• Role of the School Counselor: American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

  • Leader

    • Maintaining knowledge and skills for working in a diverse and multicultural work setting.

    • Creating an environment that encourages any student or group to feel comfortable coming forward with problems.

     

    Level: PreK-8 Community School 

    Evidence of Role:

    • Create and implement comprehensive counseling lessons for all students 

      • BABES

      • Peacemakers

      • Suicide Prevention

      • Bullying Prevention

      • Based on needs of the building

        • Appropriate Language

        • Honesty/Lying

        • Respect

    • Develop career curriculum which aligns with state career standards 

      • SmartFutures

      • Career days

      • Lessons with Franklin Mint

    • Engage in lifelong learning in our profession in an attempt to always grow and improve our delivery system based on the best practices available to support a diverse and multicultural work setting

      • Delaware County School Counselor Association PD

      • Continuing education

    • Provide parent education events

      • Mental Health Awareness night

      • Back to school night

      • Coffee Conversations with the helping team

     

    Level: High School 

    Evidence of Role:

    •  Develop career curriculum

      •  College/career fair

      •  Internship programs

      •  Business co-op

      • Jr Achievement 

    •  Actively work to establish a safe, equitable, affirming school environment in which all members of the school community demonstrate respect and inclusion

      • SAP

      • Safe To Say Presentation

      • Creating a physically and emotionally safe school environment both in-person and digitally

    • Engage in lifelong learning in our profession in an attempt to always grow and improve our delivery system based on the best practices available to support a diverse and multicultural work setting

      • Delaware County School Counselor Association PD

      • Continuing education

    • Provide parent educational events 

      • Financial Aid Night

      • College Career Night

      • Dual Enrollment/Pathways Program Night

  • Advocate

    • Using data to identify gaps in achievement, opportunity and attainment.

    • Advocating for rigorous course and higher education for underrepresented groups.

    • Promoting access to rigorous standards-based curriculum, academic courses and learning paths for college and career for all students.

     

    Level: PreK-8 Community School 

    Evidence of Role:

    • Participate in school wide student support

      • SAP

      • CST

      • Early intervention

      • Parent meetings

      • 504 and IEPs 

      • Collaborate with outside agencies

    • Plan and promote school-wide events based on student and community-based needs

      • Weekly SMore 

      • Bullying prevention month

      • School Counselor Awareness week

      • Kindness week

      • Career Day

      • Disability Awareness Month

    • Advocate and deliver programs and resources acting as a point person for students, families, and staff in regard to diversity equity, and inclusion

      • No Place For Hate

      • Second Step

     

    Level: High School 

    Evidence of Role:

    • Identify and remove student barriers that prevent learning and social-emotional growth

      • SAP Program

      • Small weekly groups

      • BUCS Program 

    • Advocate for ample, relevant, and diverse educational opportunities

      • No Place for Hate 

    • Participate in SAP, CST, parent meetings, 504 and IEPs, advisory period and collaborate with outside agencies

    • Educate teachers and staff about barriers impacting the academic success of students and provide strategies to support those students while fostering an increased sense of empathy towards the students

      • Student Services Presentation

  • Collaborator

    • Maintaining professional knowledge of the ever-changing and complex world of students’ culture

    • Informing school staff of changes regarding different groups within the community

    • Developing plans to address over- or underrepresentation of specific groups in programs such as special education, honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate

    • Collaborating with families in seeking assistance services for financial literacy, job skills and placement and free services (such as childcare assistance) as well as providing parents educational opportunities to assist them in supporting their students’ education

    • Acting as a liaison between home and school promoting an understanding and encouraging creative solutions for students handling multiple responsibilities beyond a typical load

     

    Level: PreK-8 Community School 

    Evidence of Role:

    • Collaborate with stakeholders and build relationships during

      •  SAP meetings

        • Merkey

        • Holcomb

        • General release forms for open communication

      • Child study team

        • Inviting parents/guardians in for meetings

      • 504 and IEP meetings

      • Early intervention meetings

      • Truancy elimination program

        • Coordinating with the school social worker, attendance secretary etc. 

    • Establish a school counseling program that engages the educational community to ensure that all students benefit from the program  

      • SmartFutures

      • SecondStep

      • Classroom push in to all (ie. GenEd and SPED)

    • Communicating with families to support diverse needs of students

      • Community DEIB Forum 

    • Assist in facilitating transitions that all students face over the PreK through the transition to high school

      • KA-1 grade meeting

      • Grade 5-Middle School Transition Day

      • 8th grade visit to the High School

      • 8th grade counselors collaborating with high school counselors about incoming students

    • Partner with teachers to develop programming that is tailored to best meet student needs

      • Push in lessons

      • Behavioral charts

      • CST

      • SAP

      • Co-Teach overlapping curriculum lessons

    • Provide families with community resources

      • Weekly SMORES

      • SAP

    • Maintain records for continuity and student developmental purposes

      • ESchool Notes

      • CST

      • SAP

      • Personal Notes

     

    Level: High School 

    Evidence of Role:

    • Collaborate and build relationships with stakeholders 

      • SAP meetings, 

      • Child study team

      • 504 and IEP meetings, 

      • OVR & transition meetings

      • truancy elimination program.

    • Highlight diverse needs of students on a monthly basis via weekly digital newsletter and informational emails to staff.

    • Communicating with families to support diverse needs of students

      • Community DEIB Forum 

    • Advocate for opportunities for students academic, personal, and social growth 

      • Student graduation pathways and scheduling practices 

      • AP Potential Data 

    • Coordinate programming to support post-secondary opportunities (academic  goals, employment goals, and independent living goals)

      • College Rep Visits

      • College Campus Visits

      • Jr Academy 

      • PRLA's Hospitality Boot Camp 

      • Career Tech School Presentations/Visits

      • SmartFutures

      • Delaware County Community College Pathway Program

    • Brainstorming ideas with teachers to foster positive student outcomes within the classroom

      • PBIS

      • Student of the Month

      • Course Selection

    • Connecting students with appropriate stakeholders to fulfill graduation pathway

      • Mini Career Series

      • Jr Financial Reality Fair