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Counseling Mission Statement
The mission of Sam Houston Elementary School Counseling Department is to implement a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program for our students in grades Pre-K - 5th that focuses on promoting student success through academic achievement, prevention and intervention activities, advocacy, social/emotional and college/career development to meet the needs of the students and the community.
Counseling Vision Statement
The counselors' vision is to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure the students from Sam Houston Elementary are provided all vital wrap around services, so they are able to manage their emotions, maintain positive relationships, make responsible decisions, think independently, and succeed academically.
Program Definition
The Sam Houston Elementary Comprehensive Counseling Program is aligned with the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Program. The program follows the structures in place for the following components from the Texas Model: Responsive Services, Guidance Curriculum, System Support, and Individual Planning. The counselors implement the four components in collaboration with multiple stakeholders. Ongoing professional development is provided by counselors to staff, teachers, and parents to ensure students' emotional well-being is being taken care of. Collaborative efforts among the members of the Counseling Advisory Council ensure that the program is being evaluated for efficacy and that the well-being of students is at the center of improvements being made for the program.
The program meets the WISD requirements and focuses on the four Texas Model Competencies: Intrapersonal Effectiveness, Post-Secondary Planning/College and Career Readiness, and Health/Safety. The program utilizes the Leader In Me, Panorama, Ripple Effects, and Everfi Social-Emotional Learning Programs, as well as the WISD College and Career Readiness Workbook and WISD Guidance and Counseling Curriculum to develop the skills and teach the knowledge pertaining to the Texas Model Competencies. Furthermore, the counselors serve as advocates for mental health for both staff and students using the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). Counselors deliver the Tier and Tier II services and make referrals for students to be provided services at the Tier III level via the WISD Licensed Professional Counselors or teletherapy services through UTRGV-TCHATT or Goodside Health, LLC.
Rationale
Weslaco ISD Counselors advocate for students, assist families in removing barriers to academic, social, emotional and future success; and collaborate with community, families, students, and campus staff in providing an ever improving comprehensive school counseling program.
Assumptions
The development of the whole child involves collective efforts of multiple stakeholders.
The social-emotional learning , well-being, and mental health of every student is important.
Students need to Maslow before they can Bloom.
All students, parents, and other stakeholders are integral parts of the counseling program.
Professional development is provided throughout the year to keep skills and interventions current and innovative.
The counseling program helps students develop their social-emotional learning skills.
The counseling program contributes to the academic, college, and career development of the students.
School administrators understand and support the counseling program’s priorities and initiatives.
The school counselors' responsibilities are modeled after the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Program.
There is district-level support provided to enhance counseling services, programs, and activities used at all campuses.
The counselors use data and research-based practices to ensure all students and families are receiving instruction in programs that are designed to promote academic, social, and emotional growth.
The counselors will collaborate with colleagues to provide opportunities for best practices in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Leader In Me, College and Career Readiness, etc for students.
The counselors will evaluate our program yearly (and more as necessary) to ensure the needs of our students, staff, and families are being met.
Developing Program Goals
Program goals are developed based on the needs of students as assessed twice a year via the qualitative and quantitative feedback from Panorama. Moreover, goals are determined using data points from Panorama's SEL, Supports, and Environment surveys, Campus Improvement Plan (CIP), standardized assessments, Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR), Counseling Advisory Council feedback, and anecdotal reports from stakeholders. The program goals and action plan are developed after reviewing multiple data points.
Needs Assessment
Research-backed surveys utilizing Panorama along with school-based customized questions are provided for students, teachers, and staff. The quantitative and qualitative surveys are provided to students, teachers, and staff twice a year, at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. The survey responses provide actionable data to meet the needs of students and campus teachers/staff. The strategic survey administration was designed to ensure the counselors are able to implement an action plan based on the needs assessment provided via the Panorama survey.
Here is the link to the sample Student SEL & Well-Being Survey being provided to students.
Here is the link to the sample Student Support & Environment Survey provided to students.
Here is the link to the sample Staff survey.
Evaluation of the Program
The Sam Houston Elementary Counseling Advisory Committee reviews the initiatives and/or goals implemented by the Counseling department to ensure the foundational components are being carried out effectively. Data from the Panorama survey are reviewed and an Action Plan is developed based on the Panorama survey results from Staff and students. Data such as office/teacher referrals, student self referrals, parent referrals, self harm outcries, and threat assessments are reviewed systematically. The data provides information to the efficacy of the services being provided. Moreover, the data drives the plans for the modification of Tier I and Tier II services provided by Sam Houston Elementary Counselors. Aside from quantitative and qualitative data gathered from the Fall and Spring administration of the Panorama surveys, the SHECAC also collects anecdotal feedback from team members to determine if goals are being met or if modifications are necessary to ensure fidelity of implementation of the Texas Model as well to ensure the Counseling Program is meeting the needs of students at Sam Houston Elementary.
Furthermore, fidelity of implementation of the components of the Texas Model are reviewed monthly using the SB 179 Compliance Log. A pie chart such as the sample below is evaluated monthly to ensure compliance to SB 179 and to ensure the services provided by Sam Houston Elementary Counselors are aligned to the Texas model.
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