Kirksville R-III's Comprehensive School Counseling Program

The school counselors of Kirksville R-III School District believe a comprehensive school counseling program is an integral part of a school district's total educational program. It is designed to be developmental and includes sequential activities which are organized and implemented by professional school counselors with the active support of parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and the community.

As a developmental program, the needs of all students are addressed through facilitation of a program that supports and encourages students' academic, career, and social/emotional development.  It also helps create positive and safe learning climates in schools.  At the same time, the program aids students as they work through issues and resolve problems that carry the potential to impede upon their long term development.

Four interrelated program components of counseling curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and system support are delivered in order to fully implement a comprehensive, K-12 school counseling program. School counselors assist all students in completing a college and career ready curriculum that prepares them for their successful transition to post-secondary education or the world of work. 

(2016). School Counseling. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from http://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/school-counseling

Benefits of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program

Fully implemented Comprehensive School Counseling Programs greatly benefit all individuals involved, including students, parents/guardians, teachers & the community.

Benefits for Students

• Student-centered program services available to ALL students

• Enhances student academic performance

• Increases interaction among students

• Provides a developmental and preventative focus

• Promotes knowledge and assistance in career exploration and development

• Enhances life coping skills

• Helps students feel connected to school

• Enhances student social/emotional development

• Develops decision-making skills

• Increases knowledge of self and others

• Broadens knowledge of our changing work world

• Increases opportunities for school counselor-student interaction

• Develops a system of long-range planning for students

 Benefits for Parents/Guardians

• Enhances students’ academic performance, and their social/emotional and career development

• Encourages outreach to all parents/guardians

• Provides support for parents/guardians regarding each child’s educational development

• Increases opportunities for school counselor interaction

• Encourages input of parents/guardians

• Provides parents/guardians information about available resources

• Assures parents/guardians that all children will receive support from the school counseling program

Benefits for Teachers

• Contributes to a team effort to enhance students’ social/emotional, academic,  and career development

• Provides relevant curriculum ideas through the use of school counseling grade level expectations

• Establishes the school counselor as a resource/consultant

• Encourages teachers’ input into the delivery of the comprehensive school counseling program

• Encourages positive, collaborative working relationships

• Defines the role of school counselors as educators

Benefits for the Community

• Encourages input from business, industry, labor, and other community partners including community mental health and social service agencies

• Provides increased opportunities for collaboration among school counselors and business, industry, labor, and other community partners including community mental health and social service agencies

• Enhances the role of the school counselor as a resource person

• Facilitates the development of students as active responsible citizens

• Increases opportunities for business, industry, labor, and other community partners including community mental health and social service agencies to actively participate in the total school program

• Enhances students’ academic performance as well as their social/emotional and career development

• Supplies a future workforce that has decision-making skills, pre-employment skills, and increased worker maturity

Taken from the Missouri Comprehensive School Counseling Program Manual