sample giudance program

School Guidance/Counseling Program

Overview

Virginia Beach City Public Schools offers a comprehensive K-12 school counseling program that is an integral part of each school's total educational program designed to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. As an essential part of the instructional program, school counseling helps to build a foundation for student learning and academic success.
Program Design
The division has adapted the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National model as the framework for developing a school counseling program because the model emphasizes a comprehensive and developmental approach for implementing a school counseling program. The concepts of student advocacy, leadership, collaboration, and systemic change are infused throughout the school counseling program.

All schools are required to have a Guidance Advisory Council to inform all stakeholders about the school counseling program. This council is comprised of representatives from the school and community that include students, parents, administrators, faculty, businesses, universities, and other local agencies. Program Goals
Student goals and Myrick's (1997) principle for developing counseling programs provide the basis of Virginia Beach Public City Public Schools' guidance program. These goals are:

1. Understanding the school environment
2. School success skills
3. Career awareness and educational planning
4. Understanding self and others
5. Understanding attitudes and behaviors
6. Decision making and problem solving
7. Interpersonal and communication skills
8. Community pride and involvement

Program Components
Our comprehensive school counseling programs are developmentally designed to serve all students and include the following services:

1. Counseling Services
• Individual
• Group
• Preventive or Remedial
• Crisis Intervention
• Referrals from students (self), parents , teachers, or others
2. Classroom Guidance Services
• Academic Planning
• Career Awareness
• Decision making
• Personal/Social Development Skills
3. Consultation Services
• Parents
• Teachers
• Administrators
• Community Agencies
4. Coordination
• Registration of New Students
• Academic Planning
• Student Records
• Testing Program (counselor's role may vary by school)
• Orientation Programs
• Peer Facilitator Programs
• Special Programs
• Referrals to community agencies
• College and Career Information
• College application process ( SAT/PSAT, Financial Aid, Scholarships, Transcripts)
• Career/Vocational preparation
• Parent Workshops
• Presentations
• Military (deployment, support, transitioning)