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Governing Board Policies

Section J - Students

Policy Title: Guidance and Counseling
Policy Code: JLD
Lead Department: Guidance and Counseling

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The counseling and guidance program in the District is to focus on the developmental, social, emotional and academic needs of students. School counselors, through the school counseling program, work with all students, help remove barriers to student academic success and guide them in reaching academic excellence.

Personnel involved in school counseling will demonstrate respect for the dignity and worth of each individual, and encourage each student to develop individual responsibility and decision-making skills. Personnel involved in school counseling coordinate the school guidance program and involve all staff members in designing and implementing plans to meet three (3) major goals:

  • Educational development. Students will learn how to make decisions, create academic plans, and explore career pathways in elementary, middle and high school to prepare for future educational options.
  • Personal/social development. Students will develop appropriate behaviors for a variety of social settings. Students will develop awareness of self and confidence in their own abilities in order to enhance their career options and development.
  • Career development. Students will develop career options consistent with their interests, abilities, and values.

A program of guidance and counseling shall be offered to all students in Grades K through 12 according to the staffing plan established each fiscal year and shall include the services of professional certified guidance personnel.

A comprehensive counseling and guidance program should provide:

  • Staff with meaningful information, which can be utilized to improve the educational services, offered to individual students.
  • A guidance curriculum delivered by school counselors to all students via classroom and small group instruction working and teaming with teachers.
  • Students with planned opportunities to explore and develop future career and educational plans.
  • A strategy to refer students with special needs (emotional or academic) to appropriate resources.
  • Students with assistance in identifying options and making choices about their educational program.
  • Input from students, staff and parents for purposes of program development and improvement.
  • Coordination with available resources of the community.
  • A program of activities that teach skills for academic planning, personal growth and career exploration.
  • Assistance for teachers and administrators in identifying the academic, social and emotional needs of students.
  • Sequential and age/grade appropriate program for grades K-12.
  • Students with opportunities to develop positive interpersonal communication skills, including how to deal with conflicts.
  • Assistance and planned opportunities for parents/guardians to access resources, increase awareness of the nature and scope of the guidance and counseling program, improve communications between home and school and further involve them in their child’s educational development and long-range planning.

All staff shall encourage students to explore and develop their individual interests in career and technical programs and employment opportunities with out regard to gender, race, and economic background including reasonable efforts encouraging students to consider and explore “nontraditional” occupations.

Adopted: October 5, 2004

Cross Ref: GB – Staffing Plan