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The program foundation, the "what" of a comprehensive school counseling program, makes clear what every student will know and be able to do and includes emphasis on the school counseling program's vision statement that stems from a school counselor's beliefs and philosophies, mission, student competencies (i.e. academic, career, personal/social and professional competencies (ASCA, 2012).
The purpose of this component of the ASCA National Model is to establish the focus of the comprehensive school counseling program based on the academic, career and personal/social needs of the students in the school.  Elements of foundation include three sections:
Program Focus
Student Competencies
Professional Competencies

PROGRAM FOCUS
Program Focus entails beliefs, vision statement, mission statement and program goals.
STUDENT COMPETENCIES
Student competencies entails ASCA student standards, other student standards.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
Professional Competencies entails school counselor competencies and ASCA ethical standards for School Counselors.

PROGRAM FOCUS
Beliefs-when working with a school counseling team, it is important for each team member to contribute to the discussion on beliefs to come to a common understanding about each other's point of view.  Some belief statements for school counseling are to:
address how the school counseling program meets student developmental needs,
identify persons to be involved in the planning, managing, delivery and evaluation of school counseling program activities include how data inform program decisions.
MISSION STATEMENT
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 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.

An effective mission statement:

aligns with the school's mission statement and may show linkages to district and sate department of education missions statements

is written with students as the primary focus

advocates for equity, access and success for every student

indicates the long range results desired for all students

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

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The management system element accounts for the "when", "why" and "on what authority" of a comprehensive school counseling program (ASCA, 2012).  The management component of the ASCA National Model provides organizational assessments and tools designed to manage a school counseling program,  These tools and assessments help school counselors develop, implement and evaluate their school counseling program based on clearly defined priorities reflecting student needs.

The assessments include:
School counselor competencies-this supports school counselors efforts to help students focus on academic, career and personal/social development so they achieve success in school and are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society.

School counseling program assessment- this program is used to self-evaluate the school counseling program in comparison with the ASCA National Model. The assessment findings help school counselors identify strengths and weaknesses of the school counseling program and provide direction for continued program improvement.

Use of time assessment-this helps the school counselor determine how much time is spent in each of the components of the ASCA National Model. School counselors with comprehensive school counseling programs spend a majority of their time providing direct and indirect services to student.  It is recommended that school counselors complete the use of time assessment twice a year.

Components of the management system are:
Annual agreement
Advisory council
School Data Profile
Program Results Data
Curriculum, Small-Group and Closing-the-Gap Action Plans
Lesson Plan
Caldendars

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author
Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the school counseling profession. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education.

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Annual agreements outline the organization and focus of the school counseling program and are made between each school counselor and the administrator in charge of the school counseling program each school year.
Steps for developing an effective annual agreement:
1. Review the annual agreement template as a school counseling team, if appropriate as early in the year as possible to discuss areas of information needed.
2. Determine any sections of the agreement that will be the same for all school counselors in the building if appropriate.
3. Complete the annual agreement template within the first month of school (one per school counselor).
4. Schedule an appointment to meet with the principal to review the agreement.
5. Provide a quick but thorough overview of program goals and priorities when meeting with the principal, using the completed annual agreement to guide the conversation.
6. Consider feedback from the principal and adjust agreement as needed.
7. Collect signatures of school counselors and principal before the end of the second month of school.

These agreements are short and to the point but they represent a basic understanding of responsibilities and program management.

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the school counseling profession. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education.

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School counselors' duties are focused on the overall delivery of the comprehensive school counseling program - direct and indirect student services and program management and school support.

Some of the appropriate duties for school counselors are:

providing counseling to students as to appropriate school dress

interpreting student records

ensuring student records are maintained as per state and federal regulations

helping the school principal identify and resolve student issues, needs and problems

advocating for students at individual education plan meetings, student sudy teams and school attendance review boards

Some of the inappropriate duties for school counselors are:

signing excuses for students who are tardy or absent

computing grade point averages

keeping clerical records

serving as a data entry clerk

assisting with duties in the principal's office

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

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School counelors develop and publish calendars of school counseling events to inform students, parents, teachers and administrators of what, when and where school counseling activites will be held.

Publicizing the school counseling calendar encourages staff, parent, student and community involvement as partners in student education.
THE ANNUAL CALENDAR
School counselors use the annual calendar to identify and communicate school counseling program priorities.

The annual calender includes such activites as:

school counseling classroom lessons

back to school night

open house

student/parent/teacher meeting days

standardized tests dates

career or college nights

evening activites provided through the school and the community

WEEKLY CALENDARS

Weekly calendars provides a detailed plan of the school counselor's activities for the week. The weekly calendar includes activities such as:

classroom lessons

group and individual counseling

meetings with students

collaboration and advocacy

data analysis

committee and fair share responsibilities

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

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The counselor's time is always in demand but there are so many hours in the day. How can you cope with all the demands without sacrificing your program (or your sanity)? I've already shared how to use your calendar as a productivity tool. Today, we are g

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An advisory council is a representative group of stakeholders selected to review and advise on the implementation of the school counseling program.  The council meets at least twice a year and maintains an agenda and minutes for each meeting. The most important factor to consider when constituting an advisory council is influence. The professional school counselor must seek to include individuals who can influence and hold the confidence of school and the school system decision makers, generally the principal and central office administrators.  It is essential for the principal to be a member of the Advisory Council.  The principal can hear firsthand the ideas and planning that go into recommendations for improvement, as well as the rationale for any additional funding that may be needed.

When creating an Advisory Council school counselors must consider some of these items:

Goals and objectives-school counselors are responsible for helping the members understand the council's purpose and focus.

Representation-members of the advisory council reflect the diversity of the community and include students, parents, teachers, school counselors, administrators, school board members and business and community members.

Size-a good rule of thumb is to establish a council with a minimum of eight members and a maximum of 20 members.

The Training of Principals for School Advisory Council Leadership Linda G. DePiano and Lawrence F. McClure University of South Carolina
The effectiveness of a 2-day residential leadership training workshop for school principals designed to increase their ability to develop effective citizen participation on a School Advisory Council is reported. One hundred eight schools were included in this study. The experimental design included two trained groups and one waiting list control group. The major findings revealed that trained principals and their council members were significantly more satisfied with and involved in their councils and more likely to report that their councils benefited their schools' academic programs than were untrained principals and their council members. Council members of the former group were also more likely to express support for their school administrators' policies than were control group council members. Furthermore, perceived social climate variables were found to discriminate significantly as mediators between trained and untrained groups. This research exemplifies the application of psychology's knowledge base and methods to a new state-level educational policy and contributes to community psychology's knowledge about citizen participation in public education.
DePiano, L. G., & McClure, L. F. (1987). The Training of Principals for School Advisory Council Leadership. Journal of Community Psychology, 15(2), 253–267. Retrieved from https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login
References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the school counseling profession. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education.

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USE OF DATA

Understanding and using data are essential to ensuring equitable services and that every student receives the benefits of the school counseling program.  A comprehensive school counseling program requires school counselors to be proficient in the collection analysis and interpretation of student achievement, attendance and behavorial data.  School counselors use data not only to identify areas of concern but also to show the school counseling program has attained goals and made a difference for students (Dimmitt, Carey & Hatch, 2007).  School data profile may include data from school enrollment, dropout rate, graduation or promotion rate, attendance and achievement.

ACTION PLANS

To efficiently and effectively deliver the school counseling program, there must be a plan detailing how the school counselors intends to achieve the desired results (Johnson & Johnson, 2001).

The following are the three action plans.

Curriculum Action Plan helps school counselors create an effective plan to help students develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills appropriate for their developmental level within the domains of academic, career and personal/social development

Small group Action Plan is used to provide focus and organization to the academic, attendance or behaviorial goals of small group counseling activities.  This template assists school counselors in the designm documentation and implementation of small groups

Closing the Gap Action Plan serves as a guide to address academic or behavorial discrepancies that exist between student groups.  Closing the gap activities often change from year to year based on student needs as demonstrated in the schools data.
References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Dimmitt, C., Carey, J.C. and Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence based school counseling: Making a difference with data driven practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
Johnson, C.D. & Johnson, S.K. (2001). Results based student support program: Leadership academy workbook. San Juan Capistrano, CA: Professional Update.

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Data to Drive Your School Counseling Program   Summarizing and Planning for Next Year

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Program goals define how the vision and mission statement will be accomplished and guide the development of curriculum, small group and closing the gap action plans. Program goals are based on school data and in many cases. focus attention on issues related to an achievement, opportunity or attainment gap.  Effective program goals: promotoe achievement attendance, behavior and/or school safety, are based on school data, address schoolwide data, policies and practices or address closing the gap issues, and address academic, career and/or personal/social development.

The SMART goal format (Doran, 1981) is frequently used for writing program goals.

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Doran, G.T. (1981). There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management goals and objectives. Management Review, 70(11), 35-36.

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Accountability refers to results reporting of student outcomes and program outcomes. (Dollarhide, 2017, p.15).

It simply answers "How are students different as a result of the school counseling program?" (Dollarhide, 2017, p. 83).

School counselors are to collect and evaluate data that include the results of their program (ASCA, 2012, p. 123).
Data Analysis, Program Results, and Evaluation and Improvement are all apart of the Accountability Component for CSCP.

Data Analysis is simply a summary for all of the school's reports. For instance, attendance, safety records, behaviors, and more. School counselors and other stakeholders are able to follow these reports for each student and find solutions. It also shows improvement and intervention data.

The Delivery Component goes hand in hand with the Accountability component. They relate closely because the results are complied to  be used in the delivery systems.

Program Results reflect trends and changes in data within the entire school and highlights achievement, success, and challenges in all domains (Dollarhide, 2017, p. 84). Program results tell us whether or not the programs instilled are effective. It keeps record of each domain and These results are gathered yearly.

Program results can be shared various ways including reports, presentations, the internet, and newsletters.

School Counselor Self Assessment:
It is very important to have an assessment that is specifically for a school counselor. For example, in the past, counselors have used assessments used for teachers (ASCA, 2012, p. 123). There are 4 major components needed in a school counselor assessment.
-Development and Management
-Implementation
-Accountability
-Systemic Change Agent

The ASCA Model has an assessment that mirrors the process school counselors go through as well as their role in the school system.

With this self-assessment, it helps the counselor understand what aspects to pay attention to in order on increasing successful programs.

American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author

Dollarhide, C. T, & Saginak, K. A. (2017). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K–12 delivery systems in action (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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ASCA Student standards identify and prioritize the specific knowledge, atitudes and skills that students should be able to demonstrate as a result of the school counseling program.
The student standards are organized in three broad domains to promote behaviors that enchance the learning process: academic, career and personal/social development.
Standards for each domain provide guidance and direction for states, school system and individual schools for the development of effective school counseling programs.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
The ASCA School Counselor Competencies outline the knowledge, attitudes and skills that ensure school counselors are equipped to mee the rigours dema ds of the professiona and the needs of our pre K-12 students.
School counselors use the ASCA School Counselor Competencies as a checklist to self-evaluate their own competencies and as a result formulate an appropriate professional development plan.
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA school counselor competencies. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/SCCompetencies.pdf

ETHICAL STANDARDS

ASCA's Ethical Standards include a nine step process for ethical decision making.

1. Define the problem emotionally and intellectually

2. Apply the ASCA Ethical Standards and the law

3. Consider the student's chronological and developmental levels

4. Consider the setting, parental rights and minors' rights

5. Apply the moral principles

6. Determine your potential courses of action and their consequences

7. Evaluate the selected action

8. Consult

9. Implement the course of action

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

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School Counselor...The Real on Delivery  Management.

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2013 ASCA Webinar Series  ASCA National Model – Accountability

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A comprehensive, developmental school counseling program is an essential part of any K-12 educational program and has been effectively addressing developmental and prevention needs for several decades.  A comprehensive developmental school counseling program is responsible for supporting student educational performance and forms the foundation for career and college readiness and personal/social development. The six qualities of a comprehensive school counseling program are:
Holistic
Systematic
Balanced
Preventive
Integrated
Reflective

References

Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the school counseling profession. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education.

American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
Dollarhide, C. T, & Saginak, K. A. (2017). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K–12 delivery systems in action (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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What is the Delivery Component all about?

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What is the Delivery Component all about?

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Delivery takes up more than 80 percent of the ASCA National Model and aided by technology.
This system focuses on CSCP and outlines all services.

Within delivery, there are five categories you should know about.
They are:

- Individual Student Planning: This is a systemic and ongoing set of activities to assist students with their goals for the future (Stone, 2017, Kindle, 1996). For example, helping prepare for college are aided by individual student planning. Every single student must have an individual plan.

A great example for individual planning is the ACCESS Plan. It provides school counselors with a tool to help their students with goal starting in Kindergarten. It is great plan to use for students because they are in need of structured goals and plans. This helps them along the way and keeps their aspirations organized.

From research over the years, these individual planning decreases suspension and truancy (Dollarhide, 2017, p. 80).

- School Counseling Curriculum: Structured lessons that are built around student' developments. It is developed throughout the school's overall curriculum (Stone, 2017, Kindle, 1996). School counselors and other educators collaborate for activities and curriculum information. The Core Curriculum is considered to be a "planned, written instructional program that is comprehensive in scope, preventive in nature and developmental in design" (Dollarhide, 2017, p. 80)

There are various ways a school counselor can deliver curriculum. SSS is one example. SSS stands for Student Success Skills and is known as an evidence-based curriculum where counselors integrate using small and large group application (Dollarhide, 2017, p. 80).

Within the delivery system, there are many models that can be used. Those models fall under two categories: prescriptive and nonprescriptive.

A prescriptive model consists of clear assumptions about the role and functions of counselors and programs like the do's and don'ts.(Dollarhide, 2017, p. 125).

Nonprescriptive models are more about the needs of the student and the school. There is more freedom associated with this model.

- Responsive Services: Activities that are specifically to meet the student's immediate needs and concerns (Stone, 2017, Kindle, 2015). Immediate needs include personal, social, academic, and career issues. There are two different types of responsive services which are individual and small-group counseling.

- Consultation Practices: Consultation means working and interacting with another person. It is best described as a process in which a human service professional assists with work-related problems. (Dollarhide, 2017, p. 180). School Counselors consult with others when making decisions as well as creating new programs. Consultation offers great benefits to school counselor, clients, and consultees. When consulting, the school counseling does not have to worry about wasting their time. It a great tool to use and very efficient.

Sometimes people can confuse consulting with counseling. However, they have some differences. "Counseling is dyadic, involving two parties, and is focused on intrapsychic, personal problems of the client. Consultation is triadic, involving three parties. It addresses a specific situation and does not focus on personal issues" (Dollarhide, 2017, p.181).

Consultation is known to be an interaction filled with professionalism, respect, and intent to enhance the client and consultee system.

There are four important stages in a generic model for Consulting.

Stage 1: Entry
In this stage it is important to create a great relationship with the consultee, understand their needs, and set goals.

Stage 2: Diagnosis
Consists of gathering information about the problem or situation and what the concerns are. Also in this stage you define the problems and confirm the goals made in stage 1. Lastly you being thinking about interventions.

Stage 3: Implementation
This stage consists of facilitating the intervention selected and the action plan. After doing so, it is time to implement the plan and start evaluating.
Stage 4: Disengagement
In this last stage, formulate a contingency plan and reduce the involvement. For future uses, you can invite your consultee back for support and follow-ups.

- Collaboration Practices: A school counselor can work with a variety of people in their field. Family, coworkers, students, and administrators are just a few stakeholders to name. With collaboration, the counseling program can reach higher points because of the support of others.

Outside support is also available for counselors. The community can be used in many ways. "By understanding and appreciating the contributions made my others in educating all children, school counselors build a sense of community, which serves as a platform to create an environment encouraging success for every student" (ASCA, 2012, p. 6)

Collaboration has 7 varieties related to the role of school counselors. Below is a list.
Interprofessional
Youth-Centered
Parent-Centered
Family-Centered
Intra-organizational
Inter-organizational
Community

American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

Dollarhide, C. T, & Saginak, K. A. (2017). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K–12 delivery systems in action (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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Here's a link that provides more detailed Delivery information.

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Delivery | American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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Chapter 12 : School Counselors as Consultants

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School counselors will wear many professional hats throughout each school year. A very important role is engendering collaboration between a child's parents/guardians and the staff of the school. Creating a collaborative environment is vital to building student success within your school and critical in regards to establishing yourself as a school counselor. Working With Teachers Successful school counselors are able to build effective relationships with the school's teaching staff. Always remember to include teachers within a discussion when the outcome will affect their classroom. If you don't want to be viewed as an outsider in their classroom, don't act like one. You may not always agree with the teacher but they should be respected as a professional in the same manner you wish to be. Working With Parents How many times do we hear our co-workers say, "They are uninvolved parents?" It may be possible those parents are saying, "They are uninvolved school counselors!" Don't be bashful when it comes to establishing and maintaining relationships with the parents of your students. They can be your greatest resource when working with your caseload. Take the lead and initiate conversations about minor issues. Perhaps, even make a phone call home or send an e-mail complimenting their child. Identify yourself as the "go to" person for many of their questions and explain how you can help them communicate with their children and the staff of the school. Working With Administrators Work with your building administrators to clearly identify when and how you would like to be contacted. It will be often that you will be involved in meetings with administrators regarding negative topics. Your role is to be a collaborative member of the school staff, but you are also a student advocate. Pick and choose your battles as needed, but be sure to navigate your path carefully. Going too far can be detrimental to both yourself and the student. Working With Athletic Coaches When it comes to student-athletes, coaches should be viewed as a valuable stakeholder in that student's future. This is especially true at the high school level. Coaches can be the influential force needed to finally "get through" to a student and can provide valuable assistance during the college search process. The daily routine of a school counselor can be as hectic as they come. It is important that our professional routine does not limit our ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with other people who play essential roles in developing student success. The more you keep others involved, the more you will be kept involved by others!
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The School Counselor as a Collaborative Leader

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School counselors will wear many professional hats throughout each school year. A very important role is engendering collaboration between a child's parents/guardians and the staff of the school. Creating a collaborative environment is vital to building student success within your school and critical in regards to es

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Safety is an integral component of the learning process for students of all ages.  To improve the success of reducing bullying, harassment, and other disciplinary problems schools must have a positive educational climate and encourage students to develop relationships with caring adults.

To ensure all students are safe, school counselors must:

1. Collaborate with other members of the school and community

2. Tackle issues that threaten school safety

3. Provide leadership to schools

4. Design and implement activities and programs aimed at prevention

An unsafe school environment can inflict detrimental effects on students and lead to the deterioration of their education and self-confidence. With the help of school counselors, students across the nation can have access to the proper education and counseling they need to help prevent, intervene and recover from incidents of violence and bullying at school.  It is important that the entire school community work together to achieve a safe school climate for every student.
References
https://onlinedegrees.bradley.edu/resources/infographics/the-role-of-school-counselors-in-school-safety/

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Data collection is vital to the success of your school counseling program, and let's be real... for job security too! The work you do is oh so important and not only do you want to showcase student progress but you need to collect data to identify student needs. Here are 5 go-to data collection tools I frequently use.

1. Needs Assessment

When: Beginning of each semester

Needs assessments are exactly what they sound like, a great way for assessing the needs of your student population. If you are a first year counselor or new to your school this is a must-do right away! I always do them at the beginning of every school year. Send a few questions out to teachers and staff to assess student needs and determine which topics to base your small groups and guidance lessons around. You can create your own and you can even go paperless using Google Forms! Check out mine here.

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Data Collection: 5 Useful Tools to Track Progress in School Counseling

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Data collection is vital to the success of your school counseling program, and let's be real... for job security too! The work you do is oh so important and not only do you want to showcase student progress but you need to collect data to identify student needs.