SCHOOL COUNSELING

An integral part of Lexington County School District One’s total educational program, the district offers a comprehensive K–12 school counseling program designed to promote the academic, career and social/emotional development of all students. 

The district’s school counseling program is comprehensive in scope, preventative in design, developmental in nature, driven by data, and integral to the school district’s curricula and instructional program. The concepts of student advocacy, leadership, collaboration and systemic change are infused throughout the school counseling program. 

An essential part of the instructional program, school counseling helps to build a foundation for student learning and academic success. 

Lexington One prides itself in the fact that the school counseling program is part of the district’s strategic plan and adheres to both the South Carolina Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program model and the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) national model. In fact, the district currently has seven RAMP certified schools and 18 nationally board certified school counselors. 

Lexington One strives to maintain the school counselor ratio of 300-to-1 at all levels. All schools are required to have a school counseling advisory council to inform all stakeholders on the goals and activities of the school’s counseling programs. The council is composed of school representatives, parents, students, peers, administrators, faculty, business and community members, higher learning institute personnel and members of other local agencies.

DISTRICT SCHOOL COUNSELING MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Lexington County School District One School Counseling Program is to provide a proactive, comprehensive and developmental school counseling program that impacts each student in the academic, career and social/emotional domains. 

School counselors serve as student advocates uniting the school, family and community stakeholders in the development of four essential 21st century skills: critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication. This partnership creates a district climate which provides our students with the skills needed to think critically as they prepare to be a new generation of leaders and global citizens as life-long learners. 

All district school counselors abide by the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors; federal, state, and local laws; and district school board policies and procedures.

DISTRICT SCHOOL COUNSELING VISION STATEMENT

Lexington County School District One’s professional school counselors are uniquely trained leaders who promote success for all students. 

They collaborate with school stakeholders using data-driven decisions to facilitate the success of 21st century learners in an ever-changing society. 

As a result, the student will: achieve to his/her maximum potential; demonstrate academic, career, and social/emotional problem-solving skills; become collaborative, caring and creative leaders; recognize and appreciate individual and cultural differences; access human and technological resources for support and information; and develop communication, citizenship and employability skills that make positive contributions to the community.

WHAT IS SCHOOL COUNSELING?

School counseling is developmental by design and includes sequential K–12 activities organized and implemented by licensed/certified, professional school counselors with the support of teachers, administrators, social workers, other school personnel, parents, and business and community members.

WHAT IS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR’S ROLE?

Professional school counselors are licensed/certified educators with a minimum of a master’s degree in school counseling, making them uniquely qualified to address all students’ academic, social/emotional and career developmental needs by designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student success. 

School counselors embrace the framework of a comprehensive program that includes four key components: foundation, management, delivery and accountability. 

In Lexington One, school counselors are employed at elementary, middle and high schools. Additionally, a school counselor is employed at each of the district’s special programs, Alternative Educational Services (AES) and Lexington Technology Center (LTC). 

The district also employs a district director of school counseling and advisement that provides direction and guidance for the school counseling program.

WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELORS?

Elementary school years set the tone for developing the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for children to become healthy, competent and confident learners. 

Elementary school counselors work as a team with school staff, parents and community members to create a caring climate and atmosphere. By providing education, prevention, early identification and intervention, elementary counselors can help children achieve academic success.

WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELORS?

Middle school students are characterized by rapid physical growth, curiosity about their world and an emerging self-identity. 

Middle school counselors work as a team with school staff, parents and community members to create a caring, supportive climate and atmosphere whereby young adolescents can achieve academic success. 

Middle school counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals, and realize their full academic potential as they become productive, contributing members of the world community.

WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS?

High school years are full of growth, promise, excitement, frustration, disappointment and hope. It is the time when students begin to discover what the future holds for them. 

High school counselors enhance the learning process and promote academic achievement. High school counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals, and realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the world community.

SCHOOL COUNSELING DELIVERY

A school counseling program is delivered within four program components with a goal being 80% direct student services:

• Core Curriculum: Planned instructional program that is comprehensive in scope, preventative in nature and developmental in design provided directly to students. These activities provide direct student instruction or cause or create education activities for students.
  
  Examples: Classroom curriculum instruction, instructional group activities, character education, career awareness and career fairs, Red Ribbon activities, club advisors, heritage events, assemblies, service learning projects, anti-bullying projects, skill and communication development sessions and business tours.

• Individual Planning: Ongoing systemic activities to help a student establish personal, academic, and career goals and plan for the future. These may consist of appraisals and are primarily one-on-one student advisement on careers, academics and behaviors.
  
  Examples: Student cumulative records’ reviews, individual graduation plans (IGPs for middle and high students), test interpretation, behavior plans, course planning, scholarship advisement, intervention meetings, transcript audits, interest assessments, and welcoming new students.

• Responsive Services: Consist of activities designed to meet students’ immediate needs and concerns through primarily individual, small group and crisis counseling. Referrals, consultation and collaboration are indirect services done on behalf of students and are included within the 80% time for direct student services.
  
  Examples: Individual counseling, small group counseling, crisis counseling, student mentoring, peer mediation, student celebrations, home visits, drop-out prevention, parent meetings, teacher consultations, counselor collaborations, military transitions and outside agency referrals.

• Systems Support: These are all indirect student activities that support student achievement and/or promote equity and access for all students. They include all non-counseling duties and school counseling program management.
  
  Examples: School duty, counselor professional development, counselor and staff meetings, school counseling advisory council meetings, internship supervision, committees, workshop presentations, calendaring, use of time assessments, clerical and administrative duties, testing assistance, student registrations, counseling program data development and collection, conferences and community outreach.