School counselors play an important role as advocates for the academic, career, and personal/social developmental needs of students. According to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA, 2012), the role of the school counselor includes:

 

-designing and implementing a counseling program

-using assessments and data to monitor effectiveness

-providing students with individual, group, and classroom interventions that foster academic and personal growth

-collaborating with school staff, parents, and community stakeholders to advocate for student achievement

 

School counselors help to establish their school’s counseling program by enforcing its vision statement, mission statement, and program goals (ASCA, 2012).  Regular evaluations of the program are necessary in order to ensure that the needs of all students are being met (Gysbers, Lapan & Jones, 2000). Counselors need to utilize assessments tools to determine their strengths and weaknesses and those of their program. By collecting data, school counselors can monitor their program's effectiveness and make appropriate changes when needed.

 

School counselors must provide extensive direct services to students, such as individual

counseling, group counseling and classroom lessons and activities that are designed to help students reach their goals (Gysbers, 2008). A school counselor should further be prepared to offer responsive services, such as crisis response as well as individual and group interventions.

 

As advocates for social justice, school counselors must collaborate with school administrators

and educators, parents and guardians, and the entire school community to ensure that students of every race, religion, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic status are receiving the instruction and tools needed to live up to their full potential (Erford, 2010).  This involves taking appropriate action to secure a safe environment that fosters learning and growth (Hernández & Sandhu, 2004).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

American School Counselor Association (2012).  The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Third Edition. Alexandria,

VA: Author.

Erford, B. T. (Ed.). (2010). Transforming the school counseling profession (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Gysbers, N. C. (2008). Individual student planning in the United States: Rationale, practices and results. Asian Journal of Counseling, 2, 117-139.

Hernández, T. J., & Seem, S. R. (2004). A safe school climate: A systemic approach and the school counselor. Professional School Counseling, 256-

262.

Gysbers, N. C., Lapan, R. T., & Jones, B. A. (2000). School board policies for guidance and counseling: A call to action. Professional School

Counseling,3 (5), 349.

Sandhu, D. S. (2000). Special issue: School violence and counselors. Professional School Counseling, 4(2), IV.

Stone, C.B. & Dahir, C.A. (2007). School counselor accountability: A measure of student success (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill

Prentice Hall.