DSISD PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS

It is a school counselor’s responsibility to help each student develop their academic, career, personal, and social skills through a comprehensive developmental guidance program (Texas Education Code, Section 33). A school counselor works as a team with staff, parents, and the community to create a supportive, productive and positive atmosphere for students.

A school counselor plans, organizes, implements, and evaluates a comprehensive developmental guidance program that promotes the educational, career, personal, and social development of students. The comprehensive developmental guidance program should include the following four components: guidance curriculum, responsive services, individual planning system, and system support.

Guidance Curriculum is taught through various models and settings including but not limited to the school counselor to focus on the developmental needs of students. School counselors use the American School Counselor Association National Model and Texas Model to adapt their program to their school’s needs. Both of these models provide competencies and desired learning outcomes that play a key role in accountability. Examples of guidance units may include academic support, goal setting, career exploration, peer relationships, communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, diversity awareness, etc.

Responsive Services includes meeting with individual or small groups of students for counseling. Small group counseling services are available through teacher referral, parent referral, staff referral or self referral by any student. Short term individual counseling is available as needed. Counselors might also consult with parents, appropriate staff, refer students to other school support services or community resources, and provide intervention or advocacy on behalf of the student.

An Individual Planning System helps students plan, monitor, and manage the decisions needed to be made throughout their educational career to establish goals, develop future plans and meet established goals.

System Support involves supporting the staff, parents, and members of the community in the context of the program’s goals. This includes consulting and coordinating to help increase the effectiveness of the program and promote student success. Additionally, the school counselor may provide professional development for staff and parent nights for the community on various topics as needed throughout the year.