Pleasanton Unified School District Counseling Master Plan

The Counseling Master Plan (CMP) for Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) outlines a comprehensive, developmental school counseling program that ensures all students, at every school site, receive consistent support from a credentialed school counselor. This plan represents a shift from a reactive model—serving only some students—to a proactive, equitable model that benefits every student across the district.

The overarching goal of the CMP is to promote academic success, foster social-emotional development, and support college and career readiness for all students. School counselors deliver services that are aligned with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, which emphasizes student development across three core domains: academic, career, and social/emotional.

Classroom Lessons

Counselors facilitate grade-level, developmentally appropriate classroom lessons that are both proactive and results-oriented. These lessons are designed to help students build essential life skills while creating consistency in the delivery of the counseling curriculum across elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Each classroom lesson includes parent communication and home follow-up opportunities, reinforcing the importance of family-school partnerships in student success.

College & Career Readiness

The CMP incorporates the College Board’s National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) framework, which identifies eight essential components of college and career readiness. Age-appropriate lessons are designed to introduce and build upon these components throughout a student’s K–12 experience.

Topics by Grade Level Include:

TK: Friendship Skills

Kindergarten: Whole Body Listening

1st Grade: Self-Control

2nd Grade: Importance of Rules & Teamwork

3rd Grade: Win-Win Solutions

4th Grade: Career and Jobs  Introduction

5th Grade: Career Exploration

Social & Emotional Development

Each year, students at every grade level receive counseling lessons focused on developing age-appropriate coping strategies, emotional awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

TK: Feelings Exploration

Kindergarten: Feelings Exploration and Introduction to Coping Skills

1st Grade: Positive Self Talk and Affirmations

2nd Grade: Managing Big Emotions

3rd Grade: Understanding the Brain Stress Response

4th Grade: Understanding How You Cope Best

5th Grade: Confidence and Self Acceptance

Academic Development

Counselors support the development of executive functioning skills—such as time management, organization, and goal setting—through lessons designed to enhance students' learning strategies and promote academic achievement.

TK: Listening and Focus

Kindergarten: Introduction to Growth Mindset

1st Grade: Growth Mindset

2nd Grade: Perseverance

3rd Grade: Flexible Thinking

4th Grade: Executive Functioning Skills

5th Grade: Skills for Academic Success

Through the implementation of the Counseling Master Plan, PUSD school counselors provide systematic, comprehensive support that prepares students for success not only in school, but in college, career, and life beyond the classroom.