to ensure all students have access to and are prepared with the knowledge and skills to contribute at the highest level as productive members of society within the following believes: 1. The Waianae Intermediate School counseling program addresses prevention, intervention and student developmental needs. 2. All students have dignity and worth. 3. All students have the right to participate in a comprehensive school counseling program. 4. The school counseling team provides immediate access to a counselor through the Counselor of the Day program. 5. All students ethnic, cultural, racial and sexual differences and special needs are considered in planning and implementing a school counseling program. Job Description As suggested by the national ACSC model (2005), school counselors have many duties and responsibilities related to designing and implementing a comprehensive school

COUNSELING PROGRAM counseling program. Therefore, programs should free school counselors to do what they do best and what only they can do. Appropriate (counseling) responsibilities: 1. Designing individual student academic programs 2. Interpreting cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests 3. Counseling students with excessive tardiness or absenteeism 4. Counseling students with disciplinary problems 5. Counseling students about appropriate school dress 6. Collaborating with teachers to present guidance curriculum lessons 7. Analyzing grade-point averages in relationship to achievement 8. Interpreting student records 9. Providing teachers with suggestions for better study hall management 10. Ensuring student records are maintained in accordance with state and federal regulations 11. Assisting the school principal with identifying and resolving student issues, needs and problems 12. Collaborating with teachers to present proactive, prevention-based guidance curriculum lessons. (p. 3).

COUNSELING PROGRAM Individual and Group Counseling Waianae Intermediate School counselors interventions include both individual and group counseling for our students. For example, if a student's behavior is interfering with his or her achievement, the school counselor may use the following: observes that student in a class, provides consultation to teachers to develop (with the student) a plan to address the behavioral issue(s), and then collaborate to implement and evaluate the plan. In addition, our school counselors also provide consultation services to family members such as college access, career development, parenting skills, study skills, child and adolescent development, and help with school-home transitions. Consultation and Collaboration The School Counselor consults and collaborates with all school faculty to include teachers, administration, specialists, and outside counseling resources in order to assist students. Moreover, in addition to the above connections our counselors maintain, communicating with parents is an integral part of our counselors role. Resources As terms of a budget for our counseling program, we propose that we are allotted $10,000 each school year. With this said, for our facilities to meet the needs our students, we should have appropriate space for individual and group counseling, a private office for the school counselor that is designed with the students right to privacy and confidentiality, and adequate space to organize and display school counseling materials. In addition, in terms of our materials, they should be current and available to our counselors in order for them to implement developmentally appropriate activities for each grade level. Moreover, examples of these

materials are software, books, games, and assessment materials. Furthermore, our counselors will

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need relevant supplies and equipment such as adequate supplies for office, such as paper, writing utensils, printer, printer cartridge, copy TV/VCR/DVD player, appropriate locking file cabinets, telephone, and computer. Accountability Plan Since it is challenging for School counselors and administrators to demonstrate the effectiveness of the school counseling program in measurable terms, it is the goal of this program to adhere to the following guidelines outlined within the ACSC National Model for Counseling. To evaluate the program and to hold it accountable, school counseling programs must collect and use data that link the program to student achievement. Results Reports Results reports, which include process, perception and results data, ensure programs are carried out, analyzed for effectiveness and modified as needed. Sharing these reports with stakeholders serves to advocate for the students and the program. Immediate, intermediate and long-range results are collected and analyzed for program improvement. School Counselor Performance Standards The school counselors performance evaluation contains basic standards of practice expected of school counselors implementing a school counseling program. These performance standards serve as both a basis for counselor evaluation and as a means for counselor self-evaluation. Program Audit The primary purpose for collecting information is to guide future action within the program and to improve future results for students. (American School Counselor Association, 2005, p. 4)

COUNSELING PROGRAM References American School Counselor Association (2005). ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author.