School Counseling Plan
This plan has been designed to meet the current and future educational demands in order to better serve the Whitesboro school community. A contemporary counseling program is one that is results based, comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, proactive in nature, and designed to reach every student. When developing and implementing such a program, it is necessary that school counselors hold a comprehensive scope of skills that go beyond the fundamental counseling skills. In order to provide a data-driven program that aims to improve student achievement, school counselors must demonstrate the skills of leadership, advocacy, collaboration and data analysis. With this in mind, our school counselors have utilized a variety of professional development opportunities to increase their knowledge base. By focusing on these areas, they are proficient and suited to carrying out the needs of a modern school counseling plan.
The Whitesboro school counselors are divided among seven buildings, ranging from elementary school to high school. Our counselors are seen as leaders, advocates and vital educators in not only their assigned building, but within the Whitesboro school community as well. This is because the counselors are held to high standards of collaboration when it comes to the planning and implementation of our comprehensive school counseling program. This collaboration is guided by the belief that students should always be put first, a belief that has been woven into every aspect of the school counseling plan. In order to promote student success and close existing achievement gaps, the comprehensive plan incorporates a variety of direct and indirect support services, academic advising, skill development supports, and classroom guidance plans.
Our comprehensive school counseling model values content, process and accountability. School counselors are integral participants in collaborative programs that guide student achievement. Collaborating with teachers, administrators, community members, and families provides school counselors with information that can direct their programs. New York State school counselors with the support of superintendents, principals, and local boards of education can analyze and assess school counseling programs, implement programs through a variety of delivery systems, and maintain an accountability system that demonstrates effectiveness.
The National Standards for School Counseling Programs (1997) and the National Model for School Counseling Programs, both developed by the American School Counseling Association (ASCA), have shifted the focus of school counseling from a student-by-student system to a comprehensive and developmental program that focuses on academic, career, and personal/social development for every student. Our School Counseling Department strives to meet these recommendations and to provide research-based services in order to better serve our community. All staffing decisions are determined within the district’s fiscal parameters and overall priorities.
The transformations that have occurred to the comprehensive school counseling program at Whitesboro continues to help meet the demands of the 21st Century educational system and will increase the continuity of services that are provided to our students in all seven buildings. The services provided by our school counselors play significant roles in the closing of a variety of achievement gaps and are a benefit to student learning. We believe our program, which will continue to adapt with educational changes and data results, can and will profoundly contribute to the well-being and success of our students.