Comprehensive School Counseling Program Advisory Council George Washington High School 2013-2014 Presented by Tara Lavizzo, TerriLynn Vigil, Leigh Cassidy.

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!