Garfield Scholars’ Academy

Comprehensive School Counseling Plan

2024-2025

FOUNDATION

OUR MISSION:

In partnership with parents and the community, the mission of Garfield Scholars' Academy is to empower our scholars to be purposeful learners, critical and creative thinkers, motivated citizens and learners, and determined lifelong learners,

A. FOUNDATION OF Garfield Scholars' Academy COUNSELING PROGRAMS

The Garfield Scholars' Academy Counseling Program is a comprehensive total instructional program that provides all students the opportunity for optimum growth and development. With this and the Garfield Scholars' Academy mission statement, the Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counseling Program has adopted the following comprehensive counseling model.

Vision Statement: The Garfield Scholars' Academy Counselors, in partnership with parents, educators, and the community, will facilitate a comprehensive school counseling program to ensure ALL students are prepared academically, intellectually, and emotionally with the knowledge and skills essential for life-long learning in an ever-changing society.

Mission Statement:  All students are entitled to receive the benefits of a school counseling program that is developmental in nature, preventive in design, and comprehensive in scope. Having access to professional school counselors, students can obtain the tools necessary to become responsible productive citizens and life-long learners. The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor will facilitate all students' academic, career, and personal/social development to help maximize their potential as productive human beings and prepare them to function effectively in an ever-changing society. We are committed to creating strong partnerships with families and community members to ensure each scholar reaches their full potential.

Purpose: The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counseling Program focuses on student success. The competencies and objectives- grouped by academic, career, and personal/social development- are aligned with the goals of high student achievement and safe school environments. The program's purpose is to be well-established such that, even when there is turnover of counseling staff, the program will be ongoing.

STANDARDS AND COMPETENCIES

ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards and Competencies (2019)

ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2022)

ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors forASCA Student Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College-,  Student Success: K-12 College-, Career- and Life-Readiness Standards for Every Student (2021)

G.U.I.D.E. for Life

G.U.I.D.E. for Life Curriculum

Belief Statements:

Garfield Scholars' Academy Public Schools provides each student access to the School Counseling Program to support each student’s right to be respected and treated with dignity. Furthermore, we believe that all students:  

1. can achieve at high academic levels,
2. can achieve career and personal/social success,
3. shall be provided equitable access to school counseling programs and services, and
4. shall have access to an effective school counseling program

An effective comprehensive school counseling plan will:

1. be guided by the American School Counselor Association’s National Model;
2. include programs focused on prevention, intervention, and student development;
3. be planned, coordinated, and managed by school counselors in collaboration with all stakeholders’ and
4. provide annual self-appraisal and evaluations of the counseling program

MANAGEMENT

The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counseling Program understands that to effectively deliver services and address the developmental needs of all students, the program must provide organizational assessments and tools designed to manage school counseling programs. As a result, the Garfield Scholars' Academy Elementary School Counselor utilizes the management resources and recommendations of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

Advantages and Benefits of the Garfield Scholars' Academy Counseling Program

Students: 

The program guarantees services to all students. Services may include:

1. focus on students’ developmental needs
2. equitable access to educational opportunities
3. connections between education and future success
4. exploration of career opportunities
5. knowledge about the changing world
6. decision-making/problem-solving skills
7. interpersonal relationship skills
8. cooperative peer interactions.

Parents/Guardians:

The program encourages the involvement of parents in students’ learning environment.

Parents are provided:

1. timely access to appropriate support and resources
2. parent, student, and counselor interaction
3. an understanding of the counseling program
4. training and informational workshops

Parents are encouraged to become advocates for their students:

1. academic development
2. career planning and development
3. personal/social development

Teachers:

The counseling program collaborates with teachers to address student needs.

1. The program provides consultation to assist in the teachers’ guidance and advisement roles
2. And supports a positive school climate and the learning community.

Administrators, School Board, and Regulatory Bodies: 

1. The Garfield Scholars' Academy Counseling Program creates a structured program aligned with the National School Counseling Standards

1. Annual administrative conference
2. Aligning counseling goals with school goals, vision, and mission
3. Plan for Professional Development

2. Works with administration to align with district and school board goals  
3. Encourages membership in Regional, State, and National Professional Organizations
4. Requires appropriate credentials for all school counselors
5. Determines funding allocations for school counseling programs and professional development opportunities
6. Analyzes data for school improvement and program evaluation

Other Support Personnel: 

The Garfield Scholars' Academy Counseling Program communicates the roles and functions of the School Counselor to:

1. Enhances positive cooperative working relationships.
2. Ensures collaboration and teaming
3. Promotes individual student success.

Post-Secondary Counselors and Institutes: 

The program ensures collaboration between counselor education programs and school counseling programs by:

1. Serving as a model for site-based school counseling internships,
2. Creating a framework for professional development to benefit school counseling practitioners,
3. Developing alliances with other educator-training programs.

Community and Business: 

The Garfield Scholars' Academy Counseling Program increases the opportunity for collaboration among counselors, students, community, and businesses by:

1. Enhancing the role of the counselor as a resource
2. Generating community/school collaborations
3. Affording opportunities for participation in the School Counseling Program
4. Reinforcing decision-making skills, interpersonal relationship skills, and essential skills

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor develops program goals from data review based on identified school gaps. All counselors will provide interventions for a targeted group (as identified by each counselor in his/her specific school) of students. Upon completion of the program goal at the end of the school year, the Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor will provide a results report. This goal, implementation, and evaluation will be documented in the Closing the Gap Action Plan/Results Report.

Along with developing annual outcome goals, the Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor will use other tools to manage the comprehensive school counseling program. Below are samples of School Counseling Program Assessments:

1. Template used for Assessment

In the state of Arkansas, School Counselors take part in the Arkansas Teacher Excellence and Support System (TESS). This system requires counselors to set and work toward personal yearly goals. The growth and development of the counselor in pursuit of these goals is observed and evaluated by a building Administrator.  

1. TESS Rubric for Counselors

SCHOOL COUNSELOR USE OF TIME

The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor will use time tracking documentation to develop a data-driven, evidence-based school counseling program. This form will ensure confidential, comprehensive documentation and a use of time analysis.

ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCES

• It is considered best practice for counselors to have an annual administrative conference. It is an imperative way to share information and for counselors to advocate for school counseling programs and how they impact students. An Annual Administrative Conference report can be obtained from counselors upon request.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

It is recommended that School Counselors meet regularly with an advisory council consisting of stakeholders such as other mental health providers, administrators, social workers, the school nurse, teachers, parents, and students. The goal of an advisory council is to allow these stakeholders to help shape the school counseling program. School Counselors may choose to form their own advisory council, or they may choose to funnel this function through an already existing committee such as the school health and safety committee. It is advisable to meet at least once a quarter to share information about your program and get feedback.

DATA USE IN COUNSELING

Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor utilizes data to drive the comprehensive school counseling program. This is accomplished by analyzing data from student and staff needs assessments. Additional data can also be accessed through eSchool/Cognos (e.g., attendance reports), and the ADE Data Center (e.g., district and school report cards/school profile data).

ACTION PLANS

  “Action plans and their results reports provide critical documentation of the activities and the impact of a comprehensive school counseling program. They assist in the development, scheduling and management of essential school counselor interventions and in the evaluation of specific components within those events. They are working documents that increase the school counselor’s intentionality of services delivered to students.” (Kuranz and Griffith, 2018, Using Action Plans and Result Reports, ASCA) Each school counseling program generates a Closing the GAP goal based on the results of evaluation, data, and assessment targeting areas of need in each school.

At the conclusion of each school year the ASCA Closing the Gap Action Plan/Results Report is updated to include information on how each counselor specifically met the Annual Goal at each school.

CALENDARS

• Sample Annual Calendar is linked Below

• The Garfield Scholars' Academy Elementary Annual Calendar includes all major school counseling activities coordinated, or in which collaboration is provided, by the school counselor(s). Please note that monthly topics and lessons delivered to students are subject to change based on the individual and unique needs of each elementary school. The Garfield Scholars' Academy Elementary School Counselor can provide an individualized Scope and Sequence specifically tailored to his/her school upon request.

• Bullying Prevention/Protocol

• A.C.A. § 6-18-514 defines that “all public school students have the right to receive their education in an environment that is reasonably free from substantial intimidation, harassment, or harm or threat of harm by another student, in person or by electronic means.” As such, the Garfield Scholars' Academy Elementary School Counselor will provide lessons to students on defining, identifying, and reporting bullying. Although bullying is specifically listed above as a main focus point for the month of December, the timeline for the implementation of this lesson varies by school need (e.g., in many cases, the topic of bullying is a continual topic throughout the school year).
• In addition to this, Garfield Scholars' Academy will adhere to ACT 1029  which amends previous anti-bullying legislation and addresses anti-bullying continuing education and procedures/requirements for reporting. Counselors work with their school administration in the reporting and investigative procedures.
• The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor utilizes resources available from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education on Anti-Bullying and Violence Prevention.
• Bullying Prevention as a Tier 1 Support: Garfield Scholars' Academy

The GSA Counselor provides classroom lessons to all students teaching: the difference between bullying vs non-bullying behaviors; assertiveness (using I-Statements); how to report bullying to trusted adults; how to be an upstander (placing emphasis on the school family).

• Garfield Scholars' Academy uses the SEE/SAY Anonymous Community Reporting tool. SEE/SAY allows stakeholders, including students, to anonymously report any situation or incident they feel compelled to report. All reporting is anonymous unless the reporter chooses to divulge his/her identity.

• Counselor Orientation/Transitions

• Garfield Scholars' Academy Elementary School Counselor provides a Counselor Orientation in a variety of ways (unique to each school; specifics pertaining to individual counselors/buildings available upon request): Back to school/Faculty In-Service presentations, Meet the Counselor tables/booths at Back to School events, Meet the Counselor classroom lessons, etc. The purpose of these is to provide staff, students, parents, and stakeholders with information on the role of the school counselor and the school counseling program (e.g., topics may include but are not limited to confidentiality, mandated reporting, program data, etc.).
• New Student Orientation and Middle School Transition services are also provided for students (procedure/protocol is unique to each school; specifics pertaining to individual counselors/buildings are available upon request).

• Sample New Student Orientation process: Student Ambassador Program

• Suicide Prevention

• Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselors provide developmentally appropriate suicide prevention and protocols for reporting. In many cases, suicide prevention is tied in with the classroom topic of safety (e.g., we don’t only report to an adult when we need help/are in trouble, but when our peers are in need of support as well). Counselors also address suicide prevention with various social-emotional supports (e.g.; self-esteem, self-regulation, coping skills, etc.).
• Protocols for reporting: A person aware of the threat or harm to self must report to the school counselor and school administration immediately. The student is to remain under direct supervision.

• Response Protocols for Threat of Harm to Self is a uniform document school counselors use district-wide when engaging with students in regards to Threat of Harm to Self.  *Revised March 2022

• Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselors also utilize resources available from the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education on Student Support.

DELIVERY

Act 190, The School Counseling Improvement Act, states that school counselors must spend at least ninety percent (90%) of their time each month, on student contact days, providing direct and indirect counseling services to students. Garfield Scholars' Academy Elementary School Counselor provides services in the following areas:

DIRECT COUNSELING- 90% of time spent

• Classroom Core Curriculum Lessons (intentional, planned and developed based upon the needs of the students)- Tier 1

• Classroom Core Curriculum Lessons shall be limited to forty-minute class sessions, not to exceed three (3) per day and not to exceed ten (10) per week, as specified in ACT 190. 
• ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: College- and Career- Readiness Standards for Every Student (2021) are applied to lessons
• Helps all students build skills and competencies that are age-appropriate and focused on the counselor/school/district mission and vision
• Addresses social/emotional needs, career exploration, and academic growth
• Supports students to develop an understanding of the relationship between classroom performance and success in school and beyond

• Examples: Empower Me/Safety, Bullying, Conflict Resolution, Career Exploration, Vaping Prevention  

• G.U.I.D.E. for Life Essential Skills -five guiding principles that support students in thriving at school, home, on the job, and in the community.

• Growth: Manage Yourself

• Develop problem solving skills, practice mindfulness, persevere

• Understanding: Know Yourself

• Increase self-awareness, know your strengths and weaknesses, develop critical thinking skills

• Interaction: Build Relationships

• Treat others with respect, communicate effectively, seek out and offer help when needed

• Decision Making: Make Responsible Choices

• Consider safety in situations, think through potential consequences, put your best self forward

• Empathy: Be Aware of Others

• See other perspectives, value the feelings of others, appreciate diversity

• Small Group Counseling- Tier 2 or 3

• Groups are formed based on identified gaps, teacher, parent or student referrals
• Meet regularly over a specified amount of time
• Can address academics, social skills, and emotional needs
• Not to be utilized for therapy

• Individual Counseling- Tier 2 or 3

• Obstacles to learning
• Family/Peer/Teacher concerns
• Social/Emotional needs
• Setting goals
• Not to be utilized for therapy

• Other Responsive Services

• Designed to meet students’ immediate needs and concerns

• Crisis
• Conflict resolution
• Peer mediation

INDIRECT COUNSELING- 90% of time spent

• Consultation and Collaboration

• Occurs on behalf of the student and addresses student’s behavior, academics, or attendance
• Can include parents or guardians, school staff, and community agencies

• Referrals

• Referring a student for mental health/long-term therapeutic services, child maltreatment reports and parent or guardian communications

• Arkansas Mandated Reporter Portal

• Child Maltreatment reporting online

• Child Maltreatment Reports

• Phone: 1-800-482-5964
• Fax: 1-501-618-8952

• Ozark Guidance/Arisa Health Referral Form (Therapeutic school-based services)

• Participating in Decision Making Teams

• Serving as a contributing member of decision-making teams

• Can include but not limited to Section 504, Response-to-Intervention, English Language Learners, Parental Involvement/Family Engagement, Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS), Gifted and Talented

ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES- No more than 10% of time spent on this

• Coordination of Programs and Data Input

• Assisting in the coordination of programs will vary by individual building expectations. Some of these programs may include, but are not limited to: Parental Involvement, Garfield Scholars' Academy Family Literacy Program (SFLP), Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS), English Language Learners

• Chairing Committees and Meetings

• Chairing committees and meetings including, but not limited to: Parental Involvement, Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS), English Language Learners, and Response-to-Intervention.
• Information for specific school counselors can be obtained upon request.

• Duties

• Supervising students in common areas such as the hallway, cafeteria, or bus line (information for specific school counselors can be obtained upon request).
• Other duties as assigned (information for specific school counselors can be obtained upon request).

COUNSELING SERVICES 

CLASSROOM SUPPORT 

School counselors, with the support of teachers/faculty, parents, and administrators, develop and organize counseling activities. The school counseling topics focus on:  

1. Problem-solving  
2. Decision-making
3. Social and Emotional Learning
4. Self-understanding  
5. Effective Interpersonal and Communication skills
6. Interpreting student information, such as standardized tests
7. Conflict Resolution
8. Bullying and Cyberbullying
9. Effective Study skills
10. Positive Attitudes toward School  
11. Career Awareness
12. Substance Abuse Prevention  
13. Comprehension and Acceptance of Differences in People (racial, gender based, cultural, religious, physical)  
14. Attendance

K-5th- Classroom guidance is provided using Jesse Lewis Choose Love and other social and emotional learning (SEL) programs.

INDIVIDUAL AND SMALL GROUP COUNSELING

The Garfield Scholars' Academy counselor will work with students in small groups and individually to provide:

1. Developmental guidance
2. Remediation
3. Crisis intervention

This guidance is tailored to students’ needs. Topics may include:

1. SEL
2. Divorce
3. Grief
4. Other topics may vary

Referrals along with topics covered are communicated from stakeholder referrals and/or assessments.

COORDINATION

Garfield Scholars' Academy counselors (and the social work team):

1. Coordinates the use of school and community resources.
2. Assists parents in identifying and accessing services  
3. Serves as liaison between the school, home, and community agencies
4. Collaborate with outside therapists to assess the well being of students and support them emotionally and academically.
5. Maintain relationships with school staff and community agencies. These agencies include (and are not limited too):

1. department of health and social services,
2. mental health centers,
3. juvenile courts,
4. and advocacy groups.

6. Develop, publish, and/or distribute a list of community resources, referral agencies, and hotlines for parents.
7. Refer students to mental health agencies.

CONSULTATION 

Garfield Scholars' Academy supports consultation to best serve individual student needs. These services can include:

1. Conducting professional development
2. Assist in the identification and development of programs for students with special needs
3. Participating in school committees
4. Conducting parent education
5. Supporting Response To Intervention (RTI) team.
6. Assisting Administrators with Bullying Protocol and Intervention

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Garfield Scholars' Academy Counseling Programs may offer parents:

1. Resources and techniques for helping students meet their academic, personal, and social potential.
2. Workshops on specific issues such as normal growth and development, development of study habits, counteracting negative peer pressure, preventing substance abuse, helping children cope with divorce, financial management, bullying/cyberbullying and/or managing disruptive behaviors as requested.

School Counselors encourage parents to:

1. Participate in volunteer opportunities
2. Attend parent conferences
3. Support partnerships in their students’ learning and career planning process.  

Garfield Scholars’ Academy’s comprehensive counseling plan can be found on the school’s website. Garfield Scholars' Academy understands the importance of involving parents and the community as a whole in promoting higher student achievement and general goodwill between the District and those it serves. Therefore, the District shall strive to develop and maintain the capacity for meaningful and productive parental and community involvement that will result in partnerships that are mutually beneficial to the school, students, parents, and the community. This policy shall be part of the Garfield Scholars' Academy Title I plan and individual school’s Title I plan.

PARENT AND TEACHER COMMUNICATION

Teachers shall communicate with the parent(s) or guardian(s) of students during the school year to discuss the student’s academic progress.

K-8  

1. Frequent communication with the parent(s) or guardian(s) of students not performing at the level expected for their grade.
2. Personal conferences will be held with parents if a student is to be retained at any grade level.
3. Parents will receive a notice of retention and the reasons for retention shall be communicated.

SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS AND NEEDS

Counselors work with students from culturally diverse populations and students with disabilities. Counselors promote acceptance through:

1. Classroom guidance lessons
2. Group support
3. One-to-one discussions as needs arise

PEER MENTORS

Counselors may provide structured opportunities for students to serve as peer mentors under their supervision.  Peer mentors support new students and parents.

ORIENTATION PROGRAMS Orientation programs by grade band and level are included.

K-5th 

1. Students and families are welcome to tour the school and attend Open House and Kindergarten Orientation. Parents are invited to have lunch with their children, and grandparents are encouraged, during Grandparents’ Day, to participate in school events. Students begin holding student-led conferences.

CAREER AWARENESS 

School counselors provide a career planning process for students to include:

1. Career awareness
2. Career Readiness
3. Workplace Readiness

K-8 

Career classroom guidance lessons focus on:

1.  awareness of talents and preferences,
2. educating students about various careers

Career classroom guidance lessons focus on:

1. Occupational options
2. Employment opportunities
3. Career Action Planning - Work with students on the importance of selecting the proper courses to meet graduation requirement
4. Current materials for career awareness and exploration

ACADEMIC CLASS SELECTION

Counselors act in a consulting capacity at all levels in guiding students toward educational and career objectives.

K-8

1. Academic goals and advice are shared in Student Led Conferences
2. An RTI process is implemented if needed.
3. In Intervention meetings, each student’s progress is discussed.

1. School activities include Smart Core Training for staff and parents.
2. Interest inventories are given to students.

ACCOUNTABILITY (ASSESS)

A comprehensive school counseling program is multifaceted and designed with continuous evaluation and modification in mind. This is all accomplished with the use of tools for evaluating the program, tools for sharing out results, and school counselor reflections. The main purpose in collecting this information is to guide future actions within the program and to improve results with our students.

TOOLS FOR EVALUATING THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM

School Counselors use various types of tools for evaluation of the comprehensive school counseling program. Through the implementation of needs assessments, feedback from small counseling groups, review of goal-setting action plan results, etc, school counselors are able to identify and meet the needs of their students and address how these can change due to specific counseling interventions.

• Samples of Tools for Evaluation 

• GSA GSA Student Needs Assessment

TOOLS FOR SHARING RESULTS

School Counselors share data results with school administration, staff, students, parents, and stakeholders in a variety of ways.

SCHOOL COUNSELOR REFLECTION

The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counseling Program understands that to effectively deliver services and address the developmental needs of all students, the program must provide organizational assessments and tools designed to manage school counseling programs. The Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor will compare pre-survey data and post-survey data gathered from students and teachers to identify areas of strength and reflect on the comprehensive school counseling program and identify areas for growth. As a result, Garfield Scholars' Academy School Counselor will utilize the management resources and recommendations of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). One specific tool, deemed best practice, is the Comprehensive School Counseling Self-Assessment. These assessments can be obtained from each specific counselor upon request.

• Sample School Counseling Self-Assessment 

Board approved September 9, 2024