Northwest School District

The comprehensive guidance and counseling program is an integral part of a Northwest R-I's total educational program. It is developmental by design and includes sequential activities organized and implemented by professional school counselors with the active support of parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and the community.

As a developmental program, it addresses the needs of all students by facilitating their academic, career, and personal/social, development as well as helping create positive and safe learning climates in schools. At the same time, the program assists students as they face issues and resolve problems that may prevent their healthy development.

What do school guidance counselors do?

Following the Missouri Comprehensive Model Guidance Program, as set forth by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Northwest R-I Counseling and Guidance Department promotes excellence through work in four program areas:

Guidance Curriculum

The guidance curriculum includes three major areas:  career planning and exploration, knowledge of self and others, and educational/vocational development and career development, including effective employment-seeking and employment-retention skills.  The purpose of the curriculum is to provide structured learning experiences implemented through large and small group and/or individual activities.  Implementation is the responsibility of the counselor with cooperation and support from the faculty and staff.  The curriculum consist of goals, objectives and activities as outlined in the Scope and Sequence.

Individual Planning

• The individual planning area of the guidance program involves guidance and counseling functions that help students formulate their own life-career plan.  Goals and objectives in this area are usually delivered on an individual or small group basis whenever feasible with the purpose of helping each individual develop his/her personal, educational and vocational goals.

• Implementation strategies include individual meetings, classroom lessons, small group activities, and school-wide activities.

• Students will be able to assess their abilities, skills and interests as part of the life-career planning process.

• Students will be able to use self-appraisal information along with current educational and occupational information to help them plan educational, occupational and personal goals.

• Students will acquire the resources to make the transition from school to work and/or post secondary education or training.

System Support

• The system support area of the guidance program consists of activities that are not necessarily direct counseling functions, relate to guidance and counseling, by helping the school’s programs run efficiently and purposefully.

• Management activities help maintain and improve the guidance program.

• Administrative assignments will be carried out as needed for the maintenance of the school.

• Professional development activities will be pursued by the counselor.

• Testing and interpretation will be implemented.

• The program will be evaluated annually.

Responsive Services

• The responsive services area of the guidance program consists of activities necessary to respond to the individual needs of students.  Usually these are student or teacher initiated requests for services related to personal concerns.  These concerns may require implementation strategies such as parent or teacher consultation, personal counseling, crisis counseling or a referral to an apporpriate outside agency.

• The goal of responsive services is for students to be able to process and resolve personal concerns.

• Students will be able to identify problem areas, evaluate alternatives, consequences, and make decisions on what action to take.

• Students will be able to utilize services from outside agencies.

• Students evidencing need will receive appropriate intervention