https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz en-us 2018-06-22 00:54:10 UTC 2024-05-31 17:17:58 UTC hello@padlet.com tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268166481      The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 allows for input from school counselors in the development of School Wide Program Plans, includes counselors in the list of school personnel who might receive funding for professional development, and provides dedicated funding to the well-rounded education of students, including school counseling programs.
  These changes impact school counseling in a positive way. By allotting money for use in counseling programs and providing training for school counselors, the ESSA s the supports the important role school counseling plays in a child's education and development.  
     The  School Safety and Mental Health Services Improvement Act, which was just introduced in March of this year, is also viewed favorably by the ASCA.  This bill would provide the funding for more personnel focused on students' mental health and well-being.  It is a step toward educating the whole child, not just the academic child.

]]> 2018-06-22 00:55:23 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268166481 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268166496 The TCA is following the nationwide discussion of how best to curb gun violence in schools.  Solutions usually come with a price tag attached.  With some districts already struggling to deal with the last round of cuts to the state education budget and the possibility of more on the horizon, the govenor's concern is how to fund the necessary measures.  However, several of the points on Abbott's priority list will come as good news to Texas school counselors.  He believes it is vital to staff more counselors to provide intervention on campuses,  to provide better access to mental health services, and to create a more reliable, efficient way for the reporting of suspicious behavior.  While many agree there is a grave need for more school counselors, the financial responsibility connected with hiring and training those counselors is daunting.  
     Current gun laws are also a factor in the discussion, but there are wide-ranging implications for those considerations aside from school issues.  An interesting portion of the discussion centered on the parents' responsibilities concerning gun safety.]]> 2018-06-22 00:55:36 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268166496 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268166729 2018-06-22 00:59:03 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268166729 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268174870      Joan Deming-Combs is a counselor at Holiman Elementary in San Angelo, Texas, ho holds a Masters of Education in Guidance and Counseling, a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology, and has almost completed the requirements for a Licensed Professional Counselor. Mrs. Deming-Combs provided a current and relevant insight into the position of a school counselor within this Texas school district.
     One of the issues continually discussed was the need for adequate training for school counseling.  Often school districts try to provide in-house training because budget constraints prevent otherwise; however, it is vital for counselors to remain on the forefront of information concerning mental health, intervention and coping strategies, and the current legal responsibilities to which they are held.  Often, outside training, professional training is required, but this professional development comes with a cost.  Frequently, counselors are left to seek out this level of training on their own and, very often, at their own cost.  As the conversation touched on each of the following issues, the possibility for further training was acknowledged.  School counselors should feel equipped to handle situations with which they are presented over the course of the year.  Additionally, they should understand and feel they can rely on firm district protocol.
    The second issue discussed was the importance of Administrative Law which would clearly outline procedures school counselors should follow in the course of different situations.  The topic of self-harm was prominent.  While our district has a current process in place which is overseen by Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSP), it isn't actually published within school policies.  Some counselors feel it it is somewhat vague in requirements, therefore leaving the district and individuals open to liabilities.
     This conversation led into the discussion of a particular situation which exemplified the third point stressed by Mrs. Deming-Combs.  During her time as a counselor, she had a student who made an outcry of self-harm.  Mrs. Deming-Combs completed a preliminary analysis of the threat, determined it credible, and first notified her principal of the concern.  He followed what he had in his possession as district "policy" which stated he should notify mental health officials first and then the student's parents.  However, the mental health officials arrived and removed the student before the parents arrived.  This presented a serious concern involving the parental rights to the student's well-being.  The parents were enraged their child was taken by mental health officials before they arrived, but no lawsuit was filed. Mrs. Deming-Combs could see this as a potential situation in which the school and it's personnel would be called upon to  defend their decision.
     A fourth point discussed was the importance of the understanding of human development within legal requirements.  Mrs, Deming-Combs discussed that much of a child's fundamental personality is formed by the age of seven, well before schools have any influence.  At this point, counselors must work with what is already embedded within that personality.  If counselors are not aware of the different stages of brain development or solid counseling strategies to meet student needs, how are they to best serve students?  Once basic personalities are created within normal brain development, counselors are left to determine the best course of action regarding simpler things such as motivation and basic impulsivity, but also much larger issues such as overwhelming anger and personality disorders.  This leads back to Mrs. Deming-Combs' point concerning training.
    In another connected area, as our fifth point of conversation,  the discussion led to Texas Senate Bill 179, more commonly referred to as "David's Law."  This bill centers around the definition of bullying and cyberbullying.  Cyberbullying is an important aspect of today's society with which current school counselors may not be familiar.  However, the excuse of "We didn't have this when I was a student," or "I'm not familiar with how this technology works," is not a valid excuse for today's counselors.  Cyberbullying is a real and current concern within today's youth.  Often, victims of continued bullying become the perpetrators of violence against others. Counselors serve on the front lines every day and therefore must be thoroughly trained in how to assist students who are bullied and accurately assess the potential of danger.]]> 2018-06-22 02:35:48 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268174870 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268181897      School counselors often wear a variety of hats in their positions.  Aside from their main role of providing a comprehensive school-wide guidance program, they often oversee a myriad of other educational programs as well as serve as the campus testing coordinator.  These responsibilities should not be so numerous they detract from a counselor's main priority, however.
       As counselors serve students in many ways, they must be well-versed in the requirements of the position and the legal and ethical issues which surround the role.  Confidentiality remains a key component of the counseling position; however, counselors must be aware of the parameters of that confidence and cognizant of when information should be shared with parents and officials if the student or others are in danger.  Adequate training for counselors in all areas, including the law surrounding their roles, is a must.
      The ethical question which arises is when does one student's right to confidentiality stop where other students' right to safety begins. Without full knowledge of the laws surrounding confidentiality, how Texas views a counselor's duty to warn, and clear procedure set up by the local School Board, a school counselor could find himself or herself facing legal repercussions concerning confidentiality, for either maintaining it or not, depending upon the situation.
As San Angelo Independent School District creates its Teaching for Learning plan, a curriculum management framework, hopefully they will provide for comprehensive guidance programs and clear direction on assessing and reporting concerns for self-harm or violence.  School counselors must understand the depth of their role in maintaining the safety of students and should be fully supported by protocol approved by the district's Board. ]]> 2018-06-22 04:02:02 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268181897 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268185009 J. Deming-Combs (personal communication, June 22, 2018)]]> 2018-06-22 05:02:35 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268185009 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268185678 Legislative affairs. (n.d.) American School Counselor Association. Retrieved from
https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/legislative-affairs

Lindell, C. (2018). As Abbott weighs  gun violence proposals, cost will be an issue. My Statesmen. Retrieved from https://www.mystatesman.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/abbott-weighs-gun-violence-proposals-cost-will-issue/M7edKkLJBOpHzOeqHksaPP/]]> 2018-06-22 05:05:14 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268185678 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268251158 Across the country, school violence is a disturbing but necessary topic of discussion.  Officials are actively seeking solutions to the concern, and those solutions will almost certainly impact the role of school counselors. The following article from the Professional School Counseling journal, found through the Angelo State University Library,  discusses the potential roles counselors might play in the prevention of school violence.
http://search.ebscohost.com.easydb.angelo.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=3884434&site=eds-live 

]]> 2018-06-22 18:07:39 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268251158 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268253171 Miller, A. (2014). Threat assessment in action. Monitor on Psychology, 45(2). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/02/cover-threat.aspx

Riley, P.L. (2000). School violence prevention, intervention, and crisis response. Professional School Counseling, 4(2), 120-125.]]> 2018-06-22 18:36:58 UTC https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268253171 tbarnett21 https://padlet.com/tbarnett21/98l3mei81yuz/wish/268253454 The American Psychological Association's website provided interesting information regarding the assessment and management of potential danger on school campuses.  

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