Dr. Pablo Perez Elementary

MISD Counseling Guidance Mission Statement

McAllen ISD guidance and counseling program promotes student success through a focus on academic achievement, prevention and intervention activities, advocacy, emotional intelligence, and career development. Our mission is to provide an intentional, equitable, and data-informed school counseling program where students become competent, resilient, and responsible individuals.

Definition:

McAllen ISD Professional School Counselors provide a program that is aligned with the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling and the American School Counseling Association (ASCA). Counselors deliver programs that have an impact on student growth in three areas: academic development, career development, and social-emotional development. Our counseling programs use data to understand student needs, and provide school counseling guidance lessons, individual and group sessions, and closing-the-gap interventions. Counselors work closely with students who participate in a campus-wide emotional intelligence initiative that includes self-regulation, self-awareness, empathy, motivation, and social skills. Counselors also work closely with parents by providing students with an Emotional Intelligence Weekly Family Connection activity, where both students and parents are learning the five components of emotional intelligence.

Rationale:

McAllen ISD Professional School Counselors believe that students deserve equitable access to high-quality education in a safe and accepting environment structured to foster the learning process. They also believe that all students can succeed when positive relationships are present and fostered by all educational stakeholders in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment.

Assumptions:

For the McAllen ISD Comprehensive Counseling Program to be fully and effectively implemented at Dr. Pablo Perez Elementary, certain criteria must be met as mentioned below.

• The school counselors hold a Masters level degree and are certified in school counseling through the State of Texas.

• School counselors are responsible for the planning and management responsibilities of the school counseling program.

• School counselors and support staff meet regularly as a Campus Lead Team to review student data and identify, prioritize, and target student needs.

• All students have access to the counseling program and counseling resources regardless of gender, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

• Parental engagement is part of the decision-making process for the school counseling program. This is accomplished via the advisory council.

• Parental involvement is part of the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the program.

• Campus administration provides financial support for supplies, resources, materials, and staff development opportunities.

• Teachers provide input and work closely with the counselors to support counseling program goals.

• School counselors collaborate with school administration and site leadership teams in order to ensure the effective implementation of school counseling services.

• School counselors have access to an office/classroom which can be used as a classroom or confidential office space where they can meet with students individually or in groups.

• School counselors have access to a district-developed counseling curriculum that is updated annually and meets the individual needs of our students.

• School counselors meet regularly to share best practices and learn from each other in an effort to strengthen their skills to serve our students.

Developing Program Goals

Our school's counseling program goals are created using data obtained throughout the school year. At the beginning of the school year, the data taken from the Needs Assessment is used to determine goals and steer our counseling program in a direction that will best fit the needs of our students and staff. As the school year progresses, the school counselor, administrator, and the Counseling Advisory Council (CAC) collaborate and review results of initiatives implemented and work to improve on areas of need. Data is also used to develop goals for the upcoming school year using any new data and evidence of need in order to improve our overall school's counseling program.

Evaluating our Program Goals

Throughout the school year, the counselor along with administrator and Counseling Advisory Council will review any new incoming data and make adjustments to SMART goals as needed ensuring that all students and staff needs are met. Interventions, Strategies, Techniques and Skills are reviewed for effectiveness. Data from discipline referrals, attendance data, and information from the needs assessment is also evaluated to determine areas of growth, areas where improvement is needed, and results of programs implemented.