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Hanna Springs Counseling Program Curriculum
The Hanna Springs Counseling Program follows the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling. The program is driven by needs assessments from students (3rd-5th), teachers, and parents that are willing to share the needs of their students, and what they see from peer interactions. The Texas Model is used to guide student needs and lessons through education, career, personal, and social development. Lessons include bibliotherapy, music, small groups or partner breakout sessions, student-led discussions, and modeling.
The Texas Model establishes four content areas:
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Intrapersonal Effectiveness
Personal Health and Safety
Post-Secondary Education and Career Readiness
At Hanna Springs Elementary, Mrs. Brown spends most of her time working directly within the main components of the Comprehensive School Counseling Program, engaging direct student interactions. Through campus wide initiatives, including teacher supported SEL, Leader in Me, and systems put into place, the Hanna Springs Counseling Department is able to support students needs. The Hanna Springs Online Counseling Center is another component that is crucial for school-wide systems and procedures that allows access to resources and advocacy for all students.
Interpersonal Effectiveness:
What is Bullying & Be an Upstander!
Starting mid-September 2023, Mrs. Brown provided lessons on What is Bullying and Be an Upstander in age appropriate instruction for PK-5 grades. The Beginning of Year Needs Assessment showed that only 63% of 3rd-5th students had a clear understanding of what actual bullying was and what it meant to be an Upstander. These lessons were crafted along with a district-led bullying initiative. Students learned through bibliotherapy, videos, and student-led discussions what the definition of bullying is and what it means to be an Upstander.
For the unit, Mrs. Brown read "What Does it mean to be Kind?" by Rana DiOrio to PK- 2nd graders. This story allowed for student-led conversations using real life situations to model appropriate vocabulary and definitions for students to thoroughly engage with each other. Students then watched a video on what it means to be an Upstander. The 1st-2nd grade classes were put into small groups and asked to model a situation where they could be an Upstander! As the students modeled, the class was able to determine what the bullying statement or action was and then provide a solution (ie reporting, or modeled how to be an Upstander).
In 3rd-5th grades, Mrs. Brown did a quick class pre-assessment of student knowledge of the bullying and Upstander terminology, which showed that most students recalled the definition. Mrs. Brown provided the class with an anchor chart that defined mean moment, conflicts, and bullying. While reviewing each part, students engaged with elbow partners to discuss what the definitions looked like in real life situations and were shared whole group. The class then watched a video on what it means to be an Upstander in age appropriate, relateable situations. Students were then asked to work in small groups, applying situational task cards to identify and commit to an appropriate response to share out.
Students discussed with their small groups options of reporting bullying and being an Upstander. These discussions helped students determine that both were imperative to stop bullying! 3rd through 5th grade students were then given homework, which they "loved"! They were asked to go home and teach their parents how to put in an annonymous bullying report, and when this lesson was completed they were asked to share with Mrs. Brown that they completed the homeowrk. Mrs. Brown received many reports that students actually went home and taught their parents or guardians. While seemingly minor, the collaboration being built is huge for the Hanna CSCP and made for a lot of hallway high-fives!
As a Leader in Me School, Mrs. Brown wanted to provide opportunitites for student-led advocacy and leadership in regards to bullying and being an Upstander. First off, an anonymous bullying reporting pathway was inacted for students, teachers, and parents to annonymously report bullying and other safety issues. During classroom guidance, Mrs. Brown met every 3rd-5th grade class to review the definition of bullying and how to access the anonymous reporting forum, and practiced how to fill it out. This online form, along with the privacy box outside Mrs. Brown's office, allows for students to report bullying, and other safety issues, confidentially.
Later, Mrs. Brown tasked each homeroom to participate in UNITY day in November. Each class was given orange strips of paper that students could write acts of inclusion and kindness they witnessed, in an effort for the Hanna family to unite against bullying.
To round out all of the components taught, Mrs. Brown provided students with the tools of the Peace Path to have tough conversations that allow for personal advocacy within conflicts or mean moments. The Peace Path provided students with "I felt..." statements that set a pathway for them to have hard conversations. Stakeholders and the Hanna Springs PTSO provided three Peace Paths in the upper grade level hallways. Students and teachers were explicitly taught in November of 2023 how to use the Peace Path and were given perameters on when to include a trusted adult. The Peace Path not only allows for students to work through conflicts or mean moments, but it gives students the opportunity to be heard, practice active listening, and brainstorm ideas to identify a Win-Win!
In conclusion, all of these activities worked within the scope for meeting the SMART goal for Guidance Lessons. Students showed personal growth while being able to self-advocate and stand up for those that are being targeted. Data showed an increase of 29% at the Middle of Year Student Needs Assessments.
Data
BOY Needs Assesssment data, Aug 2023, showed that over 63% of 3rd-5th grade students understood that bullying is purposeful and hurtful (*exhibit A)
MOY Needs Assessment data showed after the explicitly taught lessons that 92% of students. 3rd -5th, were able to recall what a bully is and/or what it means to be an Upstander (*exhibit B)
EOY Needs Assessment data showed that 93% of students were able to explain what a bully is and/or what it means to be an Upstander (*exhibit C)
The growth in student understanding of the explicit lessons taught is a huge win for the Hanna Family and the Hanna Springs Counseling Department. Being that this was Mrs. Browns first year, the hope will be that the Beginning of Year Needs Assessment data will be higher and sustainable for years to come. This will be attainable through campus-wide initiatives and common language that can be reframed to build a deeper knowledge base of understanding and student implementation within their normal school setting.
*scroll through pictures below to review exhibits.
Stakeholders
Allowing the Hanna Springs Comprehensive School Counseling Program (CSCP) to grow and thrive, with Mrs. Brown being new to the campus, was only possible through the lens of its stakeholders. The Counseling Advisory Committee, Campus Administration, Classroom Teachers, Parents, Community Members and even student leadership allowed for true reflection and equity to be instilled through every content area. Committee discussions, data collection, and regular engagement of all stakeholders allowed goals to be formed for Mrs. Brown to implement within each domain: interpersonal, intrapersonal, postsecondary planning and readiness, and personal health and safety.
Mrs. Brown meets weekly with the Hotspots Team which includes administration, and behavior support staff. During this time the stakeholders discuss student behaviors to determine how to best support every student, where they are. For the Hanna Family CSCP, this includes individual counseling opportunities, small group supports, and any needs for grade level focuses.
Constant follow through and making connections with parents, teachers and other staff members has been a key component for Mrs. Brown to build relationships with the families during her first year at Hanna Springs. This component alone has allowed for Stakeholders on campus, the families and the community to understand the validity and importance of a fully engaged CSCP.
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