1. The ASCA National Model
Unpacking the
Components:
Vision, Mission, Calendars
Christy A. Clapper, Ph.D.

2. Learner Outcomes Participants will:
Examine three components of the national model: Vision, Mission, and Calendars.
Understand the purpose and power of these three components in the development and implementation of a model program.
Apply the use of suggested processes, tools, and resources for developing a school counseling vision, mission, and calendars.

3. Lens for Today’s Discussion
I think the easiest way to talk about implementing the national model is to examine it through the lenses of the model diamond description, the resources shown on this slide, and the application rubric. I want to to be sure that everyone understands that this is not about “winning” the designation. This is about building a program that exemplifies what it means when we say we are implementing the national model. Depending upon where you are in this process will determine how ready you are to apply - Readiness for the application typically takes 3 to 5 years so, this is not something one can rush. I just want to clarify this up front. There are several resources you can use to help you along the way. I would encourage you to use them as guides. Today’s presentation will focus on only three of the components of this model, but they are important to the foundation of your program and should guide your decisions about the work you do on behalf of kids. The first resource is the ASCA Model Diamond. You can find the full description of the iconic representation of the model in the third edition of the National Model Workbook – pictured here in this slide. If you do not have a copy and are a member of ASCA, you can acquire one for fewer than 40 dollars. You then can register your copy and get access to templates online for your use in the development of your program. The third resource I strongly recommend although we won’t be talking about outcomes data today, is the Making Data Work book. This resource unpacks how to utilize the data in your work and how to approach the communication of your programmatic effectiveness with others. It is a wonderful resource.

4. Difference between Guidance and Counseling
“Umbrella” term that includes a constellation of services aimed at personal and career development, and school adjustment
Describes the overall school program and implies personal assistance to students, teachers, parents and administrators
Guidance, guidance program, guidance services, guidance lesson, guidance personnel, guidance counselor, etc
Has been perceived as a process through which someone who has a problem receives personal assistance, usually through private discussion
Term not used exclusively by school counselors or other professional counselors.
The history of the school counseling role has had a rocky definition. In the early part of the last century, when the function of the school counselor was to “guide” people into careers appropriate for their skills and abilities, this work became known as guidance, hence the term; Guidance Counselor. Familiar to the role were a set of services and program roles that were more about helping young people to find their future niche and less about the academic and personal/social growth so much a part of our work today. As we moved further in the century, counseling became more a part of the role as a behavior of the individual in the role who lead students and families through processes of personal growth. This transformation is reflected in our work now in the three domains of the national model; Academic, Career, and Personal/Social. The American School Counselor Association today refers to us as School Counselors and no longer utilizes the term Guidance Counselor to refer to our roles within a school.

5. Paradigm Shift – New Identity
Support Role
Passive Control
Process Oriented
Essential Role
Active Control
Data Driven
With the changes and the national model itself has come a different way of thinking about the school counseling role. With the model, we are empowered to lead and to be more directive in the approach we take to delivering programs and services to students. In the past we were considered to be supportive to the environment we served. School counselors typically were more passive, and less likely to suggest interventions. Rather, we took direction from administrators and often acted more like quasi administrators in the typical work of a building – sometimes even in the absence of the principal. Today, however, with the national model, our new identity places us in roles of leadership, collaboration, and advocacy for all students. We have become essential to the smooth operation of the school, and to the success and well-being of students. We interact with student data, suggest ways of improving and closing gaps. We are active in our delivery of services to every child, and our work is data-driven. We have moved from a passive to active role, and from process to data orientation.
School Counselors are important, critical players on school teams.

6. ASCA Model invites you to answer the question, How are kids different?
Through these three Domains:
Personal/Social
Academic
Career
Before we address the components, I wanted to take just a few minutes to review a little about the overall framework and intent of the ASCA model.
We know that the model challenges us to develop efficacy in students in these three domains, and requires us to answer the question, how it is that kids are different because of our interventions? We deliver services in multiple ways -through classroom interventions, small groups, individual work, and other means, but what is critical about these domains is that as advocates for all students, we expect to engage every student in their own personal growth over time through our work with them. This is why it is so critical that we establish programmatic protocol for accomplishing success with every student in each domain - at least to the degree that they are developmentally ready to do so - and that we continue to make conditions right for their personal growth over time. So I believe that if each of us approaches the implementation of a school counseling model from this perspective, we can be confident that the framework will not fail us. So why should we use this model?

7. Why use the ASCA model?
Follows the national student standards for school counseling that align closely with successful developmental programming.
Accountability model; data driven
Using the ASCA model audit helps all counselors improve their programming
So why should we use this model?
First of all, it follows the national student standards for school counseling - the standards are steeped in human development; they are research based - and we can rely on them.
Second, in this age of accountability, school counseling should be no exception...classroom teachers, student achievement, etc. are all a part of the accountability movement - and our work can be measured. We should measure it.
Auditing ourselves makes us improve and makes us all better

8. Why use the ASCA model? Ensures equity
Establishes school counseling as integral to the academic mission of a school
Identifies knowledge and skills ALL children should acquire
Is comprehensive and delivered systematically to ALL students
The model ensures that EVERY student has access to the counselor and to school counseling services, programs, and educational experiences.
When school counselors become part of the accountability system, and support the academic mission of a school, we become integral to the mission of a school.
The model, because it is based on standards and individual school data, identifies all the developmental knowledge and skills children should acquire at each age.
And finally, it is systematic and comprehensive for ALL students.

9. ASCA Model: 4 Interrelated Components
Foundation - contains goals for student achievement; what students should know and be able to do; how every student will benefit from the school counseling program (Vision, Mission, Program Goals)
Delivery System - describes the activities, interactions, and methods that deliver the program (Curriculum, Individual Planning, Responsive Services, System Support)
Management System - incorporates organizational processes and tools to ensure the program is concrete, organized, and clear (Annual Agreement, Advisory Council, Action Plans, Calendars - reporting of data, and use of time)
Accountability - the collection and use of data that link student skill and development to student achievement (Curriculum/Small Group Results Reports, Closing the Gap Reports)
The ASCA model contains 4 interrelated components; foundation, delivery system, management system, and accountability. We are going to spend our time today focusing on the components situation in the foundation and management components of the model and looking at exemplars in these components. I would encourage you to spend some time inside the ASCA site on the RAMP page where a lot of these descriptions, pages, resources, and helpful pages reside. You will find examples, answers to your questions, and a wealth of support and information there. Use it. It will guide you.

10. Model Program Development - Two Pronged Approach
National Student Standards
Individual School Data
Academic/Failure
Academic
Safety/Behavioral/Discipline
Personal/Social
Attendance
Career
Standardized Test Data
Proficiency Test Data
Other Available School Data
I think it’s really important to note here that the implementation of this model requires all of us to take a two pronged approach to intervention on behalf of our students. The first prong is available to us through the national student standards. The standards in the three domains are research based; they derive from solid understandings of human development, and are a guide for us in the development of sequential programming in a K-12 system.
But it is best practice to use data as the other prong of our work. These data should be derived from all sources that are available to you...academic sources, evaluation and test sources, safety and behavioral data, discipline, attendance, and other data that may be unique to your own setting. So, in the development of your developmental program that represents your planned interventions throughout the year, these two prongs guide every decision you make regarding programming efforts. If you don’t hear anything else I say today...this slide is crucial. So, I just wanted to make the point that these two prongs should guide all programmatic decisions you make. So while ALL kids need to master the competencies illustrated in the national student standards, the unique needs of your setting can be described and acted upon through what you learn in the data available to you - data always tell a story - and you can use the data to help guide your efforts. It will be the data that make your program unique while you are implementing this model.
Do we have any questions thus far?

11. 3rd Edition of the ASCA National Model
12 Components
Vision Statement
Mission Statement
School Counseling Program Goals
ASCA Student Standards - Competencies and Indicators
Annual Agreement
Advisory Council
Calendars
School Counseling Core Curriculum Action Plan and Lesson Plans
School Counseling Core Curriculum: Results Report
Small Group Responsive Services
Closing the Gap Results Report
Program Evaluation Reflection
To help you to organize your thinking about this model, there are 12 components that reside inside the four areas of the diamond. Each component is tied to the next. Because each is dependent on the others (the program is a whole) discussing each piece is a way of helping you to organize your program’s parts. So the Vision and Mission, while crucial to the foundation of your program are the driving force behind all the decisions you make regarding your efforts with students. The Calendar is the living, breathing ‘document’ that represents your action toward the vision and in support of the mission. All the other parts are the depth of your work. They are the detail to the action. So, we are going to get started on these important parts to your work. Let’s begin.

12. Developing a Vision Statement
Establish Core Beliefs – effective school counseling belief statements:
Indicate agreed-upon beliefs about the ability of all students to achieve
Address how the school counseling program meets student developmental needs
Address the school counselor’s role as advocate for every student
Identify persons involved in planning, managing, delivering, and evaluating school counseling program activities
Include how data inform decisions
Include how ethical standards guide your practice
See ASCA National Model 2012, p
The school counseling’s program foundation is the basis on which the rest of the program is built. If you do not have a solid foundation, the rest of your program will flounder and will be directionless, like a rudderless ship. The foundation provides the rudder for your program and guides its implementation. The Vision provides the long term focus for the program. It forces key stakeholders to examine beliefs about students and about services early in the development of a good program. This key process sets the course for the long term success of your work.
It is important for your entire counseling team to commit to participation in this exercise and to establish what everyone believes to be true for your team. These beliefs will be the core of your vision development.

13. Developing a Vision Statement
Your counseling team should answer these questions:
What do you believe about the ability of all students to achieve?
How do you address the developmental needs of all students?
What is your role as an advocate for every student?
What do you believe is involved in the planning, management, delivery, and evaluation of your program activities?
How are data utilized to inform program decisions?
How do the ethical standards guide your work?
See ASCA National Model 2012, p
Probably many of you have participated in deep discussions at some point in your professional careers around beliefs related to an organization or a group of which you have been a part. This exercise - and it is and should be an exercise - should be hard. It should force discussion among a stakeholder group about what is really important to your organization. It is likely there will be some heated discussion about what is true for each of your department members. This is very important to do. Establishing common ground is essential to moving forward together. This is a critical beginning for the long term success of your program. Out of this process your group will need to establish commitment to the beliefs and commitment to professional action. Putting this in writing is further commitment to a long term vision.

14. Developing a Vision Statement
Create a chart that includes the following:
See ASCA National Model 2012, p
This chart is available to you when you purchase the 3rd edition book. You can also create your own chart. Begin to fill in your group’s beliefs, the importance of each belief, what each means for the program, and what each belief means the counselor will do. Once this is established, your counseling team will be able to firmly establish what you believe about your students and your role as a school counselor in their world. You then will be able to effectively address all the points in the first slide that speak to achievement, developmental needs, advocacy, the planning, management, delivery, and evaluation of your program, how you use data, and how you are guided by your professional ethics.
This exercise should take time. You should be patient with yourselves and each other. This step is important to establishing your foundation.

15. Developing a Vision Statement
The school counseling vision statement:
1. Describes a future world where the school counseling goals and strategies are being successfully achieved
2. Outlines a rich and textual picture of what success looks like and feels like
3. Is bold and inspiring
4. States the best possible student outcomes that are five to 15 years away
5. Is believable and achievable (Kose, 2011; Levin, 2000; in The American School Counselor Association, 2012)
See ASCA National Model 2012, p
Your vision statement should provide a program focus with this content. It should be fun to read and it should provide the long term view of what you expect for your students upon the exit from your program.

16. Vision Statement Example
The Students at XYZ Middle School are high-achieving learners who graduate college and career ready, well prepared to meet the challenges and high expectations of the 21st century. All students participate in rigorous curriculum and high quality opportunities for self-directed personal growth supported by the comprehensive school counseling program that facilitates strategic partnerships between the school, family, and community. As successful, life-long learners and productive citizens, our students achieve their fullest potential, making a positive difference in our school and community. (p. 24, ASCA, 2012)
Here is an example of a Vision Statement.
Does this vision statement:
1. Describe a future world where the school counseling goals and strategies are being successfully achieved ?
2. Outline a rich and textual picture of what success looks like and feels like?
3. Is this vision statement bold and inspiring?
4. Does this vision statement name the best possible student outcomes that are five to 15 years away?
5. Is this vision statement believable and achievable ?
Are there any questions so far?

17. The Mission Statement
The school counseling mission statement provides the focus and direction to reach the vision, creating one focus in the implementation of the comprehensive school counseling program. The school counseling mission statement: 1. Aligns with the school’s mission statement and may show linkages to district and state department of education mission statements. 2. Is written with students as the primary focus. 3. Advocates for equity, access and success of every student. 4. Indicates the long-range results desired for all students. (ASCA, 2012)
The mission is different from the vision in that it should be written so that it provides the direction for your program. It should align with school and district missions, and should be very clear, concise, and focused. Less complicated than the vision, the mission should both derive from and support the existing school mission.

18. The Mission Statement
Quaker Valley School District The mission of the Quaker Valley School District, is to excel at educating students to become knowledgeable, self-directed, lifelong learners and ethical, responsible citizens. Quaker Valley Middle School Working together with families and the community, the mission of The Quaker Valley Middle School is to develop responsible citizens and independent learners while maintaining high expectations for all. Quaker Valley Middle School Counseling Program The Quaker Valley Middle School Counseling Program supports the mission statements of The Pennsylvania Department of Education, The Quaker Valley School District and The Quaker Valley Middle School through the provision of a wide range of developmentally appropriate services and programs for all students, their parents, and the staff who serve them. Students shall receive support in many facets of their education. The enhancement of student competency in the Academic, Personal/Social and Career domains shall be accomplished through an active developmental and sequential school counseling program. The school counseling program supports the individual needs of students, and their participation in academic and co-curricular programming and supports the final outcome for all students as competency attainment in all three domains upon exit.
There should be four components inside the school counseling mission statement - first it should be tied directly to the the school mission statement, define students as the primary focus, advocate for equitable access for all students and speak to long range results. This is a pretty thorough example of a mission statement. It is the mission statement from our middle school program that was derived from two others…the middle school’s statement, the district statement, and the Dept. of Education statement (not included here). We felt it was important to illustrate the sameness of the missions and to reflect in ours a commitment to supporting the missions of those to whom we were committed and serving. Not all mission statements may look like this, but they should include the components previously mentioned.

19. The Mission Statement
Clinton High School The mission of Clinton High School, as a diverse and caring community, is to use a challenging and relevant curriculum to help all students to be successful, lifelong learners and problem solvers. Clinton High School Counseling Department The mission of the school counseling program is to provide all students with a comprehensive school counseling program centered around an engaging curriculum that encourages the highest level of student achievement through their growth in academic, career, and personal/social domains. In partnership with teachers, administrators, parents and a caring community, the school counselors will help all students to be successful lifelong learns and problem solvers. (Adapted from Clinton High School, Iowa, 2012)
Here is another example of a mission statement from Clinton High School in Iowa. Notice that in this case the school counseling department only references the high school mission statement as it informs their department mission statement. But, the Counseling Department mission still meets all the criteria indicated in the mission requirements.
These are just two appropriate examples of mission statements. The mission statement is pretty straightforward.

20. Calendars Why a calendar?
School counselors develop and publish calendars of school counseling events to inform students, parents, teachers, and administrators of what, when and where school counseling activities will be held.
More importantly, creating a calendar assists school counselors with the development of a comprehensive program that provides services to ALL students in the school.
(ASCA, p. 56., 2012)
Organized developmental programs have calendars that are flexible and reflect the services that occur each week, month, and year. It is important to share your calendar with relevant stakeholders. This does not mean that you share your personal calendar with notes and phone numbers, rather, these tools are ways of communicating your efforts with students. They also serve to inform your colleagues and your public about your developmental program. As many counselors know, in the absence of fact, fantasy will become fact. If others do not know what we are doing, they will make assumptions about our work, our effort, our time, and eventually the value of our presence.
Calendars are a critical professional communication tool. We need to employ them and utilize them to inform others and to inform our practice.
We are going to examine three calendar types: public, annual, and weekly.

21. Your Public Calendar
Consider the following ideas when developing a public calendar:
What format will you use? (the web, mail distribution, a district publication, other source)
Timing of Distribution? (weekly, monthly, yearly?)
Design? (Will your calendar be a publication? An addition to a publication? On the web? What will it look like?)
Grade level? (K-12?, Elem, mid, high?)
Who will receive it? (Just parents? All taxpayers? Staff?)
Comparison of time with established goals? (i.e. How much time will be in classrooms? Groups? Other?)
Your public calendar should provide the big picture of your work. It should communicate how you are addressing the goals of your program, from where the data are derived, the amount of time you will spend on interventions and at what grade level. You also may want to communicate when groups may be offered throughout the year. As opportunities become available and you can add them to the calendar, you should have a mechanism for communicating with parents and others about them. The web is probably the best and most efficient cost saving method for getting out the word. It’s also an opportunity to provide links to other resources, curriculum, and forms for permission to participate in opportunities you share. Before we look at weekly and annual calendars, I think it’s a good time to talk about time analysis. Where DO we spend our time?

22. Use of Time
The 3rd edition of the model no longer adheres strictly to Gysbers and Henderson original format in the use of time. Their revised model includes adjustments to the view of direct and indirect services to students. The total amount of time the school counselor should be spending in direct and indirect service to students should amount to around 80% of time, with the remaining time spent in the management of the program. If you are uncertain about how much time you are spending in delivery, you may want to do a time/task analysis to measure your percentages. While you do not have to match exactly with this recommended use of time, this is only a recommended framework.
One of the best changes to this model is in its flexibility. Because each school’s needs are unique, so are the services that are needed in the delivery by the school counselor. A time/task analysis is available in the new model as a template. You might consider performing the analysis for a month, or you could select two days a week and do the analysis for three months or six. This way the analysis doesn’t take on a life of its own. This would be a great way for you to analyze where you are spending your time.
(Adapted from Gysbers, N.C. & Henderson, P. (Eds.) (2012). Developing and managing your school guidance program, (5th ed..), Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association)

23. Time Analysis
This is a screen shot of the Use of Time Assessment tool available to you from ASCA if you own the copy of the 3rd edition. It is in excel format and all the formulas have been created and applied to the form. All you have to do is use it. An additional tab offers you the opportunity to create charts from the data you entered. This is a great way to help you to collect time data on your efforts. So what is the value in this? There is tremendous value. First, you can determine where you are spending your time over a long period of time. Second, you can determine whether or not this meets the criteria suggested by Gysbers and Henderson for developmental programming – and make adjustments where you need to. Third, it’s an opportunity for you to show your administrator where you are spending your time and especially if you are trying to make the case for more student contact time. And finally, it’s just great professional development. The form is flexible. You can adjust the times to fit your schedule or class periods if that is what works best for you. It’s another tool in your toolbox.

24. Use of Time Analysis
Here is an example of a time/task analysis that was accomplished by a counselor during a one month period. As already suggested there are a number of ways you can go about evaluating your use of time. You can use the example I just showed you or an excel spreadsheet and simply keep a daily record for a period of time to derive your percentages; another way to do this is to select a couple days each week where you collect time/task data in a chart over a 6 month period and calculate your averages that way. Some really diligent people have done a full year daily analysis. This depends on your needs and your desire. I would recommend, however, that you determine a method that does not become a cumbersome task on its own.

25. Annual Calendar
It’s important to note that while you should list everything that you do every month in your annual calendar - everything connects. So from the annual agreement, to the program goals - what exists in the calendar should also be seen there.

26. Weekly Calendar
Here is an example of one of my weekly calendars, color coded to illustrate the four developmental components. This calendar reflects the time components recommended by Gysbers and Henderson from the last edition of the model. A calendar submitted under this new model should look a little different from this one, because it would reflect the 80/20% use of time. The important thing to note here is the color coding of the categories, which were represented in calculated use of time on the bottom of the page. The weekly calendars you submit should be easy to read and understand, and should be clear as to the work that occurred.
Be explicit on the calendar about the activity you are doing. Leave students’ names off your entries to protect privacy and color code your entries to highlight each component. Calculate percentages of time for each component. You can share this with your principal or administrator – who may have already signed your annual agreement – if you are trying to follow the model. As an aside, the annual agreement has the suggested use of time chart embedded in it. So this is an example of how I used my time this week. I could have done this for several weeks but I would have had to use total periods in each category to calculate the percentage of time in each area. This is one method of calculating your use of time in a week. In this week, I spent more time than is suggested by Gysbers and Henderson in curriculum, for example. But I was happy with that – it gave me contact with all students.

27. Weekly Calendar
Here is another example from another counselor. This counselor used half hour increments of time. So you can see that we did things slightly differently. It’s okay…you can find your own way too.

28. Calendar Content Annual Weekly Classroom lessons Back-to-school night
Open house
Parent/student conferences
Standardized test dates
Career or college nights
Evening activities
Transition (Move Up) Activities
Standard Monthly Activities
Weekly
Classroom lessons
Group and Individual Counseling
Meetings with Students
Collaboration and Advocacy
Data Analysis
Committee and Fair Share Responsibilities
To summarize calendars, time is clearly the essence of the communication – the “what you are doing” for students and when on a daily basis. For the public and in general, the Annual calendar should have the big events and curriculum units listed. The weekly calendar is more detailed about the counselor’s daily function. Both should be flexible – just as the work with students should be.

29. Final Thoughts…
Developing a model program takes time…with proper support and a stable staff, 3-5 years. Be patient and steady.
Seek advice. If you know of a school who is currently implementing a model program, talk with the school counselors there. Invite them to share their journey with you. Don’t be afraid to ask.
Acquire and utilize the ASCA resources. For minimal cost, you can have all the resources you need right at your fingertips. It’s great professional development too.
TELL YOUR STORY to anyone who will listen! Be open to any opportunity to talk about your program and the difference it makes in kids. Share the data and the joy.
Best wishes on your RAMP journey!

30. Thank you for being here!
Questions?