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The Get-Along Group is a small group for 5th-grade girls who are struggling with peer relationships due to gossip, exclusion, or conflict. As students get older, they can become less tolerant of each other’s differences, and this often shows up in how they treat one another. This group will help them work on kindness, empathy, and positive communication so they can build healthier friendships and create a more supportive school environment. Through discussions, activities, and practice scenarios, they’ll learn how to navigate social situations in a way that promotes respect and inclusion. The goal is to help them develop stronger, more positive relationships before they move on to middle school.

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Mindsets (American School Counselor Association, 2021):

M 1: Belief in the development of the whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being.

M 2: Sense of acceptance, respect, support, and inclusion for self and others in the school environment.

M 4: Self-confidence in the ability to succeed.

Behavior Standards (American School Counselor Association, 2021):

Social Skills:

B-SS 2: Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

B-SS 4: Empathy

B-SS 5: Ethical decision-making and social responsibility

B-SS 6: Effective collaboration and cooperation skills

B-SS 7: Leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse groups

B-SS 9: Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to different situations.

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1. Administrators:

Admin Meeting: I’ll meet with the admin team first to get approval for the group and make sure it aligns with our school’s goals.

Updates: After the group is up and running, I’ll provide updates on how things are going and share data at the end to show student growth and the impact of the group.

2. Teachers:

5th Grade Team Meeting: I’ll meet with the 5th-grade team to explain the purpose of the group, what we’re hoping to accomplish, and how they can refer students. This will be a chance to get their input on girls they think would benefit from the group.

3. Students:

Google Form Survey: I’ll send out a Google Form to all 5th-grade girls to gauge interest in the group. This will also double as the pre-survey to help me understand how they’re handling friendship issues, exclusion, and peer conflicts.

Classroom Announcements: I’ll make brief announcements in the 5th-grade classrooms, just to explain the group in simple terms, let them know what it’s about, and encourage them to complete the survey.

4. Parents:

Parent Permission Forms: Once I’ve selected students, I’ll send home a permission slip that explains what the group is, why their child was selected, and what we’ll be focusing on. I’ll make sure there’s space for parents to ask questions if they have any concerns.

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1. Informing Participants (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015):
I will meet individually with potential participants after reviewing teacher recommendations, office referrals, counseling data, and responses from the Google Form survey. In these meetings, I’ll explain the purpose of The Get-Along Group.

I’ll screen participants individually because it gives them space to be honest without worrying about what others think. This helps me get a better sense of who’s ready to participate and be a active contributing part of this group.

2. Assessing Readiness, Willingness, and Interest (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015):
In these individual conversations, I’ll use a few strategies to see if the girls are ready and willing to participate:

Ask Direct Questions: Things like, “How do you feel about being part of a small group that focuses on friendships?” and “What’s something you’d like to work on when it comes to your friendships?”

Interest Scale: I’ll have them rate how interested they are in the group on a scale from 1–10.

Commitment Check: I’ll explain what’s expected, such as showing up, being respectful, and keeping things confidential, and ask if they’re okay with that.

Personal Reflection: I’ll ask if they’ve ever felt left out or had a tough time with friends to see how open they are to sharing.

3. Selecting Group Members:
The screening process will help me choose students who not only need support with friendships but are open to learning and participating. I’m looking for a mix of girls who might struggle socially but are ready to work on it, specifically girls from different social circles within the 5th-grade group. This will help create a more diverse group dynamic where they can learn from each other’s experiences and build connections outside of their usual friend groups.

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Parental Consent:
I will send home a consent form that explains the purpose of The Get-Along Group, what topics we’ll cover, the benefits of participation, and the expectations for students. The form will also include information about confidentiality, its limits, and contact information for any parent questions. Parents will need to sign and return this form before their child can participate. This aligns with WFISD’s policies on parental consent for counseling services (Wichita Falls ISD, 2024).

Student Assent:
I’ll meet with each girl individually to explain what the group is about, what’s expected (like showing up, being respectful, and keeping things confidential), and get their verbal assent to join.

Consent Form:
I’ve attached a sample parent consent form that includes details about the group’s focus, meeting times, confidentiality, and an opt-in signature section (see attachment). I do plan on working with our Director of Social-Emotional Learning to create a consent form specific for our district in the future.

WFISD Policy Reference:
According to WFISD policy, parental consent for counseling services is provided when parents sign the student handbook at the beginning of the school year (Wichita Falls ISD, 2024).

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I will have a few predetermined, non-negotiable rules for the group. Confidentiality is encouraged, but I will explain its limits to all participants before we begin our sessions. Attendance is expected at all sessions unless there’s an emergency. Once a student joins the group and sessions have started, they will be expected to commit to the group and participate through to the end.

I will use the Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) Social Contract to set group expectations (Flippen Group, 2022). During our first session, the girls will help create the contract by answering key questions:

How do we want to be treated by the group leader?

How do we want to be treated by each other?

How will we handle conflict or disagreements?

How will we hold each other accountable?

Our social contract will serve as our group determined rules. This contract will be displayed during each session and referred to as needed.

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Stage 1: Building Relationships and Trust
To build trust and connections, we’ll start by creating a Social Contract together, following the Capturing Kids’ Hearts model. This helps set clear expectations about how we’ll treat each other. We’ll also use icebreakers like the FRIENDS bracelet activity to help the girls feel more comfortable. I’ll be upfront about confidentiality, explaining that while we expect group members to keep what’s shared private, I can’t guarantee it will stay within the group. I’ll also clarify situations where I’m required to break confidentiality.

Stage 2: Working Together Toward Group Goals
To keep the group cohesive and productive, I’ll review the Social Contract regularly and remind the girls of our shared goals. We’ll start each session with a quick discussion question. I’ll use activities that encourage teamwork and discussions that tie back to our learning objectives. Throughout the sessions, I’ll monitor group dynamics and adjust as needed to make sure everyone feels heard and included.

Stage 3: Group Closure
For closure, we’ll reflect on what each girl has learned and how they’ve grown. The Affirmations in Action activity will be a meaningful way to end on a positive note, as each student will receive affirmations from their peers. We’ll also talk about how to apply the skills they’ve learned outside the group. I’ll reinforce the importance of maintaining confidentiality even after the group ends, reminding them to respect each other’s privacy moving forward. To support their continued growth, I’ll plan a follow-up check-in about 2 weeks after our group has ended.

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For the Get-Along Group, I plan to use mostly a democratic leadership style because it’s all about teamwork and giving everyone a voice (Cherry, 2023). I want the girls to feel like their opinions matter, so we’ll make decisions together, like when we create our Social Contract. This helps build trust and makes them more likely to participate because they’re part of the process.

I will also aim to incorporate transformational leadership qualities, like encouraging the girls to support each other and inspiring them to be the best versions of themselves (Cherry, 2023). My goal is to create a positive space where they feel motivated, valued, and connected.

I believe combining these styles will work well with 5th-grade girls because it should keep them engaged while also helping them grow, both as individuals and as part of the group.

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Instillation of Hope (Yalom, 1995): Seeing their peers share struggles and make progress will help the girls believe that change is possible. Watching others succeed fosters hope that they can improve friendships and handle conflicts better.

Universality (Yalom, 1995): They will realize they are not alone in feeling left out, dealing with gossip, or struggling with friendships. Knowing others face similar challenges reduces isolation and makes it easier to open up.

Altruism (Yalom, 1995): The group will provide opportunities to support and encourage one another. Simple acts of kindness, like contributing to the Affirmation Jar, will help them feel valued and reinforce that lifting others up also boosts self-esteem.

Interpersonal Learning (Yalom, 1995): Through role-playing and discussions, they will gain insight into how their words and actions impact others. This will help them develop healthier communication, conflict resolution, and relationship-building skills.

Development of Socializing Techniques (Yalom, 1995): The group will be a safe space to practice active listening, giving constructive feedback, and handling disagreements respectfully. These are skills they can carry into daily life.

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Legal/Ethical Issue #1 | Confidentiality in Group Counseling

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Legal/Ethical Issue #1 | Confidentiality in Group Counseling

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The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Ethical Standards require school counselors to explain confidentiality limits at the start of group counseling (American School Counselor Association, 2022). While confidentiality is important, students must also understand that it cannot be fully guaranteed in a group setting.

Laying out clear confidentiality guidelines from the beginning helps students feel safe while also keeping things legally and ethically sound. It sets expectations, prevents misunderstandings, and builds trust. When students know the boundaries, they are more likely to open up and respect each other’s privacy, creating a more supportive group environment.

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Legal/Ethical Issue #2 | Equity in Counseling

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Legal/Ethical Issue #2 | Equity in Counseling

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The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Ethical Standards require school counselors to provide fair and equal access to counseling services (American School Counselor Association, 2022). When putting together groups, counselors need to make sure the selection process is based on student needs, not personal bias or convenience. Groups should be inclusive and structured to support all students.

This ensures every student has the same opportunity to participate in group counseling. It helps prevent anyone from being excluded based on things like race, gender, or ability and makes sure group sessions meet the needs of a diverse group of students. By following these ethical guidelines, counselors create a safe and supportive space where all students can grow and learn from each other.

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ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors

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ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors

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(American School Counselor Association, 2022)

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References

American School Counselor Association. (2021). The ASCA mindsets & behaviors for student success: K-12 college-and career readiness for every student (pp. 1–6). https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2022). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/About-School-Counseling/Ethical-Responsibilities/ASCA-Ethical-Standards-for-School-Counselors-(1)

Cherry, K. (2023, June 27). How to lead: 6 leadership styles and frameworks. Verywell Mind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Flippen Group. (2022). Capturing Kids’ Hearts. Capturing Kids’ Hearts. https://capturingkidshearts.org

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide: A professional school counselor’s guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based counseling groups. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015)

Wichita Falls ISD. (2024). Wichita Falls ISD student handbook 2024-25. https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1725024018/wfisdnet/o6zmboeejxoozaqc1s1u/2024-25MSHBCOCACOCEngCombined.pdf

Yalom, I. D. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). Basic Books.