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| The LGBTQIA+ Students Advisory will address educational, personal, and school issues such as coming out, proper terminology, first impressions, and school policies and procedures.

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After collecting contact information through the QR codes on the flyers, direct emails will be sent out to the students who expressed interest in joining. The emails will contain more information on the small group and guidelines. In addition, school counselors will set up meetings to speak to the students.

In the individual meetings, the students will be screened in their readiness and willingness to participate in the small group. Expectations will be communicated and the students will need to communicate their own expectations of the LGTBQIA+ Student Advisory small group. To gauge their readiness and willingness to participate, the students will need to communicate their vision, goals, and ideal outcomes of the small group.

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Schools must keep records of parental or legal guardian consent to enroll a student (Tex. Admin. Code, 1995), such as the content of programs and activities in which their student(s) may be involved (Tex. Admin. Code, 2019). It is a legal requirement to gain parental/guardian consent in order for a student to participate in the LGTBQIA+ Advisory small group.

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In order for a small group to be ethical, school counselors must adhere to the legal responsibilities when working with minors, such as confidentiality, consulting with educational and legal professionals, resolving ethical dilemmas, and engaging in continual professional development (American School Counselor Association, 2019).

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2 Tex. Admin. Code § 33.003 (1995).

2 Tex. Admin. Code § 33.004 (2019).

American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf

American School Counselor Association (2019). ASCA school counselor professional standards & competencies. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2021). ASCA student standards: Mindsets & behaviors for student success. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Cherry, K. (2021). Leadership styles and frameworks you should know. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Florm, J. (2014). Heteronormativity in schools. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/heteronormativity-in-schools-jason-flom

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. http://www.missouricareereducation.org/doc/smallgroup/SmallGroupCounseling.pdf

Morgenroth, T., Pliskin, R., & Toorn, J. (2020). Not quite over the rainbow: The unrelenting and insidious nature of heteronormative ideology. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 34(1), 160-165. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154620300383

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Schools and districts need to address heteronormative practices that are currently in place and educators need to cultivate a safe place where all students can gather and learn (Flom, 2014). Heteronormativity can be present in social, legal, economic, political, educational, and religious institutions. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are at a high risk of experiencing prejudice and discrimination in social, educational, and employment situations (Morgenroth et al., 2020).

Yalom's practice of psychotherapy factors that can apply to the LGTBQ+ Community small group to help end prejudice and discrimination is the instillation of hope, universality, imparting of information, development of socializing techniques, and direct advice (Yalom ID, 1995).

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Kurt Lewin, a German-American psychologist, identifies different styles of leadership of authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leader. Lewin identified that democratic leadership is the most effective allowing group members to have input and increased participation among the students. On the other hand, authoritarian groups allows for a greater sense of direction from the adults where rules and standards must be followed (Cherry, 2021). Although authoritarian groups allow more control over rules, student collaboration will be valued in the LGTBQIA+ Student Advisory small group.

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According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), a lack of certain knowledge, attitudes, and skills students may affect the “need to achieve academic success, college and career readiness and social/emotional development” (ASCA, 2021). The LGTBQ+ students who expressed their concerns aligned with the ASCA mindset standards such as:

M 1. Belief in the development of 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.

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To disseminate materials to staff members emails will be sent out to the LGBTQIA+ Student Advisory small group. In the email, a google form will be embedded for teachers, administrators, and counselors to join the small group and recommended students to join.

To disseminate materials to students flyers will be distributed throughout the school with QR codes to join, announcements will be made over the intercom, and emails will be sent out to the LGBTQIA+ Student Advisory small group.

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Each small group topic is unique in its goals and purpose; however, there are three stages that can be inferred when setting up a group. The school counselor has a responsibility to facilitate the group's progress from stage to stage, understand the importance of each stage, and protect the group member's psychological safety.

In stage one, defining and establishing expectations of confidentiality, purpose, and goals will occur among students and staff members. Members of the group will gain a sense of belonging by sharing their passion for why they joined the group and what their optimal outcome will be. In stage two, rules and confidentiality will be reviewed and check-ins will occur. At the beginning of each session, an agenda will be presented and the progress of previous sessions will be shared. In stage three, group members will start to visualize how they will apply the knowledge they gained and how to apply it. Confidentiality will continue to be a priority and expectations of how the small group's ending will be set (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

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In order to preserve positive group dynamics to meet the goals of the LGTBQIA+ Student Advisory small group, expectations of rules need to be established. Both explicit and implicit rules need to be established as guidelines and a resource throughout the process (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

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In order for the students to participate in small groups, the school must have consent from a parent/guardian due to the students being minors. (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015). In addition, school counselors should gain assent from student participants by stating the purpose and goals of the group. Parental/guardian consent and student assent can be gained by signed forms.