C04: Mission Impossible: Exploring the Role of Today's Secondary School Counselor

1. C04: Mission Impossible: Exploring the Role of Today's Secondary School Counselor Robert BardwellMonson High School (MA) Tara LebarBlue Valley West High School (KS) Rob LundienPark Hill South High School (MO) Kent RinehartMarist College (NY)

2. Session Objectives At the end of this session, participants will be able to… • Have a better understanding of the role of the traditional school counselor in public high schools. • Identify some of the challenges school counselors face and how college admissions professionals can help • Learn how to build positive partnerships with counseling departments to help all students meet their postsecondary goals and dreams • Leave with an action plan with concrete tasks to achieve

3. Who is here today? • High school counselors • Community based organizations • College admission counselors • Independent counselors • Graduate students • College faculty • Other • First timer • 0-5 years experience • 5-10 years experience • 11-20 years experience • 20+ years experience

4. Setting the Stage: What do you already know? • What do you already know about high school counseling? • What was your experience like when you were in high school?

5. Emails Students Dropping Out Career Center Scholarships Setting the Stage: What it feels like…. College FAFSA Help Mental Health Field Trips SAT Testing Attendance at IEP Meetings Letters of Recommendation NCAA / NAIA Enrollment Child Abuse Crisis Suicide Prevention Enrolling new students Credit Deficient Students 504 Coordination College Counseling Homebound Students 4-Year Planning Military Parents Enrollment into Upper Level Classes LGBTQ Substitute Teaching Drug and Alcohol Prevention Supervision Social Emotional Learning State Testing Career Counseling Hungry Students Academic Counseling ACT Testing Scheduling Homelessness Vaping Attendance Issues Data Entry Classroom Lessons

6. Setting the Stage: What is a School Counselor? (con’t) • School counselors are certified educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. • School counselors hold a minimum of a Master’s degree in school counseling. • School counselors have various undergraduate degrees and experiences that led them to the field of school counseling. • School counselors are leaders in their buildings and communities.

7. Setting the Stage: What is a School Counselor? (con’t)

8. Setting the Stage: What is Comprehensive School Counseling? • It’s a program not a person (the counselor) • Designed to improve a range of student behavioral and learning outcomes • Comprehensive in scope • Developmental in progression • Preventative vs. Reactive • Designed to be a tier of scaffolding to the school’s mission and vision for the students. • Data informed and data supported.

9. Setting the Stage: What is Comprehensive School Counseling? (con’t) • Brief Summary of National Model of School Counseling • 4th edition just released • No substantive changes - mostly language • Foundation → Define • Management → Manage • Delivery → Deliver • Accountability → Assess • Four themes: leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change • The model includes things like calendar, lesson plans, standards and competencies, program planning, using data, action plans, advisory councils, direct and indirect student services and program assessment

10. Setting the Stage: Types of Counselors in the Schools • Public HS Counselors: • K-12 • Elem, MS, and HS • Elem and MS/HS • Caseload assignments • Grade level • Alpha split • Shop or program • Combination • Support Staff: • Administrative Assistant • Registrar

11. Setting the Stage: Types of Counselors in the Schools (con’t) • Support Staff: • School Psychologists • School Social Workers • Mental Health Counselors • Other Types of Counselors: • College Counselors • College/Career Counselors • College Advising Corps • Graduation coaches • Non certified paraprofessionals

12. Setting the Stage: Overview of School Counselor Challenges • Caseload size • Recommendation = 250:1 • National Average = 455:1 • Range from 202 (VT) - 905 (AZ) • Duties that get in the way of effective school counseling • Testing • 504 coordination / Special Education • Duties - lunch, hall, detention • Substitute coverage • Anything that the administration doesn’t want to do

13. Setting the Stage: Overview of School Counselor Challenges (con’t) • Increased mental health and social emotional needs of students • Increased complexity in the college admission process • Other staff members don’t always know what we do • Principal-school counselor relationships • shared goals? • regular meeting times scheduled? • Constantly advocating & communicating

14. Setting the Stage: Overview of School Counselor Challenges (con’t) • School counseling in urban & rural schools • K-12 counselors • Lack of access to college reps • Creating a “College Going Culture” • First-generation college students • "One of the biggest struggles is getting the parents to see that big picture where, 'It's OK if my kid goes away to college for four years. It doesn't mean that they're never coming back.' " NPR 2019 • Lack of resources • Counselors wear many hats in all schools

15. Current Trends: What are we seeing in the schools? • Increased mental health, depression, stress and anxiety diagnoses and challenges. • Impacts of Trauma on learning & behavior • Increased suicide rate among all teens • Budget cuts, cuts to staff, cuts to school counseling • Communication challenges - getting the info. to students • Technology, social media, cell phones • Vaping and other related situations (drugs, alcohol) • Increased behavioral problems

16. Current Trends: What are we seeing in the schools? (con’t) • Parenting Styles - • Helicopter • Lawn Mower • Snow Plow / Bulldozer • How do we handle these challenges? • Talk to your neighbor

17. Creating Positive Relationships with Schools: • Communication • Access • Trust • Collaboration

18. Creating Positive Relationships with Schools: (con’t) • Programs • Essay writing workshop • Letter of recommendation writing workshop • On the spot decision days • Professional development days • High school visits • Senior signing day • College application celebration week events • School Counselor Advisory Board • Network, network, network and network

19. What college admission professionals can do to better serve high school students? • Work with school districts that want to partner with colleges to create early awareness and exploratory opportunities (adopt a district) • Think business/company and school partnership • Think beyond traditional methods (HS visits, college fairs, overnights) about how to engage high school students (mentoring programs, on-campus events, dual enrollment, adopt-a-sports team) • Financial Aid programs

20. Working with high school counselors: • Email updates, newsletters • Visiting with counselors • Paperless counseling centers • Posters and promotional materials • Waivers for admissions applications • Campus events for counselors • Shout outs on social media • Scheduled visits to schools • Presentations • Freebies and goodies • Sponsorships to conferences • Professional association memberships - NACAC, regional affiliates

21. Working with high school counselors: (con’t) Visiting Schools: • Scheduling • Communication is key • Challenges counselors face • Getting kids out of class • Administration expectations • Shout outs on social media • The dreaded lunch room visit • Other alternatives

22. Don’t forget these students: • Mental health and counseling services • Some students are embarrassed to ask the question • How do students access? Is it free? • Discuss with parents • Is it part of your tour? Mention in visits to schools • 504 Plan and IEP services • How do students utilize these services? • Some students are shy about asking • Should they disclose in their application? • LGBTQ+ Students

23. Discussion & Q & A • What is not clear • What more do you need? • Who wants to share a success regarding school and college relationships? • How can we help each other • Any questions?

24. TURN AND TALK • What can you commit to right now to improve the relationship between high school counselors and college admission offices? • In one day • In one week • In one month • In one year • Share your action plans

25. For More Information • Robert Bardwell - Monson High School (MA) • bardwellr@monsonschools.com • Tara Lebar - Blue Valley West High School (KS) • tlebar@bluevalleyk12.org • Rob Lundien - Park Hill South High School (MO) • lundienr@parkhill.k12.mo.us • Kent Rinehart - Marist College (NY) • kent.rinehart@marist.edu

26. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT • This session is CE Eligible and credit can only be earned via submission in the app. • To receive credits: • Navigate to the session you are in from Schedule or My Schedule. • Tap the icon on the left side of the screen. • Enter your name and this code. • Submit. TFHZ