Cole 1

School Counselors Are Important

When kindergartners are asked what they want to be when they grow up, they tend to
state their parents professions or an activity they are involved in. They are not aware of many,
many options they actually have. This moment is where the elementary school counselor comes
into play. Elementary school counselors help schools be effective institutions by helping students
become college and career ready, learn and use appropriate social behaviors, using data to better
fit the students needs and help them understand themselves by working through personal
situations.
Development of school counseling in America began in 1890 with Frank Parsons being
labeled as father of the vocational guidance movement. Parsons effort with working towards
the Civic Service House helped create the Boston Vocation Bureau which then organized a
system of vocational guidance within public schools. In 1913, the National Vocational Guidance
Association was created and encouraged the increase in numbers of school counselors. Later in
the 1950s, the American School Counselor Association was formed continuing the identification
of the school counselor (Krumbolz). By law, a school counselor must have at minimum a
master's degree and license in school counseling for grades K-12 (Elementary School Guidance
Counselor Education Requirements). With this degree the school counselor helps the students
become prepared and ready for their future.
Elementary school counselors help students become college and career ready. They
implement Career Day so that students, when asked, can answer the question of what they want
to be when they grow up as well as introduce them to college names within the state they live in.
The purpose of career day is for younger students to learn a little about the different careers that
are in demand and what its like for someone in that profession (What Students Learn on

Cole 2
Career Day). Learning about the education it takes to get the careers presented, students find
what does and does not interest them, and getting the students excited about the future is all what
makes up a Career Day in an elementary school setting (What Students Learn on Career Day).
Counselors also monitor attendance to make sure the students are staying on track to be college
and career ready. The primary rationale for high-quality attendance data is the relationship
between student attendance and student achievement. Teacher effectiveness is the strongest
school-related determinant of student success, but chronic student absence reduces even the best
teachers ability to provide learning opportunities (Every School Day Counts). Monitoring
attendance and managing a school wide event such as Career Day to give students the experience
of seeing what their future can hold is how school counselors help prepare students to be college
and career ready.
Elementary school counselors help students learn and use appropriate social behaviors.
Whole class lessons, Red Ribbon Week, and systems such as Positive Behavioral Interventions
and Supports (PBIS) all help students achieve this goal. Lisa Moore, school counselor, at South
End Elementary School in North Carolina, is an example of a counselor who has whole class
lessons. Within forty-five minutes, students from kindergarten through fifth grade, are provided a
lesson on a character building topic. Once a month, every class school wide is taught a new
character trait. Information about the lesson and activities that can be done at home to improve
the topic taught are sent home to inform parents about what the students learned. At the end of
the month, every teacher is asked to nominate two students who have shown the character trait of
the month and an assembly called Kids of Character takes place inviting parents to watch their
students get recognized for showing appropriate social behavior. Red Ribbon Week is also
conducted by the school counselor and is defined as a week set aside to encourage students to

Cole 3
say NO to drugs/alcohol and YES to developing healthy habits for the 5 parts of YOU (physical,
emotional, psychological, spiritual, and recreational/social). Daily activities and challenges are
offered for student and staff participation. (Moore)
Within the elementary school level, PBIS is designed to teach appropriate behavior to all
children. To do this school counselors have to communicate with teachers about what specifics
students need so that they can intervene early on potential behavior problems. Using data and
multi-tier model of service delivery is important to this process. PBIS uses an efficient, needsdriven resource deployment system to match behavioral resources with student need. To achieve
high rates of student success for all students, instruction in the schools must be differentiated in
both nature and intensity (Primary Level). Counselor, Mrs. Moore of South End Elementary,
uses behavior plans as part of PBIS for students who need extra help with behavior or academics.
The behavior plan states the student's name, behavior/academic goals, and a schedule throughout
the day for the teacher to rate student performance. In the rating system, one indicates poor
performance and three indicates the student is successful. If at the end of the day the student
reaches a goal of having 80% or higher, then they receive a prize (Moore). Counselors use
various programs to introduce and reinforce positive behaviors.
In theory, most programs are great; however, the reality most programs come with
pitfalls. The effective school counselor must learn to recognize the shortcomings of the
programs and be flexible and innovative in order to serve each individual student. Not all
programs are perfect for all students. For example, a student may not have parents who
cooperate and participate with their part of the plan. In such cases, the counselor needs to
modify the plan in order to serve the individual student and help him or her achieve behavior and
academic goals despite the lack of parent involvement. Students who use the behavior plans, may

Cole 4
not come to school and therefore data can not be collected to see if the student is improving in
the area in which their trying to work on. In this instance the school counselor might have to do a
home visit to see what is going on and why the student can not come to school. Having whole
class lessons, Red Ribbon Week, and PBIS are all ways that elementary school counselors help
students learn and use appropriate social behaviors.
Elementary school counselors help students by using data to better fit the students needs.
According to the Schools of Utah,
The use of data : Concretely demonstrates accountability and progress toward
goals [of students]. Monitors student progress. Creates an urgency for change.
Serves as a catalyst for focused action [for the student]. Engages decision makers,
district leaders, school teams, etc. in data-driven decision making. Exposes
evidence of access and equity issues for focused advocacy and interventions.
Focuses resources, programs, interventions and strategies where they are needed
most. Supports grant proposals. Graduation rates. At or above grade/achievement
level in reading, math, etc. Passing all classes. Dropout rates.
Using data is important for the role of the school counselor. As explained above, data is
beneficial and can be used to help all students. For example, behavior plans.
By keeping a set of data on how the student does each day on what their trying to improve, that
is one way an elementary school counselor could monitor the student's progress over time and if
the plan doesn't work then it could initially create an urgency for change in the plan. In order for
data to be the most effective, school counselors have to gather and use data from different
perspectives and a variety of aspects. Having numerous amounts of data allows, school
counselors, administrators, faculty and advisory council members to create a current picture of

Cole 5
students and the school environment. This picture focuses discussion and planning around
students needs and the school counselors role in addressing those needs (The Utah Model for
Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance). Monitoring specific student data allows the school
counselor to see what the student is lacking and needs help with to better achieve their academic
goals. Although there are many different types of data there are types that are used more than
others. School counselor, Lisa Moore from South End Elementary School uses mostly perception
data (Moore). In definition, perception data measures what students and others observe or
perceive (The Utah Model for Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance). Moore explained
how she uses perception data when she gives the students surveys on how they think career day,
red ribbon week, etc. went after the event is over. She also explained how when having the
students do a career interest inventory, answering questions on what they like to do, and then
getting results on what jobs would best fit their answers provided, is a way that she uses
perception data within her school (Moore). Data is important for a school counselor to better fit
her students needs and help them achieve their goals.
Elementary school counselors help students understand themselves and how to deal with
personal situations. Having small groups, one on one lunch time with students, doing home visits
while keeping contact with the parents, staff, and community are ways that counselors achieve
this mission. Counselor Sarah Fullerton from Samuel L. Gravely, Jr. Elementary School in
Virginia uses small groups with students. Fullerton describes the purpose of small groups as to
provide a safe environment for sharing, giving and receiving feedback, practicing new skills, and
increasing awareness so that students can feel successful in the learning environment. Meeting
approximately once a week for thirty minutes over a time period of six to eight sessions each
small group discusses one topic such as anger, grief, divorce, friendship, and many more. All

Cole 6
small groups are kept confidential. Much like small groups, individual sessions is a confidential
service that the school counselor provides to help students understand themselves and how to
deal with personal situations. At Nottingham Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia
if the counselor feels she can assist the student and determines ongoing
counseling (more than 3 sessions) is appropriate, written permission is obtained
from a parent/guardian. Counseling is not recorded in a child's cumulative folder.
School counseling is goal-oriented and generally short-term in nature. A variety of
techniques are used depending on the concern including active listening,
bibliocounseling, artwork, modeling, scaling, board games, and role play. During
the 2014-15 school year, the counselors met with 155 students (28% of student
body) for individual counseling (average number of sessions per student was 6);
49 students were seen for crisis response (1-3 sessions). If a student needs
ongoing therapy, the school counselor will facilitate a referral to an outside mental
health provider. ("Individual Counseling")
As the information above explains, school counselors work with many students and help them
through personal situations. Using techniques such as the ones listed above allows the student to
open up to their school counselor.
Besides individual counseling, school counselors do home visits in order to enhance
student success. Home visits are designed to bridge the gap between home and school, building
parent-teacher relationships, enhance the teachers understanding of their students lives outside
of school and facilitate stronger communication between parents and teachers(Meyer, Mann and
Becker). Having that connection of home and school becomes beneficial for the students learning
environment. Counselors come into play when they plan on increasing parent involvement in

Cole 7
their childs schooling and supplying the parents with school and community resources to help
the parents learn ways to support their childs academic, social and career success (Meyer,
Mann and Becker). As previously mentioned, attendance is an important factor for student
success. An illustrative example of where a home visit would be useful begins with attendance. If
a child misses enough school to where it would be impossible for them to catch up with their
classmates, a home visit from the school counselor would be useful. If a student was acting out
in ways that are considered extreme such as hitting other students, banging on desks or throwing
chairs, a home visit from the school counselor would be beneficial for the student due to the
possibility of abuse at home. Seeing what the child goes through on a daily basis helps the
counselor and staff understand and know how they can best help the child. Whether it is by small
groups, individual counseling or home visits, school counselors help students understand
themselves and how to deal with personal situations.
Illustrative examples of real life experiences from students whose elementary school
counselor impacted their life show that school counselors are important. Senior, Curtis McGehee,
at Rockingham County High School, was in third grade. In a personal interview, McGehee told
of a time in his past where his only friend abandoned him without any known reason. He was
devastated until he decided he was going to talk to his elementary school counselor about the
situation. He exclaimed, That day she (his elementary school counselor) said words of wisdom
that have stayed with me to this day saying that true friends will not leave and those who do, are
not really friends (McGehee). Shayna Gates, senior at Rockingham County High School
attended South End Elementary with as previously mentioned, Lisa Moore as her school
counselor. She explained a time in which Mrs Moore impacted her life by helping her deal with
bullying from other students. Talking about the situation Gates said, She (Mrs Moore) would

Cole 8
always say positive things to help me get through the school day (Gates). This example shows
how an elementary school counselor can help students in ways that can be useful for life.
School Counselors help students through personal situations but they also help students when
they transfer schools. Brianna Plaster, senior at Rockingham County High School, explained how
her school counselor walked her around Bethany Elementary and introducing her to students that
would soon become her life long friends (Plaster). Whether it is bullying, friendship issues or
having the transition from one school to another school counselors help students deal with many
different personal situations.
Elementary school counselors are important and do indeed help schools be effective
institutions. Whether it is by helping students become college and career ready, learn and use
appropriate social behaviors, or helping them understand themselves by working through
personal situations; school counselors make a difference.