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The group's creation is to ease the transition from middle school into high school related to students' long-term goals of completing high school and moving on to post-secondary institutions. This group will provide students with resources and skills that will be useful for them throughout high school and well into their adult lives. "Career development is one of the three primary domains of a comprehensive school counseling program, and school counselors need to create career development opportunities for students" (Saunders et al., 2017, p.245).

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The following ASCA Mindset and Behavior standards (American School Counselor Association, 2014)  will be met through the participation in this group.
Mindset Standards
M 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed
M 3. Sense of belonging in the school environment
M 6. Positive attitude toward work and learning
Behavior Standards
Learning Strategies:
B-LS 2. Demonstrate Creativity
B-LS 3- Use time-management, organizational and study skills
B-LS 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning
B-LS 7.- Identify long- and short-term academic, career, and social/emotional goals
Self-Management Skills:
B-SMS 2.- Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control.
B-SMS 5.- Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long- and short-term goals
B-SMS 6.- Demonstrate the ability to overcome barriers to learning
B-SMS 10.- Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities.
Social Skills:
B-SS 2.- Create positive and supportive relationships with other students
B-SS 3.- Create relationships with adults that support success
B-SS. 7. Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse teams
B-SS 8.- Demonstrate advocacy skills, an ability to assert self, when necessary

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School counselors will meet with students in the auditorium during their advisory period to discuss. The transition process from eighth grade into high school highlighting the skills they will need for a successful transition.
Students will be given a short questionnaire about their interest and willingness to participate in the group sessions. To determine student readiness, counselors will meet with grade-level teachers to examine student readiness. Students will get screened individually to determine which session group will best fit their needs.

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To get the word out about the group sessions, posters are displayed and displayed around the school, and an announcement will be made the week leading up to the first session. As well as a posted on the student's class page. To inform parents of the groups, a parent all call will take place two weeks before the first session to ensure that all informed consent forms have been turned in. A flyer will be sent home with student paperwork at the beginning of the school year.

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The 8th-grade students will be sent home with a consent form, given at the beginning of the school year, to be completed and signed by their parent/guardian and a flyer that describes the group's intentions. This gives the parent(s)/guardian(s) the opportunity to learn about the group sessions, ask questions, and agree or decline their child's participation in the sessions.

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Here are the group rules and norms established during the first session:

Rules Include:

1. Being kind and respectful of each other's thoughts and feeling

2. Confidentiality: What happens in a session? Stay in here (unless someone is abusing you, you want to hurt yourself or someone else.

3. You will not be forced to share; however, you must come to each session.

The session's group members will create the remainder of the session rules and norms- this allows for more buy-in to the group.

During the first group session, the students will go over the Participant Guidelines/Group Rules worksheet (MPSCCE, 2015) to determine our group's norms. We will then walk through each example and discuss what each rule means, how it looks, and what it sounds like." Using this worksheet, each member of the group will have the same expectation for each other, which allows them to keep each other accountable.

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Students should have a say in whether they want to participate in group sessions. Although it is recommended that they participate in group sessions they have the ability to participate in one-on-one sessions with the counselor. All students will need to complete the assent form saying that they are willing to participate in the group sessions.

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The groups are composed of both female and male 8th-grade students. These students are between the ages of 13 and 14.
Stage 1:
Before beginning the small group sessions, the group will establish rules and norms that everyone must follow. The school counselor will state-specific rules for each member. The group will also create a social norm contract that will include every member's input. Each member will sign the contract stating that they agree to the established norms.  A social contract is placed somewhere insight during each session, and we will review the norms before we begin each session. The school counselor will discuss the limitations of confidentially and explain how important keeping things within our group is imperative "Developing a mutual understanding of confidentiality: group members understand that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, even though it is an expectation" (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015, p.7).

Stage 2:
We will have an agenda during each session so that we can outline our plan of focus and each member can follow along to each topic. The school counselor will highly encourage member to be actively engage in discussion and pre-planned activities. During the activities the school counselor will speak with each member individually to make sure they are on track to meeting their goal.

Stage 3:

To close the group, each member will take the post-assessment to see their growth throughout the sessions. The school counselor will explain how much their dedication and hard work throughout this timeframe have been amazing. The students are now ready to implement all provided resources and apply them to their post-secondary goals. The school counselor will also restate the limitations of confidentiality and explain how even though the group is ending, we still have to abide by the criteria we put in place. The school counselor will check in on students throughout the school year to keep them accountable for the goals set for them.

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The group sessions will benefit well from a participative leadership still rather than an authoritative or delegative leadership style. Kendra Cherry (2020) states, " participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say in the decision-making process." For this matter, group members feel motivated and engage in the process.

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Leadership styles are classifications of how a person behaves while directing, motivating, guiding, and managing groups of people. There are many leadership styles. Some of the most widely discussed include: authoritarian (autocratic), participative (democratic), delegative (laissez-faire), transformational, transactional, and situational.

Great leaders can inspire political movements and social change. They can also motivate others to perform, create, and innovate. As you start to consider some of the people who you think of as great leaders, you can immediately see that there are often vast differences in how each person leads.

Fortunately, researchers have developed different theories and frameworks that allow us to better identify and understand these different leadership styles.

Lewin's Leadership Styles

In 1939, a group of researchers led by psychologist Kurt Lewin set out to identify different styles of leadership.﻿﻿ While further research has identified more distinct types of leadership, this early study was very influential and established three major leadership styles that have provided a springboard for more defined leadership theories.

In Lewin's study, schoolchildren were assigned to one of three groups with an authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leader. The children were then led in an arts and crafts project while researchers observed the behavior of children in response to the different styles of leadership. The researchers found that democratic leadership tended to be the most effective at inspiring followers to perform well.

Authoritarian Leadership (Autocratic)

Authoritarian leaders, also known as autocratic leaders, provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. This style of leadership is strongly focused on both command by the leader and control of the followers. There is also a clear division between the leader and the members. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently, with little or no input from the rest of the group.

Researchers found that decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership.﻿﻿ Lewin also concluded that it is harder to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. Abuse of this method is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial.

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Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. The autocratic approach can be a good one when the situation calls for rapid decisions and decisive actions. However, it tends to create dysfunctional and even hostile environments, often pitting followers against the domineering leader.

Participative Leadership (Democratic)

Lewin's study found that participative leadership, also known as democratic leadership, is typically the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. In Lewin's study, children in this group were less productive than the members of the authoritarian group, but their contributions were of a higher quality.

Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say in the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative. Democratic leaders tend to make followers feel like they are an important part of the team, which helps foster commitment to the goals of the group.

Delegative Leadership (Laissez-Faire)

Lewin found that children under delegative leadership, also known as laissez-faire leadership, were the least productive of all three groups. The children in this group also made more demands on the leader, showed little cooperation, and were unable to work independently.

Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave the decision-making up to group members. While this style can be useful in situations involving highly qualified experts, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.

Lewin noted that laissez-faire leadership tended to result in groups that lacked direction and members who blamed each other for mistakes, refused to accept personal responsibility, made less progress, and produced less work.

Observations About Lewin's Leadership Styles

In their book, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications, Bass and Bass note that authoritarian leadership is often presented solely in negative, often disapproving, terms. Authoritarian leaders are often described as controlling and close-minded, yet this overlooks the potential positives of stressing rules, expecting obedience, and taking responsibility.

While authoritarian leadership certainly is not the best choice for every situation, it can be effective and beneficial in cases where followers need a great deal of direction and where rules and standards must be followed to the letter. Another often overlooked benefit of the authoritarian style is the ability to maintain a sense of order.

Bass and Bass note that democratic leadership tends to be centered on the followers and is an effective approach when trying to maintain relationships with others. People who work under such leaders tend to get along well, support one another, and consult other members of the group when making decisions.

Additional Leadership Styles and Models

In addition to the three styles identified by Lewin and his colleagues, researchers have described numerous other characteristic patterns of leadership. A few of the best-known include:

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is often identified as the single most effective style. This style was first described during the late 1970s and later expanded upon by researcher Bernard M. Bass. Transformational leaders are able to motivate and inspire followers and to direct positive changes in groups.

These leaders tend to be emotionally intelligent, energetic, and passionate. They are not only committed to helping the organization achieve its goals, but also to helping group members fulfill their potential.

Research shows that this style of leadership results in higher performance and more improved group satisfaction than other leadership styles. One study also found that transformational leadership led to improved well-being among group members.

Transactional Leadership

The transactional leadership style views the leader-follower relationship as a transaction. By accepting a position as a member of the group, the individual has agreed to obey the leader. In most situations, this involves the employer-employee relationship, and the transaction focuses on the follower completing required tasks in exchange for monetary compensation.

One of the main advantages of this leadership style is that it creates clearly defined roles. People know what they are required to do and what they will be receiving in exchange. This style allows leaders to offer a great deal of supervision and direction, if needed.

Group members may also be motivated to perform well to receive rewards. One of the biggest downsides is that the transactional style tends to stifle creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Situational Leadership

Situational theories of leadership stress the significant influence of the environment and the situation on leadership. Hersey and Blanchard's leadership stylesis one of the best-known situational theories. First published in 1969, this model describes four primary styles of leadership, including:

1. Telling: Telling people what to do

2. Selling: Convincing followers to buy into their ideas and messages

3. Participating: Allowing group members to take a more active role in the decision-making process

4. Delegating: Taking a hands-off approach to leadership and allowing group members to make the majority of decisions

Later, Blanchard expanded upon the original Hersey and Blanchard model to emphasize how the developmental and skill level of learners influences the style that should be used by leaders. Blanchard's SLII leadership styles model also described four different leading styles:

1. Directing: Giving orders and expecting obedience, but offering little guidance and assistance

2. Coaching: Giving lots of orders, but also lots of support

3. Supporting: Offering plenty of help, but very little direction

4. Delegating: Offering little direction or support

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It seems like there are as many different styles of leadership as there are leaders. Discover some of the most common leadership style frameworks.

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According to Sec. 33.003.  PARENTAL CONSENT.  The board of trustees of each school district shall adopt guidelines to ensure that written consent is obtained from the parent, legal guardian, or person entitled to enroll the student under Section 25.001 (j) for the student to participate in those activities for which the district requires parental consent.
The Education Code of Ethics, Chapter 33 states in Section 33.009 (1a) POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER COUNSELING ACADEMIES that the course requirements for each endorsement and the post-secondary educational and career opportunities associated with  each endorsement.

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EDUCATION CODE CHAPTER 33. SERVICE PROGRAMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

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EDUCATION CODE TITLE 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION SUBTITLE F. CURRICULUM, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 33. SERVICE PROGRAMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SUBCHAPTER A. SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS Sec. 33.002. CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR. (a) From funds appropriated for the purpose or other funds that may be used for the purpose, the commissioner shall distribute funds for programs under this subchapter.

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There are several of Yalom's Therapeutic Factors that could be present during the group sessions. First, altruism, allowing the student the "opportunity to rise out of oneself and help somebody else" (Yalom, 1995). As we move through the group sessions, students will gain social and communications skills that will allow them to increase their confidence and learn ways to be empathetic to the struggles of others. Another factor is the development of socializing techniques. The techniques enable students to become socially aware and develop interpersonal skills essential to the group dynamic and essential in moving forward towards their long- and short-term goals.

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According to the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (2014), clients have the freedom to choose whether to enter into or remain in a counseling relationship and need adequate information about the counseling process and the counselor. Counselors must review in writing and verbally with clients the rights and responsibilities of both counselors and clients. Informed consent is an ongoing part of the counseling process, and counselors appropriately document discussions of informed consent throughout the counseling relationship.
The American Counselor Association Code of Ethics (2014) states that when counseling minors, incapacitated adults, or other persons unable to give voluntary consent, counselors seek clients' permission to services and include them in decision-making as appropriate. Counselors recognize the need to balance the ethical rights of clients to make choices, their capacity to give consent or permission to receive services, and parental or familial legal rights and responsibilities to protect these clients and make decisions on their behalf. Lastly, respect for confidentiality counselors means protecting the confidential information of prospective and current clients. Counselors disclose information only with appropriate consent or sound legal or ethical justification (ACA,2014).

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American School Counselor Association (2014). Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. Alexandria, VA: Author.

American Counselor Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics: As approved by the ACA governing council. 1–24. https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

Cherry, K. (2020). Prominent Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312.

Crowley Independent School District. (2020). 2019-2020 District improvement plan. Retrieved from

Crowley ISD District Improvement Plan

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. Retrieved from https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/files/guid-respon-serv-small-group-counseling-guide-2015.pdf

Sanders, C., Welfare, L. E., & Culver, S. (2017). Career counseling in middle Schools: A study of school Counselor Self-Efficacy.

The Professional Counselor, 7(3), 238–250. https://doi.org/10.15241/cs.7.3.238

Texas Education Code § 33.003, 33.009
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm#33.000

Wood, C. (2009). BUILDING DREAMS AND DEEDS: A pedagogy for preparing practitioners to use career assessments.

Career Planning & Adult Development Journal, 25(1), 72–81.

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.