Essential Components to Comprehensive Counseling Programs

Guidance Curriculum

• Identify curriculum strands
• Prioritize appropriate level instruction
• Ex: have kindergarten learn about self by
• describing appearance and listing abilities
• Ex: learning about decisions by giving options

Individual Student Planning

• Identify major activities
• Assist students in making personalized plans
• Ex: Career/Vocational planning
• Ex: Registration

Responsive Services

• Identify frequent issues presented
• Complete Needs Assessment
• Ex: addressing student's fear, giving coping skills
• Ex: addressing mental health needs

System Support

• Designating roles and resposibilities
• Understanding guidance and non-guidance tasks
• Ex: Consulting staff and parents
• Ex: preregistration

Key Elements

An annual agreement ensures that the counselor and administrator will be on one accord with the goals of the school and the program.

Development

• Complete as early in the year as possible
• Identify separate duties for other counselors if need be
• Review with principal
• Reach an agreement
• Obtain signatures

Elements

• Rationale for counselor's time (school data)
• Reflect counseling mission and program goals
• List specific responsibilities (guidance duties)
• List areas for professional development