American School Counselor Association. (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.

American Counseling Association & Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation, University of Massachusetts- Amherst. (2017). Research Support for School Counseling. https://www.counseling.org/publicpolicy/pdf/research_support_school_counseling-aca-cscore_02-11.pdf

My core belief for students is the ability to learn and maintain a balance between social and emotional well-being following ASCA mindset standard M 1 (2019). Students should be inclusive and hard-working; all students can work towards this balance. Some students need help to develop skills in self-confidence (Mindset standard M 4 of ASCA, 2019), self-control (ASCA, 2019, B-SM 2), and understanding of the importance of being part of their community and a life-long learner.

The school counselor's role is to provide both direct and indirect support. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Define standards (2019) promote mindset and behavior standards. The school counselor is someone who helps students to achieve these standards in a wholesome and positive environment. This can be through direct roles such as classroom guidance counseling for bullying and social-emotional learning or indirect functions such as 504s and providing a safe environment for regulation. 

Ethical standards are essential to the role of the school counselor. Confidentiality is vital as school counselors are trusted with personal information about students, such as homelessness, 504s, IEPS, and school records. Ethical guidelines are also important as the school counselor should not diagnose students but are aware of how a diagnosis may impact the student in the school environment. The ASCA ethical guidelines are crucial to maintain students' safety and to guide counselors to ensure the students are given the best and safest help (ASCA, 2019). 

My vision is to have students become positive members of their community through working, modeling positive behavior, and creating positive social change in their communities.

American School Counselor Association. (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.

    The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards and Competencies Assessment showed an overall understanding of the mindsets with a rate of 59 percent. The self-assessment of the ASCA standards is subjective as the person taking it to self-assess needs to be honest about their actual mindsets and behaviors. If the assessor wants to lean towards being unique with the mindsets and competencies, then self-improvement will not be accurate or feel needed.

     The area I noted that needed improvement when self-assessing was indirect service to students. ASCA Mindset M6 was not marked. This is the mindset of the leadership of school counselors as well as not keeping ASCA Competencies B-PF a, d, e, f, g, which also goes with demonstrating leadership. The other areas I did not mark were regarding working with school board members and administration. I can work on these areas since I know the competencies and Standards and can self-assess to ensure I am learning those job expectations (ASCA, 2019).

    The data shows that most checked-off mindsets directly serve the student through classroom teachings, group work, and individual counseling. I am data-driven and know that programs have been created to teach counseling programs. Collaboration with teachers, parents, and other staff is something I know is essential for 504 meetings and to create a whole picture of the student and their needs. An example would be in class bullying prevention program. From there, the counselor can then concentrate on a small group or individual counseling, knowing the student(s) had the core concepts already gone over.

American School Counselor Association (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association