# data[].attributes.body
Upon completion of my Masters in Guidance and Counseling, I hope to obtain a school counseling position at a middle school. I hope to utilize the knowledge and experience I gained while being a classroom teacher to enhance my abilities as a school counselor.

# data[].attributes.body
While viewing the various position statements the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) has, I read about their stance on the school counselor and discipline of students. Discussion of disruptive student behavior being a major, ongoing problem in school was observed. Though this problem is significant, school counselors should maintain positive relationships with students. School counselors should therefore not administer any discipline to students and instead collaborate with other educators to provide effective behavior management strategies and helpful staff development.

Also, there was discussion about the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act 2018. This act was introduced in September of 2018 aimed to lower the staff to student ratios for school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers. This bill would provide two five-year renewable grants for schools. Under this act, every state would receive a grant and no school would receive less than $1 million. This act aims to ensure schools are maintaining the improvement of mental health and wellness among students.

# data[].attributes.body
When reviewing the information on the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), leading an energized school by creating an empathetic school was one topic that resonated with what an effective school counselor should strive for. This article detailed ways that schools can and should provide students with the opportunity to learn and build positive school experiences. Having all educators, students and administration work towards the same goal: having empathy, will ensure that students have the ability to create positive learning experiences that will translate into their future experiences.

Upon reviewing the information and topics Anxiety in students is continuing to increase, with 25% of all students 13-18 years of age, having some level of anxiety. The reviewed article gives several strategies for teachers to implement in order to decrease student anxiety. It also lists several "red flags" that teachers can use to determine if a student has anxiety. However, the article states that teachers should not diagnose, instead refer to students to appropriate personnel. The article states to treat student anxiety carefully, as this is a continuously increasing issue with students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Step 2: Exploration Option 3- Helping Students Think 

# data[].attributes.subject
Step 2: Exploration Option 3- Helping Students Think 

# data[].attributes.body
A topic that is reoccurring is to help students value their education by providing meaningful opportunities to learn material. Educators have an ethical obligation to help students love to learn. Teaching students metacognition, to think about their thinking while reading, is something that can increase their ability to connect with the words on a page. Students who are able to better understand the material will have less frustration and anxiety when it comes to their learning experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dive Brief:

As young readers, students often make mistakes that can impact what they understand. Helping them watch out for these tricky errors can help them better comprehend what they're reading, Achieving Reading Founder Brooke MacKenzie writes for Edutopia .

Students can use metacognition - thinking about how we think - which teaches them to pause as they read, consider how they're feeling and what they're picturing in their mind. Feelings of discomfort can indicate they may not be understanding the words before them.

Reading specialist Brooke MacKenzie uses a chart with questions for students to ask themselves before moving forward, such as "Can I retell the story?" If students struggle with the questions, educators can have children slow down and read again.

Dive Insight:

Reading is the door to learning in all subject areas. But reading a string of words without absorbing the idea behind them, is not really learning. Students need to be able to comprehend the concept behind what's written to push their understanding. Teaching students to monitor their comprehension as they read benefits students even in math because students need to be able to understand the tasks they're being asked to do and comprehend the instructions.

Comprehension is one of the key cornerstones of literacy - more crucial than simply being able to read in the first place. Colorado's Department of Education (CDE), for example, lists reading comprehension as one of the five core components for reading literacy, even calling it "the primary purpose of reading," in its " Elements Comprising the Colorado Literacy Framework ."

The CDE also points to the metacognition strategy that mentions, including having teachers demonstrate how to use these methods "to help increase [students'] understanding of what they are reading." Putting students into small groups to discuss what they're reading and how they understand the text can also support successful results.

Switching up what students read - increasing their literacy diet, in a way, may be another literacy and comprehension strategy educators can pursue, noted Education Week . Here, teachers approach reading assignments in the same way a chef prepares a balanced meal, making sure enough variety is included. Rather than think of reading as increasing literacy, here the goal is to expand the richness of what students read, so cognitive abilities are pushed and children are exposed to new ideas. When students understand what they read, they can become thinkers for life - always learning and expanding on how they see the world.

Top image credit: Allie Reeser

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching students to think as they read improves comprehension

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As young readers, students often make mistakes that can impact what they understand. Helping them watch out for these tricky errors can help them better comprehend what they're reading, Achieving Reading Founder Brooke MacKenzie writes for Edutopia .

# data[].attributes.headline
Step 2: Exploration Option 3- Extent of a School's Liability

# data[].attributes.subject
Step 2: Exploration Option 3- Extent of a School's Liability

# data[].attributes.body
In this article, there was a discussion about the extent to which schools should be held liable for the safety of students. Various cases were discussed and the result of each case was given. In general, cases were decided on the premise of whether or not school officials were able to prevent harm being done against students. If any school official is aware of a situation happening to students that could ultimately harm them, the school has the responsibility to take any and all necessary precautions to stop it. There was also discussion on the responsibilities of school officials in a school shooting. In this situation, the court ruled that though schools have a safety protocol, individuals are sometimes unable to make split-second judgement calls and should not necessarily be held accountable for anyone getting hurt.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While a school's primary goal is to educate students, another priority is providing a safe environment. It's a responsibility enforced in federal, state and local laws, but ultimately, students can - and do - get hurt. And when they do, many blame the school or district.

Getting scraped up during recess, for instance, isn't new. Neither is getting made fun of by a classmate. Some medical experts call falls and broken bones " inevitable ," and some scholars cite teasing as an " important preparation for life ." But more severe issues, including sexual harassment, cyberbullying and school shootings are increasingly penetrating classrooms, spurring legal disputes over who's responsible.

"School safety is moving from the schoolhouse to the court of public opinion and the law," said school safety consultant Kenneth Trump. "But every case is unique - the legal issues vary, the allegations vary, and that's what makes it hard to pin it down to a handful of specific issues and put it in this neat little box."

Hundreds of lawsuits point the finger at schools or districts when students get injuried. Among the most recent was a suit against Broward County Public Schools and the county sheriff's office - both of which a federal judge said didn't have a legal duty to protect students - after the Parkland, Florida, shooting. These cases span different issues and reached varying verdicts, but they involve the same question: To what degree are these entities liable for students' safety?

Below, we've broken down a list of cases involving a school or district's role in student safety. Here's what happened and what they mean in the debate:

M.S.D. of Martinsville v. Rebecca Jackson

What happened: In March 2011, two students at West Martinsville Middle School in Indiana were injured in a shooting: One, who was shot twice in the stomach, was targeted by the shooter - a former student known to threaten and harass his peers -

Though the shooter threatened the victim several times - and threats were reported to teachers before the shooting - teachers didn't tell the administration, court documents say. Additionally, in the suit, the victim's mother said the district didn't protect her son because certain school entrances were left unlocked and monitors weren't properly warned about the shooter being a threat, among other alleged safety breaches.

While the district argued the suit should be dismissed because it couldn't have reasonably prevented the shooting, an appeals court disagreed.

What this means: This ruling shows schools or districts can be found liable if evidence proves the event could have reasonably been prevented, either because officials had reason to believe it would take place or if their response protocol wasn't sufficiently implemented.

Scarlett Lewis, et al. v. Newtown Board of Education and Town of Newtown

What happened: In one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

In her decision, the judge said, "...Faculty and staff had to make split-second decisions ... and subjecting their decisions to scrutiny, aided by hindsight, would no less serve the public interest than subjecting a police officer's discretionary decisions to second guessing."

She added, "Emergencies, by their very nature, are sudden and often rapidly evolving events, and a response can never be 100% scripted and directed."

According to this ruling, school officials can have similar protections to police officers. Even if a school has a safety protocol, it's hard to force people to have scripted emergency responses without taking split-second judgment into account. And if someone gets hurt, it's not necessarily something for which a school or district is liable.

Sexual misconduct

Mitchell v. Cedar Rapids Community School District

One day, the 9th-grader got her mother's permission to go to a friend's house after school, but she skipped last period. The 12th-grader raped her that afternoon. While the school day had ended when the rape happened, the girl's mom didn't know her daughter missed last period, and there were no special requirements for handling absences in her Individualized Education Program (IEP). Her mother sued the district for negligence, failing to monitor her daughter and notify her in a timely manner.

The district argued that because the rape didn't happen during school hours or on school grounds, it wasn't legally liable. But the Iowa Supreme Court ruled it could have been prevented.

What this means: This ruling doesn't imply a district or school is legally obligated to protect students outside of school hours or off school grounds in non-school activities. However, it does show that in certain cases, if evidence shows it either could have predicted or prevented such an incident from happening, they could be liable.

Shawnee Mathis, et al. v. Wayne County Board of Education, et al.

After the coach first heard about the incident, he allegedly didn't report it. One boy's parent later told the school, and the 8th-graders who were responsible were suspended for 10 days. The other boy's parent went to the school with concerns about what happened, but the suit alleges the principal didn't seem too troubled by it.

The boys continued to face harassment and were later pulled out of school. The school took some steps to prevent locker room misconduct, but in a disciplinary hearing, a committee of school officials chose not to suspend the 8th-graders for the rest of the basketball season, and the Wayne County Board of Education moved up their reinstatement date.

tudents and families who file suit often face many hurdles in proving a school or district is liable. According to the What this means: S Associated Press, districts in some states - including Virginia and Georgia - have "absolute immunity" from state-level lawsuits, while others, such as Florida, cap amounts schools must pay in damages. It's possible for a school to be held accountable, but it can be a high bar to hit.

Bullying/harassment

Kowalski v. Berkeley County Schools

When the victim and her parents filed a harassment complaint with the school, the site's creator was suspended for five days for the so-called "hate website," which violated school bullying, harassment and intimidation policies. She sued, claiming her First Amendment rights were violated, because her site was private and was created outside of school.

"foreseeable " that the website would "create a substantial disruption in the school, " therefore allowing the school to control the student's speech.

Wyke v. Polk County School Board

What happened: The mother of Shawn Wyke, a 13-year-old who died by suicide, sued her son's district in Polk County, Florida, alleging administrators knew he tried to commit suicide twice at school before his death. When the dean of students found out about Wyke's first attempt, he called the student into his office and read Bible verses, according to court documents. He thought they made Wyke feel better and that he did all he could that day.

Wyke's mother sued the school board, the vice principal and the principal, alleging there was inadequate intervention and prevention training for school employees that contributed to her son's wrongful death. A district court ruled the district could be found liable due to a failure to notify Wyke's parents about what happened, and their knowledge of his two attempts made the incident foreseeable.

What this means: Hundreds of students die by suicide each year, and many parents or guardians argue schools could have done more to prevent this. But in the past, courts often haven't deemed schools and districts liable for student suicides unless it was clear officials knew a student was suicidal and did nothing, or if they intentionally made things worse.

However, the sampling of cases to examine is relatively limited. Since this suit was filed, several schools and/or districts are facing legal action for their alleged liability in similar incidents. The outcomes of those cases will reveal a lot about where the line is drawn for schools' and districts' legal responsibilities.

Brewington v. Philadelphia School District

More than a year later, the boy's mother sued the elementary school and the Philadelphia School District, alleging the lack of padding on the gym walls was dangerous and constituted negligence. The school argued it was immune from the suit, but in a December 2018 ruling, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected this claim.

The court said this incident qualified as an exception to the immunity provision, giving the boy's mom a right to sue. According to the "" if an agency doesn't put adequate safety features in place for normal or reasonable use of property, it can be sued. In this case, the court found, the lack of padding could constitute negligence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
To what extent are districts, schools liable for students' safety?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While a school's primary goal is to educate students, another priority is providing a safe environment. It's a responsibility enforced in federal, state and local laws, but ultimately, students can - and do - get hurt. And when they do, many blame the school or district.

# data[].attributes.headline
Step 3: Ethical Issue- Students' Mental Health

# data[].attributes.subject
Step 3: Ethical Issue- Students' Mental Health

# data[].attributes.body
Helping all students maintain a positive state of mental, social, and emotional health, is an ethical principle that all school counselors must be aware of and should follow. This ethical issue is important because it can drive the prevention and intervention strategies of a successful school counseling program and can help all students be successful in having a healthy state of mind.

# data[].attributes.body
Thompson E. Heather, Robertson Phyllis, Curtis Russ, & Frick Melodie H. (2013). Students with anxiety: Implications for professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 16(4), 222. Retrieved from https://easydb.angelo.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.profschocoun.16.4.222&site=eds-live

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.

# data[].attributes.body
Duvall, A., Roddy, C. (2019) Coping with student anxiety. American School Counselor Association, 56(5). Retrieved from http://www.ascaschoolcounselor-digital.org/ascaschoolcounselor/january_february_2019/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1458871#articleId1458871

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"My heart is pounding. I feel like I can't breathe. My stomachs hurts. I don't want to be here at school. I know I shouldn't be worried about it, but I

# data[].attributes.body
Student anxiety is a continuing problem that affects many students. Teachers and school counselors must know the signs and symptoms of students who have anxiety, in order to provide intervention strategies early on. This prevention can limit students who are dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. Without prevention and intervention strategies to help students reduce anxiety, some researchers state students will be more susceptible to more severe mental health issues later on in life (Thompson, Robertson, Curtis, & Frick, 2019). Helping students use effective anxiety management strategies can help students be more successful later in life.

According to the legal and ethical responsibilities of school counselors, they should be concerned with the emotional and social needs of students (ASCA, 2016). School counselors should also provide necessary prevention and intervention strategies that students need, such as the strategies discussed in each of the previous resources (ASCA, 2016). Helping students manage their anxiety falls under the first principle in ASCA's ethical standard for school counselors, "A.1. Supporting Student Development," (ASCA, 2016). Also, knowing when to refer students to outside resources is a necessary component of maintaining an ethical responsibility, noted in, "A.6. Appropriate Referrals and Advocacy," (ASCA, 2016). Effective school counselors should provide students and parents with a list of resources that can be used, as well as encourage them to seek outside support if needed.

In the future, I will most likely encounter students who are dealing with anxiety. Using these resources and strategies will help me assist my students in maintaining a positive state of mental health. Also, knowing the signs of anxiety will help in my implementation of prevention strategies in students with early symptoms, this will limit students who deal with other related mental health issues, such as depression. Students who have anxiety may also deal with other mental health issues that will require me to take specific actions. Understanding the legal and ethical standards related to students' mental health is necessary for me to have an effective school counseling program.

# data[].attributes.body
ASCA. (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf
ASCA. (2019). The school counselor and discipline. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/PositionStatements/Discipline-DRAFT.pdf
ASCA. (2018). Elementary and secondary school counseling act. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/legislative-affairs
Barack, L. (2019) Teaching students to think as they read improves comprehension. Education Dive. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/teaching-students-to-think-as-they-read-improves-comprehension/550189/
Campisi, J. (2019). To what extent are districts, schools liable for students' safety?. Education Dive. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/to-what-extent-are-districts-schools-liable-for-students-safety/547823/
Thompson E. Heather, Robertson Phyllis, Curtis Russ, & Frick Melodie H. (2013). Students with anxiety: Implications for professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 16(4), 222. Retrieved from https://easydb.angelo.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.profschocoun.16.4.222&site=eds-live