MOUNTAIN PINE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Student Services plan
Comprehensive School Counseling Program
2023-2024
Brandy Blees, Elementary Counselor, brandy.blees@mpsdrd.com; 501-767-1540
Lillian Alderman, High School Counselor, lillian.alderman@mpsdrd.com; 501-767-1540
Table of Contents
Section One
∙ Introduction
∙ Arkansas Comprehensive School Counseling Programs Roles and Best Practices
∙ Introduction to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Model
∙ Introduction to the Implementation of an Arkansas Comprehensive School Counseling Program
Section Two
∙ The ASCA Model Components
o Foundation
o Management
o Delivery
- Direct Services
- Administrative Activities
Section Three
∙ Arkansas Comprehensive School Counseling Plan Requirements
o Arkansas Student Services Plan Requirements
o Arkansas District and School Planning Requirements
Section Four
- Accountability
- Arkansas TESS School Counselor Rubric
Section Five
∙ Resource List
∙ Parent & Family Engagement Plans
Section One
Introduction
Mountain Pine School District counselors, Brandy Blees (K-6) and Lillian Alderman (7-12), provide a thoughtfully planned program to help students meet their fullest potential academically, socially/emotionally, and in career decision-making. The role of the school counselor is broad and requires expertise in multiple topics. This plan includes information about legislation and Rules regarding public school student services planning, shares the American School Counselor Association Model including the Mindsets and Behaviors, and includes the Teacher Excellence and Support System (TESS) rubric as part of a holistic design for school counseling programming.
The American School Counselor Association defines a comprehensive school counseling program as an “integral component of the school’s academic mission. Comprehensive school counseling programs, driven by student data and based on standards in academic, career, and social/emotional development, promote and enhance the learning process for all students.” Mountain Pine School District counselors utilize The Arkansas School Counselor Comprehensive Counseling Program Guide as an advocacy tool to educate all stakeholders; administrators, teachers, community, parents and students in regard to the role, function, and job skills required of the school counselor.
Arkansas Comprehensive School Counseling Programs Roles and Best Practices
School counseling programs are comprehensive in nature. They include planning and management, implementation and delivery, and data-driven evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the program. A team approach is essential to comprehensive school counseling programs. All stakeholders must be actively involved in promoting student achievement. Stakeholders include school counselors, faculty, administrators, students, parents, psychologists, social workers, and community.
Introduction to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Model
Arkansas school counselors adhere to the highest standard of professional practices as defined by the ASCA National Model in the development and implementation of comprehensive school counseling programs.
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs guides school counselors in developing and implementing a comprehensive counseling program that enhances learning for all students. Access to school counselors helps students develop the mindsets and behaviors needed for career and personal success. A comprehensive counseling program is planned, intentional and based on data-driven decision making. It is based on four components: foundation, management, delivery and accountability.
The model provides the mechanism through which school counselors and school counseling teams will design, coordinate, implement, manage and evaluate their programs to promote students’ success. The model provides a framework for the program components, the school counselor’s role in implementation, and the underlying themes of leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change. The old question was “What do school counselors do?” The new question is “How are students different because of the school counseling program?” Program components are focused on achieving results. Today’s counselors are leaders, advocates, systemic change agents and collaborators.
A comprehensive school counseling program is an integral component of the school’s academic mission. Comprehensive school counseling programs, driven by student data and based on standards in academic, career, and social/emotional development, promote and enhance the learning process for all students.
National School Counseling Week
School counselors celebrate National School Counseling week, which is held each February to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors. It is sponsored by the American School Counselor Association to highlight the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.
School Counselor Advocacy
This is what others observe about school counseling…
Classroom guidance, small groups, individual counseling, coordinating committees and programs, large group professional development, parent meeting, etc.
This is what counselors do that is not always observed, but should be shared with others…
Vision, mission, program goals, closing the gap plans, delivery including direct counseling and administrative activities, responsive services, provision of support to students (food, school supplies, clothing, personal hygiene) etc.
Introduction to the Implementation of an Arkansas Comprehensive School Counseling Program
The ASCA National Model represents what a school counseling program should contain, and it serves as an organizational tool to identify and prioritize the elements of a high-quality program. It describes the program components and serves as a framework for states, districts, and individual schools to use in developing, implementing, and evaluating their own comprehensive, systematic, and developmental school counseling programs. The ASCA model has been used as a framework for the Arkansas School Counselor Comprehensive Counseling Program Guide and Arkansas School Counselor Toolkit. The Model is:
Comprehensive in Scope
A comprehensive school counseling program will focus on all students. The emphasis is on promoting success for every student, so that they will achieve in school and develop into contributing members of our society.
Preventive in Design
School counselors design programs and services that emphasize proactive preventative education through the implementation of the school guidance core curriculum. Preventive Tier One implementation includes emphasis on the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors, as well as the Arkansas standards being taught in public schools.
Developmental in Nature
School counselors establish program goals, expectations, support systems, and experiences that are developmentally appropriate for all students. To support varying student developmental needs, counselors increase the intensity and frequency of interventions as needed.
A Cooperative Effort
School counselors collaborate with many stakeholders to ensure a high-quality school counseling program. Through this cooperative effort, school counseling programs become an integral part of the total school mission.
Leadership
School counselors serve as leaders who are engaged in system wide change to ensure student success. They help every student gain access to rigorous academic preparation that leads to greater opportunity and increased academic achievement. School counselors focus on closing achievement gaps found among all students. School counselors become effective leaders by collaborating with other professionals in the school to influence system-wide changes, and by implementing school reforms and participating in professional communities and professional development opportunities.
Advocacy
School counselors advocate for students’ academic, career, and social/emotional needs and work to ensure these needs are addressed at every level of the school experience. Through their leadership, advocacy, collaboration, counseling and the effective use of data, school counselors minimize barriers so students have increased opportunities to achieve success in school. These methods promote equity by providing access to rigorous courses and a quality curriculum for every student. By increasing access to challenging programs and coursework, students will be better prepared for college and/or careers.
Collaboration and Teaming
School counselors work with all stakeholders, both inside and outside the school system, to develop and implement responsive educational programs that support the achievement of the identified goals for every student. School counselors build effective teams by encouraging genuine collaboration among all school staff to work toward the common goals of equity, access and academic success for every student. This may include collecting and analyzing data to identify achievement gaps. School counselors create effective working relationships among students, professional and support staff, parents or guardians and community members.
Systemic Change
With a school-wide expectation to serve the needs of every student, school counselors are uniquely positioned to assess the school for systemic barriers to academic success. School counselors have access to critical data about student placement, students’ academic performance and student coursework. Systemic change occurs with the sustained involvement of all critical players in the school setting, including and often led by school counselors.
Section Two
The ASCA National Model Components
® The ASCA National Model graphic is a registered trademark of the American School Counselor Association
Foundation
The foundation serves as the solid ground upon which the comprehensive school counseling Program is built. The purpose of this component is to establish the focus of the comprehensive school counseling program based on the academic, career and social/emotional needs of the students in the school. This section of the manual offers an outline for a comprehensive school counseling program. You will find best practice examples and templates that can be customized for implementation at your school in the accompanying toolkit.
Program Focus
Beliefs
Arkansas school counselors recognize that our personal beliefs impact our behavior and how we interact with students and stakeholders. To establish program focus, school counselors identify personal beliefs and work to ensure all students benefit from the school counseling program.
Mountain Pine School District Counselors’ Belief Statement
The Mountain Pine school counselors believe every child can learn and that all students participate in a comprehensive school counseling program designed to foster student success.
Vision Statement
Arkansas counselors develop an appropriate vision statement defining what the future will look like in terms of student outcomes. By developing an appropriate vision statement, Arkansas school counselors can promote the success of every student with the support of all stakeholders (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008).
Mountain Pine School District Counselors’ Vision Statement
The Mountain Pine school counselors produce high performing students through a comprehensive developmental school counseling program. There is a collaboration among school counselors, administration, teachers, parents, and the community.
Mission Statement
Arkansas school counselors create a mission statement aligned with their school’s mission and develop program goals defining how the vision and mission will be measured. A mission statement provides the focus and direction to reach the vision, creating one focus or purpose in the development and implementation of the comprehensive school counseling program. The school counseling mission statement aligns with and is a subset of the school’s and district’s mission. The program’s mission statement is clear, concise and specific to the program’s intent and what the program will contribute to the overall mission of schools.
See page 24 in the ASCA Model book (2012). Templates can be found in the Arkansas School Counselor Toolkit.
Mountain Pine School District Counselors’ Mission Statement
In support of Mountain Pine School District’s mission, the school counselors advocate for all students through a comprehensive, developmental approach addressing academic, career, personal, and social skills necessary to achieve quality learning and life-long success.
Program Goal & Assessment
Arkansas school counselors develop program goals that define how the vision and mission will be accomplished. School counselors use these goals to develop core curriculum, as well as small groups and closing the gap action plans. School counseling program goals are statements about a desirable outcome toward which the program is willing to devote resources. (Dimmit, Carey, & Hatch, 2007).
The goal statements address specific student outcomes, including improved student achievement, attendance, behavior, and school safety through one or more of the three domains: academic, career, or social/emotional development. This information can be found using the school data report card.
The program goal of the Mountain Pine School District will be to increase the social emotional well-being of students and their connection to the school. MPSD counselors will support the monitoring of student academic success. This goal can be attained by making contact with students and parents privately to better understand their concerns and coordinating our efforts to meet their needs.
Another goal for the 2023-24 school year will entail all identified students will be given the opportunity to have basic needs met through various programs; such as, our weekend/holiday/summer food distribution, shoe/clothing closet, school supplies assistance, and community partnerships so that students from all socioeconomic backgrounds can achieve with equality. The counselors will gather information on student needs from families, teachers, administrators, other school staff members and community organizations to provide support for student success. The counselors will distribute and/or assist students and families in procuring needed resources.
Students will be given the opportunity to learn life-long skills that will improve social and emotional health through curriculum; such as classroom guidance lessons, group counseling sessions and individual counseling sessions. The counselors will strive to help students establish and maintain a sense of personal worth and positive self-image, develop appropriate emotional responses to life experiences, maintain effective interpersonal skills, understand their roles and responsibilities in school, family, and community, and acquire knowledge of respect for individuals with differences in abilities, interests, attitudes, and backgrounds.
ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College and Career Readiness Standards for Every Student
Enhancing the learning process for all students, Arkansas school counselors utilize the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors to guide the development of effective school counseling programs around three domains: academic, career, and social/emotional. The Mindsets and Behaviors are the foundation for classroom lessons, small groups and activities within comprehensive school counseling programs. https://schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/MindsetsBehaviors.pdf
Professional Competencies
The ASCA National Model outlines the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that ensure school counselors are equipped to meet the rigorous demands of the profession. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/SCCompetencies.pdf
ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors
The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors identify the principles of ethical behavior necessary to maintain the high standard of integrity, leadership and professionalism.
Management
The management component of the ASCA Model provides Arkansas school counselors organizational guidance and tools to help support the development of a student focused, needs-based comprehensive plan. Management requires self and program assessment to ensure that counselors are able to identify program strengths and weaknesses. In addition, data can be used to plan for short- and long- term goals to improve the program, and help the counselor determine what type of professional development can be used to meet the goals of their Personal Growth Plan.
School Counselor Competencies Assessment
School counselor competency assessments help school counselors to self-assess their knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to perform the range of school counselor responsibilities in all four management components (use of time assessments, needs assessments, advisory council, and annual agreements).
School Counseling Program Assessment
Arkansas school counselors use a program assessment to self-evaluate the school counseling program in comparison to the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2012).
Calendars
The elementary counselor in the Mountain Pine School District provides a monthly or annual calendar of guidance class schedules, events, themes for guidance lessons, etc. which are aligned with the program goals, vision, and mission.
Use of Time Assessments
Use-of-time assessments are used to determine the percentage of time the counselor is providing direct counseling to students or indirect administrative services that are related to the comprehensive counseling program. Using the data from use-of-time logs provides regular feedback to the counselor and administration to ensure that the counseling program is being provided with fidelity to the students and their needs are being met. Use of time documentation also helps the counselor and leadership determine which activities or services the counselor is providing that are appropriate to the program and the Public School Student Services Plan. Calendars are used to keep students, parents, teachers and administrators informed and to encourage active participation in the school counseling program.
See page 63 in the ASCA Model book (2012). Templates can be found in the Arkansas School Counselor Toolkit.
Annual Agreement
Each year, the counselor and administrator meet to develop an annual agreement. This agreement identifies specific responsibilities of the counselor, student caseload, areas for professional development, and expectations for the counselor and program. This agreement should be aligned to the counselor’s Personal Growth Plan and the counselor’s Teacher Excellence and Support System goals.
See page 64 and 65 in the ASCA Model book (2012). Templates can be found in the Arkansas School Counselor Toolkit.
School Counselor Advisory Team/Council
Creating an advisory council that consists of stakeholders supports the implementation of the counseling program. This council should meet at least twice a year to share in the planning of overarching goals of the program, determine needs or gaps for students, provide opportunity for feedback regarding the program, and allow stakeholders to understand and be involved in the comprehensive school counseling program. Templates can be found in the Arkansas School Counselor Toolkit.
Data Use in School Counseling
Data is used in the school counseling program to develop the academic, career, and social/emotional needs of the student body as a whole. Data can also be evaluated on an individual or small group of students to determine if there might be a need for more intensive or frequent intervention. This type of data might include disciplinary referrals, attendance, grades, assessment scores, behavioral screeners or behavioral referrals, etc. Data is also used to evaluate the results of the comprehensive school counseling program to allow the counselor to reflect on his/her practice, and make adjustments to programming as needed.
See page 42 and 59 in the ASCA Model book (2012). Templates can be found in the Arkansas School Counselor Toolkit.
Guidance & School Counseling Facilities
The school counseling program should be organized, intentionally planned, and managed in a manner to support the implementation, evaluation, and reflection of services being provided. Each school shall provide appropriate facilities to ensure effective confidential counseling to meet individual needs of students. To implement an effective counseling program a counselor should have private office space, private phone lines, computer and data processing tools, and an appropriate area for small group activities. The State of Arkansas Public School Academic Facility Manual planning concepts related to current educational best practices, defines the size of the counselor’s office to be incorporated into a new or renovated building. In addition, the manual’s Education Planning Concept states that decentralizing administrative services, including counselors, “may provide the flexibility and opportunity for increased student contact, decreased student anonymity, and opportunities for passive supervision.”
Delivery
The delivery system is focused on the process and method of delivering the comprehensive school counseling program to students. Direct services are those that are provided directly to students and administrative activities are those that are not direct, but are related to the counseling program and Public School Student Services program implementation.
Direct student services include the delivery of the school counseling core curriculum. This instructional program is intentional, planned and developed based upon the needs of the students. Delivery of core curriculum helps students build skills and competencies that are age-appropriate and focused on the counselor/school/district mission and vision. Core curriculum addresses academic growth, career exploration or development, and social/emotional needs. The delivery can be provided in the classroom or by means of interdisciplinary lessons. Outside of the classroom, counselors can provide small group support to students, focusing on the three components of core curriculum as well.
Responsive services are direct services that are meant to address students’ immediate needs or concerns, and can be initiated by the student, parent, teacher, or administration. Responsive services include regularly scheduled meetings with students based upon a referral as well as crisis response to support a student during an acute crisis or emergency situation.
Administrative activities include referrals to school, district, or outside sources for additional assistance for a specific student need. School counselors consult with parents, teachers, educators and 10 community groups to advocate for students regarding academic, career or social/emotional needs to increase student success in the school setting. Collaboration is used to ensure that all stakeholders working with the student have the same understanding of the support or program being provided. Counselors can use collaboration in teaming environments, committees, or workshops provided to school staff or parents.
Section Three
Arkansas Student Services Plan Requirements
Classroom Guidance (Direct Service)
Arkansas School Laws Annotated Code 6-18-1005 states: (L) Classroom guidance which shall be limited to forty-minute class sessions, not to exceed three (3) per day and ten (10) per week. Part-time counselors adjust their class sessions based upon the percentage of time they are present in the school. For example, if a counselor were only 50% then they would have a maximum of five classroom sessions per week. Classroom guidance lessons are not a break or planning time for teachers.
Mountain Pine School District counselors conduct planned classroom guidance which is age appropriate, collaborative effort with teachers to use the information to reinforce goals for students in the areas of academic, social/emotional and career development. Teachers are encouraged by counselors to conduct and continue many of these activities during their classes to assist in the development of the whole student. Classroom guidance provides students the opportunity to be engaged in discourse and collaboration. It allows them to discuss “what-if” scenarios, and use peer feedback and self-evaluation to help them clarify what their academic, career, and social/emotional needs and interests are. School counselors take the lead in the planning, development and organization of the classroom guidance activities being provided. To ensure alignment of the school counseling program and consistency of student behaviors, counselors can also provide support to teachers and others in the school.
Individual and Small Group Counseling (Direct Service)
Although counselors work with students when they experience problems, counseling must be more than the provision of remediation and crisis intervention. Developmental counseling provides students with coping strategies before a crisis occurs. This may involve seeing students individually or in groups to help them develop skills and use their resources.
Individual and Small group lessons include but not limited to:
∙ Character Education
∙ Friendship
∙ Grief
∙ Divorce
∙ Anger Management
∙ Study Skills
∙ Acceptance of Others
∙ Self Esteem
∙ Military Deployment Family Support
∙ Self-Responsibility
∙ Anti-Bullying
∙ Career Education
Working with students in groups acknowledges that peer influence is an extremely powerful factor in students’ development. Groups provide them with an opportunity to give and receive feedback, which contributes to their understanding of themselves and others. It also allows them to practice interpersonal and personal skills in a safe, reinforcing environment. In addition, a group approach enables counselors to have an impact on a greater number of students. It is important to remember that the group approach is not suited to every student or every situation. Students are referred for counseling by: staff, teachers, parents, school psychologists, school administrators, peers, or themselves.
Guidance in Understanding the Relationship between Classroom Performance and Success in School (Direct Service)
Mountain Pine School District counselors assist students in understanding the relationship between school and classroom performance and their future college- or career- aspirations. This process begins in early grades and continues throughout the students’ education. Age-appropriate classroom guidance lessons, small groups, and individual counseling sessions, as well as supporting teacher lessons and classroom procedures can all be used in the process of helping students see the connections.
Academic Advisement (Direct Service)
Academic advice begins in elementary and continues through high school. The school counselor acts as an advisor at all levels to guide students toward developing short- and long- term goals for educational decision-making including the selection of courses designed to help students prepare for college- and career- plans. Informational resources are also available and organized in such a way as to guide students and provide information relevant to their plans. Counselors encourage students to reach their fullest potential by guiding them to take the most academically challenging coursework with a focus on interest areas.
Credit Recovery/Intervention - High school students have the opportunity to recover selected credits through a state approved on-line program called APEX. Recovery for several core courses may be teacher led (when staffing allows) and provided in a classroom setting.
Orientation (Direct Service)
Orientation is a process for students, teachers, parents, and stakeholders to learn about the guidance, counseling, and other student services offered to assist in the adjustment of new students to a school. Orientation is designed to help students make smoother transitions from one school setting to another. Formal programs may be used in a classroom setting for groups entering a new school after promotion. As new students enter school throughout the year, orientation may consist of individual or group sessions assisted by peer helpers.
At Mountain Pine Elementary School, incoming students are given tours through the building and classrooms to become familiar with the school before entering their next grade. Incoming kindergarten students are also given a kindergarten screener to help with placement for the upcoming school year.
At Mountain Pine High School, seventh grade students walk through our building and into classrooms to become familiar with the school before entering seventh grade. They will also attend an orientation before starting school, for students and families.
Consultation and Coordination (Administrative Activity)
An important part of the counselor’s role is to collaborate with teachers and parents. The Mountain Pine School District counselors work with teachers and administrators to help create school environments that encourage student growth and learning.
Consultation can include:
● Participating in and supporting the work of the RTI team
● Conducting professional development workshops
● Discussions with teachers and other school personnel on subjects such as suicide prevention or child maltreatment reporting requirements
● Assisting teachers to work with individual students or groups of students
● Providing relevant materials and resources to teachers, especially relating to classroom guidance core curriculum
● Assisting in the identification and development of programs for students with special needs; climate, and other guidance-related areas
● Interpreting student data or assessment results
● Consulting with other specialists (e.g., social workers, psychologists, representatives from community agencies)
The counselor can also coordinate services between the school, home, and community agencies so that efforts to help students are successful and reinforced rather than duplicated.
Parental Involvement (Administrative Activity)
Counselors may conduct workshops on issues such as: developing better study habits, counteracting negative peer pressure, preventing substance abuse, helping children cope with divorce, and managing disruptive behaviors. Many counselors provide newsletters or social media information for parents to keep them updated on school counseling programs, opportunities, or information on ways to support their students at home. Counselors along with other school staff should encourage parents to participate in volunteer opportunities within the school setting.
The Parent & Family Engagement Contacts for each building encourage parents to participate in volunteer opportunities within the school setting. (See Mountain Pine Elementary and Mountain Pine High School Parent & Family Engagement Plans)
Utilization of Student Records (Administrative Activity)
The Mountain Pine School District counselors review academic records and files, and may update them for use with students and parents, as well as for their own professional use.
Interpretation of Student Assessments (Direct Services)
Counselors help students identify their skills, abilities, achievements, and interests through counseling activities and the guidance curriculum.
Interpretation of Student Assessments (Direct or Administrative Activity)
The counselor at Mountain Pine High School serves as the District/Building Test Coordinator. Duties include teacher in-service, inventory of tests, distribution of tests, test security procedures, and documentation of test procedures as well as getting tests shipped/prepared for grading purposes. The counselor is also responsible for make-up testing. Counselor interprets standardized test results for parents, faculty, students, and community stakeholders. Working with students to interpret and understand their own standardized assessment results would be a direct counseling service.
Educational Academic Advisement, Career Counseling, Career Opportunities and Alternative Programs (Direct Service)
Counselors advise students on educational, academic assessment, and career counseling including advising students on the national college assessments, workforce opportunities, and alternative programs that could provide successful high school completion and post-secondary opportunities.
Making Referrals to School and Community Resources (Administrative Activity)
Counselors establish and maintain close working relationships with a variety of school and community agencies. These agencies include departments of health and social services, mental health centers, juvenile courts, and advocacy groups. To help students and their families cope with an array of problems, counselors identify school and community resources and support the established policies and procedures for interagency communication. (See Counselor Resource List- Section Five)
Direct Counseling Activity Examples – 90% of Time Monthly
The counselors provide direct to students at least 90% of their time monthly. Examples of direct counseling are:
● Individual social/emotional counseling
● Individual academic guidance and counseling
● Individual career education guidance and counseling and vocational decision making
● Orienting new students to the school (this does not include master scheduling)
● Consultation with students
● Class selection discussion/academic advisement with students
● Interpretation of state-mandated assessments with students
● Review records and files while assisting students
● Small group counseling sessions
● Classroom guidance sessions
Administrative Activities Examples- 10% of Time Monthly
The counselors provide administrative services no more than 10% of their time monthly. Examples of administrative services are:
● Consultation services with school personnel and outside agencies
● Making appropriate referrals
● Test interpretation about students; test interpretation for parents, faculty or community
● Updating guidance/counseling records for counselor’s utilization
● Planning, managing, and evaluating the comprehensive counseling program
● Planning classroom guidance lessons
The American School Counselor Association’s Position on High-Stakes Testing and School Counseling
https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/PositionStatements/PS_High-StakesTesting.pdf
Career Awareness and Planning in School Counseling Programs (Direct Service)
Annotated Code 6-18-1009 states: “Each school counselor shall provide a career planning process for each student to include career awareness, employment readiness, career information, and the knowledge and skill necessary to achieve career goals. School counselors shall also encourage parents, during regular parent conferences, to support partnerships in their children’s learning and career planning process.”
At Mountain Pine School District, guidance and classroom activities focus on developing personal skills, career exploration and making the connection between them and the world of work. At the secondary level, the counselor works with students to ensure that they are aware of the importance of course selection and future planning. The counselor helps students develop their course of studies or four-year plans so that students have a map for high school coursework. The counselor provides information to and assists students in understanding how taking more rigorous classes better prepares them for college- and work- success. Information on post-secondary opportunities and institutions, and alternative career programs are shared with students by the counselor and the college and career coach. Soft-skills are developed at all levels and the connection between them and career success is emphasized.
Arkansas District and School Planning
Additional Components of Student Services Plans
The following components must be included in the school/district student services plan, but are not typically provided or implemented by the school counselor.
Alternative Methods of Classroom Management
The Student Services Plan addresses alternative methods of classroom management. These methods can include, but are not limited to: behavior contracts, dispute resolution, classroom meetings, logical consequences, assertive discipline, behavior modification and career and academic counseling. Alternative methods are consistently implemented and reinforced by all school staff.
Follow-up of School Dropouts and Graduates
Schools/districts follow-up with students who drop out with referrals, communication with parents, students, requests from new schools, etc. Follow-up with graduates can be through phone calls, emails and What’s Next forms completed prior to graduation, or by other contact methods.
TABE Testing (Pre-High School Equivalency Examination)
The counselor may support the coordination of the Test for Adult Basic Education or the High School Equivalency Examination pretest. However, the counselor does not administer the test, but refers to other appropriate personnel to administer the assessment.
Group Conflict Resolution Services
These services shall include but are not limited to the following: educational and social programs which help students develop skills enabling them to resolve differences and conflicts between groups and programs designed to promote understanding and positive communication.
Conflict solving for students could include: dealing constructively with conflicts, building positive self-esteem, respecting human differences, making responsible decisions, developing sensitivity to all people, practicing conflict resolution, learning ways to handle frustration and anger, exploring conflict as a positive force for change, understanding the dynamics of conflict, respecting human differences, and developing positive interpersonal skills. By meeting social/emotional needs, students are encouraged to be more sensitive to differences and be more accepting of others.
Visiting Teacher and Social Work Services
Visiting teachers and social work services provide casework to assist in the prevention and remediation of problems of attendance, behavior, adjustment, and learning concerns. The visiting teacher or social worker functions as a liaison between the home and school. They may provide home visits and refer students and parents to appropriate school and community agencies for assistance.
Occupational and Placement Services
Occupational and placement services personnel shall serve as a liaison between employers and the school to develop connections between the school and business and industry.
Psychological Services
The district provides psychological services to students to ensure that they are ready to succeed and are being prepared for college- and/or career- readiness. These services include, but are not limited to:
● Evaluation of students with learning or adjustment problems
● Evaluation of students for exceptional student programs
● Consultation with parents, students and school personnel to ensure students are ready to succeed
● Provision of an early identification system of learning potential and factors that might affect educational performance
● System for liaison and referrals with available resources
● Written policies that assure ethical procedures in psychological services.
School Health Services
A school nurse is employed by Mountain Pine School District. The health services program includes screening, referral and follow-up procedures for all students. Students with special health care needs, medically fragile, and technology-dependent students will have individualized healthcare plans. Custodial health care services required by students with individualized health care plans shall be provided care by trained school employees, other than the classroom teacher. Students who require invasive medical procedures shall be cared for by a trained person who is licensed to perform the task. Classroom teachers shall not perform these tasks with the exception of administering glucagon to a student with Type I diabetes, provided the teacher is trained, and the situation is an emergency.
Suicide Prevention Public Awareness Program
Mountain Pine School District recognizes that September is Suicide Awareness month. Activities/Resources include: Suicide Prevention Awareness Day (wear purple), publicizing suicide prevention lifeline website and phone number with students and faculty, Classroom guidance and individual counseling services focus on healthy coping strategies such as seeking help from a trusted adult.
ADE Guidance and School Counseling Suicide Prevention Resources
http://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/divisions/learning-services/guidance-and-school-counseling
Section Four
Accountability
Accountability and evaluation of the school counseling program are absolute necessities. The Mountain Pine School District counselors will answer the question, “How are students different as a result of the school counseling program?” Now more than ever, school counselors are challenged to demonstrate the effectiveness of their programs in measurable terms. The Mountain Pine School District counselors will collect and use data that support and link the school counseling programs to district and school vision and mission. The data collected is used to make program decisions based on the results.
Arkansas TESS School Counselor Rubric
The Arkansas Teacher Excellence and Support System provides statutory direction for reform of teacher and leader evaluation systems. This evaluation and support system, coupled with Arkansas’s longitudinal data system teacher/student link, provides critical information to state, district and school educators in the form of essential data and feedback to ensure College and Career Readiness leading to access and achievement for all Arkansas students.
The following resources provide school counselors with Arkansas Teacher Excellence and Support System (TESS) counseling specific guidance documents. Aligning Danielson Framework with ASCA’s School Counselor Competencies and Ethical Standards
TESS Smart Card for Counselors http://www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/Learning_Services/Guidance_School_Coun seling/Smart_Card_School_Counselor.pdf
TESS for Specialty Areas - Counselors http://www.arkansased.gov/divisions/human-resources-educator-effectiveness-and-licensure/office-ofeducator-effectiveness/teacher-evaluation-system/tess-for-specialty-areas/school-counselor-tessdocuments
TESS Artifacts and Evidence for Counselors http://www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/HR_and_Educator_Effectiveness/TESS/TESS%20Artifacts%20and%20Evidence/TESS_Examples_of_Artifacts_Counselors_Updat ed_04282014.pdf
Section Five
- Resource List (Link to follow)
∙ Parent & Family Engagement Plans
- MPES Parent & Family Engagement Plan (Link to follow)
- MPHS Parent & Family Engagement Plan (Link to follow)