Middle School ASCA Alignment Assessment
Domain I. Intervention/Direct Services
Performance Standard 1:1 The counselor provides individual and group counseling services to meet the developmental, preventative and remedial needs of students.
Performance Indicators:
Performance Indicators:
Performance Indicators:
Performance Indicators:
Performance Standard 2:1 The counselor maintains efforts for continuing professional growth
Performance Indicators:
Regularly attends professional development opportunities
Performance Indicators:
Performance Indicators:
Performance Standard 3:1 The counselor consults with students, parents, school staff, and community agencies to assist in meeting the needs of the students.
Performance Indicators:
Performance Indicators:
Performance Indicators:
Stuarts Draft Middle School does a fairly good job at sticking to the ASCA National Model. The counseling department doesn’t really seem to consciously try to adhere to the ASCA National Model. They end up following a majority of the criteria, but I’m not sure if they do so in conscious effort. The main issues that I think SDMS should work on are the accountability and foundation pieces of the model. They don’t have a philosophy statement for their program, and they didn’t really seem as though they had any intention on creating one. The other main issue that I felt like they should work on is accountability. They only conduct one assessment each year, and I don’t even think that it’s a lesson that should be assessed. They assess whether or not the students remember the types of development that school counselors focus on. I think that’s very important for the students to know, but I also think that it would be beneficial to evaluate whether their groups are working, if their career assessments are working, if their high school visits are working, etc. They also didn’t reference on their website or anywhere in the counseling office the ASCA model. I think that it’s important for students, faculty, and parents to be aware of how the school counseling department works and the things that they focus on.
My first recommendation would be to establish a philosophy statement. I would recommend that they advertise it well and make sure that it is clear, concise, and easy for students, parents, and staff to understand. Another recommendation I would suggest is making a more specific calendar. Most of the calendar seemed to focus on the administrative duties that the counseling department is expected to do, but I would recommend that they create a more wide-ranged, specific calendar. The main recommendation that I have for SDMS is the accountability piece. They don’t regularly assess the success of their programs, and I think that would benefit them tremendously. From what I have observed, not many teachers see the value in the guidance office programs, individual counseling, group counseling, etc. Most of them get frustrated when their students are pulled out of class or the counselors want to do a classroom guidance lesson. Some teachers are very nice and seem confident with the importance of the counseling office, but the majority of the teachers don’t seem to see the value of counseling. I think that if they focused on the accountability piece, they would be more likely to get teachers and staff on board with their ideas and programs. I think that people, especially teachers, want to see data and if the counseling office can provide data that their programs are working and helping students, they’re going to be much more likely to be responsive to their ideas and programs. I would also recommend that they should advocate having fewer administrative responsibilities that I feel like they shouldn’t have to be responsible for. It seems like the administration has dumped off a lot of their own workload on the guidance office, and that causes them to not have as much time working one-on-one with students. I know that is probably a hard request to fulfill, but I think it’s important for them to not have to be responsible for so many administrative tasks.
Performance Standard 1:1 The counselor provides individual and group counseling services to meet the developmental, preventative and remedial needs of students.
Performance Indicators:
- Develops a calendar of needs that need to be met in the guidance office and is distributed to administration and through guidance office
- Facilitates a minimum of five groups on various topics such as grief and loss, friendship skills, etc. each school year.
- Sees students in individual counseling, at least two per day.
- Creates a positive environment for students through individual and group counseling
- Communicates and accustoms program based on the needs of the students
- Uses a solution-focused technique in counseling students
- Runs a anti-bullying campaign with various activities
Performance Indicators:
- Maintains a positive relationship with most teachers and monitors the success of each counselors’ caseload
- Participates in classroom observations to assist IEP teams in assessment and intervention plans for students
- Maintains notes on each meeting with students and flags students who need a follow-up meeting
- Maintains communication with teachers and administration to keep track of what students may need extra attention
Performance Indicators:
- Conducts yearly classroom guidance lessons on career planning and the importance of exploring career paths
- Schedules trips for each grade level to the vocational school and the governor’s school
- Provides all 8th graders with the opportunity to be tested at the vocational school for the job that would best suit them
- Conducts meetings with three to four students at a time to discuss high school classes, career options, and various technical programs
- Assists with career related issues in individual sessions with students
- Arranges a yearly visit for the 8th graders to get a tour of the high school
Performance Indicators:
- Provides the students with individualized plans for their counseling needs
- Assists with IEP meetings and provides feedback during all IEP meetings and Response to Intervention meetings
- Assists students with scheduling classes that are most appropriate for them
- Conducts groups on the types of classes offered at the high school for 8th grade students
Performance Standard 2:1 The counselor maintains efforts for continuing professional growth
Performance Indicators:
Regularly attends professional development opportunities
- Attends conferences for school counselors
Performance Indicators:
- Adheres to the ASCA ethical standards
- Maintains responsibilities delegated by the administration
- Maintains a positive relationship with the entire school staff and promotes positive communication
- Asks for and responds to criticism from the school staff
- Attends all staff meetings and maintains the same responsibilities such as bus duty, committee meetings, etc. as all other school personnel
Performance Indicators:
- Makes sure that all students are aware of confidentiality and communication that is allowed between parents and approved outside resources such as doctors
- Maintains personal activities in order to ensure the emotional stability required in the job
Performance Standard 3:1 The counselor consults with students, parents, school staff, and community agencies to assist in meeting the needs of the students.
Performance Indicators:
- Provides information to add to the monthly school bulletin
- Maintains communication with outside agencies
- Maintains positive relationships with teachers, outside agencies, school staff, and parents when making plans to assist students
- Participates in all parent teacher conferences
Performance Indicators:
- I really haven’t seen any instructional or informational programs to students unless you would count classroom guidance lessons
Performance Indicators:
- Communicates well with parents and staff to set up sessions when referred
- Maintains relationships with staff and uses criticisms to change or tweak the guidance program
- Attends team meetings to find out who they feel is at risk and could deserve attention as well as communicates with the team to report the progress of already identified at risk students
Stuarts Draft Middle School does a fairly good job at sticking to the ASCA National Model. The counseling department doesn’t really seem to consciously try to adhere to the ASCA National Model. They end up following a majority of the criteria, but I’m not sure if they do so in conscious effort. The main issues that I think SDMS should work on are the accountability and foundation pieces of the model. They don’t have a philosophy statement for their program, and they didn’t really seem as though they had any intention on creating one. The other main issue that I felt like they should work on is accountability. They only conduct one assessment each year, and I don’t even think that it’s a lesson that should be assessed. They assess whether or not the students remember the types of development that school counselors focus on. I think that’s very important for the students to know, but I also think that it would be beneficial to evaluate whether their groups are working, if their career assessments are working, if their high school visits are working, etc. They also didn’t reference on their website or anywhere in the counseling office the ASCA model. I think that it’s important for students, faculty, and parents to be aware of how the school counseling department works and the things that they focus on.
My first recommendation would be to establish a philosophy statement. I would recommend that they advertise it well and make sure that it is clear, concise, and easy for students, parents, and staff to understand. Another recommendation I would suggest is making a more specific calendar. Most of the calendar seemed to focus on the administrative duties that the counseling department is expected to do, but I would recommend that they create a more wide-ranged, specific calendar. The main recommendation that I have for SDMS is the accountability piece. They don’t regularly assess the success of their programs, and I think that would benefit them tremendously. From what I have observed, not many teachers see the value in the guidance office programs, individual counseling, group counseling, etc. Most of them get frustrated when their students are pulled out of class or the counselors want to do a classroom guidance lesson. Some teachers are very nice and seem confident with the importance of the counseling office, but the majority of the teachers don’t seem to see the value of counseling. I think that if they focused on the accountability piece, they would be more likely to get teachers and staff on board with their ideas and programs. I think that people, especially teachers, want to see data and if the counseling office can provide data that their programs are working and helping students, they’re going to be much more likely to be responsive to their ideas and programs. I would also recommend that they should advocate having fewer administrative responsibilities that I feel like they shouldn’t have to be responsible for. It seems like the administration has dumped off a lot of their own workload on the guidance office, and that causes them to not have as much time working one-on-one with students. I know that is probably a hard request to fulfill, but I think it’s important for them to not have to be responsible for so many administrative tasks.