Foundation
The success of my school comprehensive program lies in establishing a strong foundation. As the proverb says,"Well begun is half done." Developing and stating beliefs, vision, and a school counseling mission statement, which align with the vision and mission statements of the district and school, allows me to have a clear sense of what will be part of my counseling program. The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors guide my planning from the beginning of the year. Of course, one of the critical parts of being a school counselor is flexibility, and the ability to adapt the program as needed. So while it is important to have a plan, we also see that in the framework of the ASCA National Model, there is also an arrow going from Accountability back to Foundation, indicating that I continually look at my data to demonstrate accountability, and make changes as needed.
My first step is to write my beliefs as a counselor. Then I identify my school and district mission and statements, and write school counseling mission and vision statements that align, and meet the counseling needs of my students.
The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors are an important part of my core curriculum planning. I begin the year by determining how and when each mindset and belief will be taught, and then adjust throughout the year as needed.
