1. Defining Excellence Purpose, Direction, and Meaning

2. A proud moment in recent history In 2008, Mesa Public Schools (MPS) received its first ever Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) Recipient. B.T. Washington Elementary School was nationally recognized as a comprehensive, data- driven school counseling program by a panel of school counseling professionals. Congratulations to Ms. Christa Peterson, school counselor, and her principal Ms. Susan Powell!

3. Name that year The Dolphins become the first NFL team to go undefeated in a season. Rock band Pink Floyd releases Dark Side of the Moon, which will go on to become one of the most influential and commercially successful albums of all-time. The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses.

4. 1973 The Mesa Public Schools Guidance Department published Toward Accountability: A Report on the Mesa Approach to Career Guidance, Counseling, and Placement. Dr. Norm Gysbers, who is widely viewed as one of the most important figures in our profession, consulted on project.

5. Toward Accountability (1973)

6. Name that year Richard Nixon signs a bill lowering the maximum US speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve gasoline during an OPEC embargo The United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee opens formal and public impeachment hearings against President Richard M. Nixon The UPC label is used for the first time to ring up purchases at a supermarket.

7. 1974 The MPS Guidance Department published a Systematic Approach to Guidance: Assessing Desired Outcomes. This module stated that upon completion, the school counselors would be to produce a written statement, derived from empirical data, of the desired career planning and development outcomes for youth.

8. 1974 Mesa Public Schools published Understanding Myself and Others. This was a one of our first examples of complete elementary guidance curriculum. Understanding Myself and Others is 157 pages long!

9. Name that year Hulk Hogan wins the World Wrestling Federation Championship from the Iron Sheik, in New York's Madison Square Garden Pop star Prince releases Purple Rain, the album which would launch him to superstardom The Apple Macintosh, the first consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, is introduced Ronald Reagan defeats Walter Mondale to be re- elected in one of the largest electoral landslide in United States election history

10. 1984 Mesa Public Schools publishes a Student Planning Sheet and portfolio with space for students to note their activities, awards, and work experience. These two documents completely satisfy the 2008 Arizona State Board of Education rule that requires every student to have an Educational and Career Action Plan (ECAP).

11. More on 1984 Also in 1984, the MPS Guidance Department published the Career Guidance lesson Study smarter, not harder. This lesson included written goals and objectives.

12. Name that year David Letterman announces he is moving his television talk show from NBC to CBS World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center goes off, killing 6 and injuring over a thousand. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents raid the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest cult leader David Koresh. The television sitcom, Cheers ends an 11-year run on NBC.

13. 1993 Decisions: Making the Right Moves is revised. Decisions was originally developed in 1980 and has undergone several revisions since. The original focus on decision making and goal setting skills and completion of four year plan has never changed.

14. Name that year In Roslin, Scotland, scientists announce that an adult sheep named Dolly had been successfully cloned Ellen DeGeneres's character comes out of the closet on the sitcom Ellen. Tara Lipinski, age 14 years and 10 months, becomes the youngest champion of the women's world figure skating competition.

15. 1997 Mesa Public Schools publishes a series of Career Power Pathways focusing on different potential career pathways (e.g., Health Services)

16. Name that year A jury in Michigan finds Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty of second-degree murder for administering a lethal injection to a terminally ill man. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold kill 12 students and a teacher before turning their guns on themselves in the Columbine High School massacre. Mark McGwire becomes the 16th member of the 500 home run club with a home run at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.

17. 1999 The Guidance Department publishes the Mesa Public Schools Elementary Comprehensive Competency-Based Guidance Manual.

18. Defining excellence for us An new, K-12 MPS School Counseling Handbook A living document to guide us Giving us Purpose, Direction, Meaning

19. Build your foundation. School counselor job description School counselor competencies Schedule of meetings Guidance Department Calendar

20. Know your students. Establish your values. Sources of data Genesis tools to identify targeted students Writing a school counseling statement of philosophy Writing a mission statement

21. Focus in on standards and objectives. Transition Programs Parents/guardians Involvement Reducing substance abuse and violent behavior Academic and career planning Targeted student interventions Attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning

22. Keep organized Other perspective site-based goals Management agreement Site-based calendar

23. Choose your strategies and implement them Guidance curriculum template Small group guidance template Guidance curriculum Small group guidance curriculum

24. Demonstrate your results Curriculum results report Targeted students results report Program evaluation reflection

26. Mesa Public Schools Guidance and Counseling Curriculum Results Report Counselor(s) School Who?What?Results Grade LevelStandards, competencies, site-based goals and/or indicators addressed Lesson Objectives Start and End Dates Number of students impacted by lesson Pre- and post- assessment data (Evaluation) Change in student behavior, attitudes, and/or knowledge/understanding

27. Defining Excellence MPS school counselors have been on the bleeding edge of results-based, comprehensive programs for 30+ years Every day, you are making a difference through your delivery of a comprehensive school counseling program