GUIDANCE CURRICULUM FOR GRADES 9-12

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the guidance curriculum is to help students develop basic life skills.  It is the foundation of a developmental guidance program.  The developmental guidance curriculum has a scope and sequence for the student competency development.  The curriculum is presented in small or classroom-sized groups of students, by counselors, staff members or other consultants.  The curriculum is designed for the use of a variety of materials and other resources.  As members of instructional teams, school counselors help to determine how the guidance curriculum is integrated with other instructional objectives. 

Goals Identified for the FISD High School Guidance Curriculum

Motivation to Achieve

• Develop their own academic potential

• Take advantage of educational opportunities

• Identify career opportunities that will allow them to fulfill their potential

Decision Making

• Develop the ability to make decisions based on information gathered

• Evaluate options for appropriate choices

Planning and Goal Setting

• Use research skills to gather information

• Develop the ability to make plans and set goals

• Time management

Problem-Solving Skills

• Develop the ability to gather information

• Develop the ability to identify options and make appropriate choices

• Develop the ability to manage change

Educational Choice

• Explore options for post-graduation

• Relate career choices to educational choices

Cross-Cultural Effectiveness

• Appreciate their culture

• Respect others as individuals and accept them for their cultural membership

• Relate effectively with others based on appreciation for differences

Opportunities to Provide Guidance Curriculum Objectives

• Classroom settings

• Teen Leadership class

• Assemblies

• Student handbook review

• Parent conferences and informational meetings

• College Night

• Web site exploration

• Applicable TEKS

• Student Resource Officer services

• Mentor program

• Multicultural activities

• Orientation programs

• Newsletter distribution

Counselor’s Role

Program Management

Guidance

Consultation

Counseling

Student appraisal

Coordination

INDIVIDUAL PLANNING FOR GRADES 9-12

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the individual planning system is to assist students to plan, monitor and manage their own educational, career and personal-social development.  Schools will use a variety of resources including staff, information and activities to assist students in developing and implementing personalized plans.  This may include referral for special educational programs such as gifted, bilingual, at-risk, special education, 504, etc.  Parental involvement is essential to facilitate appropriate placement decisions for students.  Through the individual planning system, students are assisted in

• Being motivated to achieve

• Setting challenging educational, career and personal-social goals

• Making plan for achieving short, intermediate and long term goals

• Assessing their current progress toward their goals

Goals Identified for the Individual Planning System

Educational

• Study skills techniques

• Awareness of educational opportunities

• Appropriate course selection

• Facilitate appropriate placement

• Interpretation and utilization of test scores

• Importance of life long learning

• Graduation

Career

• Knowledge of potential career opportunities

• Knowledge of career and technical training

• Correlation between student appraisal data, course selection and career choices

Personal – Social

• Development of healthy self concepts

• Development of responsible social behavior

Opportunities to Provide Individual Planning

• Career exploration opportunities

• Development of Four Year Plan

• Junior/Senior information

• Handbook

• Newsletter

• Website

• Scholarship/Financial Aid information

• PSAT, ACT, SAT

• Information

• Interpretation

• College Information

• Non-traditional credit

• Summer school

• Credit By Exams

• Correspondence Courses

• Credit Recovery Courses

• Dual Credit

• Course selection process

• College selection process

• Credit checks

• ARD meetings

• 504 meetings

• At risk student procedures (Student Opportunity Center)

Counselor’s Role

Program Management

Guidance

Consultation

Student appraisal

Coordination

RESPONSIVE SERVICES FOR GRADES 9-12

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the responsive services component is to intervene on behalf of those students who immediate personal concerns or problems put their continued personal-social, career and/or educational development at risk.  Some services are preventive:  interventions with students who are on the brink of choosing an unhealthy or inappropriate solution to their problems or are unable to cope with a situation.  Some services are remedial:  interventions with students who have already made unwise choices or have not coped well with problem situations.

Counselor Response

• Counsel individuals or small groups of students

• Consult with staff and parents

• Refer students, parents and staff members to other specialist, special programs or resources.

• Facilitate the use of programs and services with other professionals

• Follow-up with students to monitor their progress toward resolution of their problems.

Academic

• Academic success

• School drop-out prevention

• Attendance

• School attitudes and behaviors

• Study skills

• New Students adjustment

Personal

• Suicide

• Child abuse and neglect

• Severe stress

• Substance abuse

• School age pregnancy

• Gang pressure/involvement

• Harassment issues/bullying

• Peer relationships

• Intervention and postvention of a traumatic event

• Grief/loss

• Family issues

Opportunities and Personnel to Provide Responsive Services

Individual and group sessions

Academic advisement

Credit Recovery Programs

CARE Team

Community Agencies

At-Risk student identification

Student Resource Officer

Parenting Education Program

Appropriate district personnel (nurse, psychologist, social worker, etc.)

Hope Rising

GED program

504 meetings

ARD meetings

Counselor’s Role

Program Management

Guidance

Consultation

Counseling

Student appraisal

Coordination

SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR GRADES 9-12

PURPOSE:  The purpose of the system support component is to provide services and management activities that indirectly benefit students. 

Areas Addressed

• Consultation with staff and community for the enhancement of the school environment

• Support for parent education programs

• Participation in district or campus-based school improvement planning

• Assistance in the implementation of the national, state and local standardized testing program

• Participation in continuing education programs

• Development of appropriate written policies, procedures and guidelines

• Program development and management

Opportunities for System Support

College workshops

Staff development

Guidance Department workshops

District Improvement Team

Membership in professional organizations

District and campus planning committees

Counselor’s Role

Program Management

Guidance

Consultation

Counseling

Student appraisal

Coordination