FSCA eNews July/August 2012

July/August 2012

The mission of FSCA is to represent professional school counselors and to promote professionalism and ethical practices.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear FSCA Members, The words we use influence our perceptions, and these perceptions influence our reality. Perception is, therefore, reality. When I really want to gain insight into the meaning of an important word, I often look up the word’s etymology. The verb advocate, as it turns out, originates in the mid-14th century and is made up of two words: “ad” or, “to” and “vocem” or, “voice.” So, when one chooses to advocate, they are choosing “to voice”.  Also, in Middle English, the noun advocate was used to describe "one who intercedes for another" and "protector, champion, patron."  The meaning of the word advocate, in both its noun and verb forms, still rings true today as much as it did many years ago. Today, school counselors must speak with one strong voice and champion our causes of helping students to achieve and of fulfilling the educational missions of our schools and counseling programs. However, our voice does not necessarily always need to incorporate spoken words. A picture is said to worth a thousand words, and a graph that demonstrates how school counselors have positively impacted student achievement can speak volumes about the contributions school counselors make to student achievement and to the overall mission of their schools.  Words matter, but actions matter more. Florida school counselors should continue to say what we mean when vocalizing our concerns and our achievements, but is also vital that we mean what we do when it comes to advocacy by being intentional about using appropriate tools to advocate for our students, our programs, and our profession. Advocacy takes time, which does present a bit of a catch-22 for Florida school counselors.  Where does a school counselor find time to advocate for more time with students, reduction of non-counseling duties, or for legislation that protects our students by protecting our positions? The answer to this question is not a pleasant one, but it is a reality we must face – we have to make that time. With increasing demands, large caseloads, and reduced positions, this, unfortunately, might mean working some nights and weekends.  However, if we believe in the cause, we can look at this sacrifice as an investment in our profession, our students, and also in our own lives. An investment of time now means that we get to do more of what we enjoy later. An investment now in our time for advocating means that we get to be more effective and efficient later. If we pool our time, the investment does not need to be very big. If every school counselor in the state were to email or call our legislators when FSCA makes the call to do so, we could simply not be ignored. There truly is strength in numbers, which makes it important for every single counselor to take on even a small role. Also, being a FSCA member gives the organization strength, especially for how loudly we can speak on behalf of Florida School Counselors. So, when the call goes out via email to write or call your legislator, don’t delete—participate and advocate. Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D. President Florida School Counselor Association

Advocacy at a Crossroads and the Tipping Point: Spiraling Up or Spiraling Down All school counselors have heard about why we have to advocate; it is part of the ASCA National Model and an obligation outlined in our ethical code.  We have also learned that we cannot stand for students if we do not stand for the profession.  If school counselors do not advocate for themselves, then who will? Every day that we do not advocate is another day that a student loses opportunity and support for achievement. If we are not advocating in our schools and districts to improve our ratios, create appropriate boundaries around our tasks and responsibilities, and directly impact each student’s ability to succeed, we will surely see a continuation of several disturbing trends.    According to Florida’s own DOE reports (See http://www.fldoe.org/eias/eiaspubs/pubstaff.asp) the number of school counselors decreased by 5.3% from 2010 to 2011, while the number of administrators increased by 1.2%.  In particular, there was major growth of deans and curriculum coordinators by a whopping 19%. Florida’s teaching professionals have shrunk by an average of almost 2% per year while, during the same time period, Florida’s student numbers saw a net increase of .6%.  Of Florida’s 67 counties, 46 saw students’ access to school counselors decrease this year with an increase in ratios; in almost half of these districts, this occurred for the second year in a row.  Florida started the 2011 school year with an overall ratio of 1:493; up from 480 in 2010 and 473 in 2009. It has been projected that Florida’s ratios will top 500 overall in the fall of 2012.  While ratios should be spiraling down to the ASCA recommended ratio of 1:250, they are instead spiraling up to almost twice that number. Over the last few years, we have witnessed an increase in non-related school counseling duties resulting in and fewer hours and fewer resources for meeting student needs.  All the while, expectations for student behavior and performance continue to increase while their accomplishments in Florida decrease.  Recent graduation rates and FCAT Writes data show that many of our students suffer academically when there are fewer counselors able to help these students and families fulfill their academic, personal, social, and career needs.  The changes in schools, whether they be RtI approaches to improving student achievement to meeting new mandates for students to experience a web-based/virtual curriculum, all must be implemented and managed for every individual student which typically includes school counselors. Yet, in some Florida counties, there are schools without counselors, schools with half-time counselors, or schools with a single counselor for as many as 1000 students.  These situations have gone past the “tipping point”, a concept explained as: “The critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development. The term is said to have originated in the field of epidemiology when an infectious disease reaches a point beyond any local ability to control it from spreading more widely. A tipping point is often considered to be a turning point.” Counselors who are responsible for too many students and who have too many diverse responsibilities beyond school counseling programs have hit the tipping point in their programs.  They are at the point where their ability to be effective and to accomplish anything for students is no longer realistic.  These counselors, especially those who want to demonstrate their accountability, find themselves between the rock of impossible expectations and the hard place of working to be professionally responsible.  In that no-win situation, it is the students and their families who lose.  Many of Florida’s school counselors are close to a tipping point while others have already spiraled past their tipping point.  It is critical that every school counselor identify how the ratios and job tasks in their districts stack up against graduation rates and other key outcome performance indicators like attendance, discipline, financial aid/scholarships earned, retention, bullying and other school safety incidents.  Advocacy at the school and district level must improve in a planful way and include deliberate action. Last year, FSCA did its part and lead the way by engaging in a planned program of advocacy that resulted in bills in each chamber of the legislature with sponsorship and support.  The bills prescribe ratios, require at least one full-time counselor per school, restrict counselor assignments to school counseling tasks, and empower school counselors to develop and deliver accountable school counseling programs that stand for student achievement in safe school environments.  FSCA will again do its part in the coming year by leading the way in Tallahassee for school counselor reform, and we will not let up.  FSCA will also continue to monitor advocacy opportunities and provide Florida school counselors with timely and relevant resources, information, and professional development. FSCA’s governing board and its many volunteers cannot do it alone. Every single Florida school counselor will have to do their part by advocating in their schools and districts based on their accomplishments and challenges, by standing for students every day, by standing for the profession with families, administrators, policy makers and their own legislative representatives. No contribution is too small. Every letter, email, fax, telephone call, and membership counts to the strength of our voice and our mission. Every time school counselors demonstrate their effectiveness to the teachers, students, families and policy makers in their district, they contribute to making a difference and making change. Which part will you do next?  Madelyn Isaacs, Ph.D. is FSCA Advocacy Committee Chair and Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University.  She can be reached at maddyisaacs@yahoo.com.

Working with our First Generation Parents  “These parents really just don’t care.” This phrase is often heard among educators who do not understand the special needs of their students’ parents, particularly immigrant parents of first-generation American students.  When considering our populations with special needs, it is important to remember our first-generation American students and their parents.  These students have often been raised in the United States by parents who have never attended an American school.  Parents may perceive American education through the lens of their own educational experiences in another country or by what the media has told them about school.  Even if a parent is highly educated, it is possible that, unless someone has sat down and thoroughly explained the American public school system to them, they may have no idea how to navigate it or help their child succeed. School counselors cannot make the assumption that parents do not care. We know better.  As advocates for our students, we must fuel their parents’ navigation systems. We must understand that, even if a parent has lived in the country for an extended period of time, they may not be familiar with the expectations and logistics of American schools.  For parents who arrived in the country more recently, they are in a place that is completely new to them and they may have no idea where to start navigating the school system. The school counselor must be the person who reaches out to these parents because, no matter how much they care about their child’s success, they may not know we are resources for them unless we build that awareness.  In a busy school environment, it is easy for teachers, administrators, and other school personnel to forget that others are migrating from different countries each and every day, especially if this is a set of circumstances with which they are unfamiliar. This is why it is so important for school counselors to become familiar with the backgrounds of their students and the needs that may be present within their families. Parents of first-generation Americans students are surrounded by the American culture when they step outside of their homes. As their children become more immersed in American culture at school, they begin to bring this culture home with them.  For parents, feeling alienated from their child’s educational experience can begin at home.  They have a child that has been born an American citizen, whereas they may not be a citizen. Their child is growing up in an English-speaking world, rather than the language of the parent. Though they may have raised their child with the customs of their own culture, the child will likely pick up aspects of American culture once they start school and may begin comparing them to what they see at home. As a first-generation American, I remember my friends telling me I was saying certain English words incorrectly, even though I said them the way that I was taught to say them by my mother and father.  However, I immediately corrected myself and began teasing my parents for saying them incorrectly.  While, to a child, this may have been all in fun, I am sure this made my mother less interested in visiting the school where I learned to contradict what she had taught me. This experience is not uncommon for the parents of first-generation American students.  For some, it is what perpetuates their fear of coming into the school. If their own child sees them as “different” because of what they learned in the school environment, they may not want to be looked at as the different one in a less familiar arena. That is where the school counselor becomes especially important for these families. If we reach out to these parents, we can alleviate their feelings of being different. Much like we would do with their children, it is important that school counselors make parents feel welcomed and safe in the school setting as well. Here are a few ways to reel them in: Know Your Students Our ASCA ethical standards require us to be culturally competent school counselors. What better way to build your awareness of another culture than by asking someone from that culture? Children are eager to share information when you show them that you are interested. They will relay your investment in getting to know them and their background to their family as well. Parents want to know that their school’s staff wants their child to succeed just as much as they do. Creating a relationship with the student will definitely help. Understand “Caring” In addition to familiarizing yourself with other cultures by talking to the students, it is also important to do your homework when it comes to the structure of education systems in other countries.  Some cultures see the parent’s role in education as teaching their children appropriate behavior and taking care of their children’s physical needs so they arrive to school ready to learn.  In some countries, it is considered inappropriate and disrespectful for parents to express disagreement with the teacher or principal, who are considered the experts in education.  Immigrant parents may not understand that they are even allowed to advocate for their children, much less that their presence in school is expected.  They trust that the school is taking care of their child’s educational needs. It is our responsibility to direct them to how important it is that they are involved in the education process too. Create Open Lines of Communication Those communication skills we learn in our counselor education programs do not only work with students, but with their parents as well. Initiating communication with parents can be as simple as making a phone call or walking the student to their parent’s car at afternoon pick-up and introducing yourself to the parent. School counselors should make the first move because parents who want to become more involved in their child’s education may be unsure about who to talk to first. While there may be a language barrier between you and the parents, they will appreciate your efforts to do what you can to communicate with them. For example, you may be able to find a colleague that speaks their home language. There is even an application for smart phones that allows you to speak, in English, what you would like to say to the parent, and it will read a translation in the language of your choice. This is available in about 20 languages.  Be Sensitive to Time Many families of first-generation American students may have to take on jobs that require long hours and very little time off, and some parents may work more than one job. It may be difficult for them to get to meetings during school hours. Survey your school population. Find out what times work to have parent meetings. Depending on your school or district policy (some schools or districts prohibit meetings at particular times or off campus due to safety and liability issues for faculty), this may mean having parent meetings off campus; other times, it may involve having meetings much earlier or much later in the day.  If your school policy does not allow for this, advocate with your administration to make more flexible policies that allow you to meet parent and student needs while still protecting yourself and the school.  Correspondence: Keep It Simple It is easy to forget that there are people who do not understand the alphabet soup of education.  In the rapidly changing language of schools, any parent can become confused by the seemingly never-ending list of acronyms.  Particularly, parents who never attended American public school will need more guidance on what the acronyms and terminology actually mean. If your school sends out newsletters to parents, be sure to include what acronyms stand for as well as the significance of these terms.  For example, be sure to explain in the newsletter the significance of the SAT or which FCAT scores are passing and what it means if their child does not pass. Foster a Safe and Welcoming Parent Network While many parents who are active in the Parent-Teacher Association and other parent groups in schools have good intentions and are invaluable members of the school community, many of us have also seen or heard of parents who create cliques among themselves. While it is hard to “teach old dog new tricks”, school counselors can create activities that promote the appreciation of diversity. One way to do this is by creating a cultural fair for the students and parents. Have each family bring a dish and some information about their culture. It is a great way for parents to interact with each other while spending time with their children. Parents may be more willing to share than you expect. Also, be aware of group sign-ups for activities throughout the year. Encourage your parents to work with parents they have not worked with before. Hold Your School Accountable If you are working hard toward making your school an environment that appreciates diversity, make sure that the policies and practices reflect that as well. Many school mission statements mention multiculturalism, diversity, or a similar term, but schools’ intentionality in carrying out these missions varies.  Look around your school. Are all of the signs and bulletins in English? Make sure that your school reflects the diverse population of your school. In the Florida School Counselor College and Career 2011 issue, Dena Parson talked about using interactive bulletin boards. A bulletin board with a map that students can place a flag where their family originated would be the perfect sight for your parents. Also, keep in mind when reviewing your school policies that they may unintentionally discouraging parents from visiting school grounds. During a panel discussion with educators from Spanish Harlem in New York City during the summer of 2011, a panelist explained a policy in her school that parents had to show their driver’s license to enter the school. Given the current politics surrounding immigration laws, parents may be fearful of showing that information to a school official.  While these policies are in place for legal reasons surrounding student safety, explore ways to make them less discouraging for parents who may be in sensitive situations. The main thing school counselors should remember is that if at first you do not succeed, try again. It takes great amounts of effort to break down assumptions. It does not mean that these parents do not care. They just need our guiding light to help them navigate their new and complex surroundings. Natalie Edirmanasinghe is a FSCA member and a professional school counselor at Twin Lakes Academy Middle School in Jacksonville.  She can be reached at natalieanne110@gmail.com

Advocate for Your School Counseling Program by Promoting College and Career Readiness We all know the importance of integrating our school counseling program’s goals with our school and district goals. However, to best advocate for a school counseling program, it is important to consider state and national educational initiatives as well. In March 2010, the U.S. Department of Education released A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. One of the key points this document stresses is that students must be well prepared for college and career once they graduate from high school. The President’s Race to the Topaward competition also focuses on college and career readiness.             Due to this national focus, it is likely that your school’s goals already include college and career readiness. It is important that you demonstrate the school counseling program’s positive impact on these specific goals as it will strengthen stakeholders’ views that your program is essential to student success. Presenting data that your school counseling interventions increased students’ college and career readiness will also help you solidify your position as a leader and an integral member of the school team. There are two key resources I recommend to school counselors who are interested in focusing on college and career readiness. One resource is the ASCA National Model. Specifically, the student competencies in the career domain of the model will assist you in determining which college and career readiness needs are not yet being met within your school. You can also utilize the ASCA competencies list to determine where you are already implementing activities that effectively prepare students for college and careers. You can then be more proactive in data collection to demonstrate that the school counseling program is meeting students’ needs within this competency.             A second resource is the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) Web site. NOSCA compiled a list of the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling (http://nosca.collegeboard.org/tools-resources). It is crucial for schools to cover these eight components, and the school counselor must play a key role in this process.             Once you utilize the ASCA career competencies and NOSCA components to identify your students’ most essential areas of need in terms of college and career readiness, it is important to develop an accountability plan. How will you demonstrate that the school counseling program is meeting students’ areas of need? It is critical to determine your assessment data points before you implement any interventions. Will you use pre/post tests? Grade point averages? Attendance data? NOSCA has a helpful data element chart in each of the individual guides for elementary, middle, and high school grade levels, all of which can be found on their Web site.  These data elements correlate with the eight components; therefore, if you know which component you will be addressing, this chart will help you consider different data elements you could use to measure the effectiveness of your intervention.             When determining which intervention you will use, do your best to find one that is research-based. For example, if you are addressing NOSCA’s component #6 – college affordability planning – search for interventions that have proven effective at helping students more clearly understand how to finance their college plans. For example, College Goal Sunday has data to support their program. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators website has helpful information for planning a successful financial aid night (http://www.nasfaa.org/counselors/Financial_Aid_Night_Presentation.aspx).              Once you implement the intervention(s) and gather your data, always showcase the results by presenting the data to stakeholders as well as publishing the data on the school Web site. It is important to also present the ASCA competencies and NOSCA components you covered with each intervention. If you can demonstrate that you are an integral team player in helping students successfully prepare for college and career, this will go a long way in advocating for your school counseling program. While it is wonderful to show that you are helping meet your school goals in addition to staying on track with national movements in education, always remember that ultimately college and career readiness is about helping the students reach their fullest potential. Carolyn Berger, Ph.D. is the FSCA Postsecondary Vice-President and an Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale.  She can be reached at cs453@nova.edu.

In case you missed it, some recent posts from the FSCA News You Can Use Blog. You can access the FSCA News You Can Use in three ways: 1. Go directly to our webpage at http://myfsca.blogspot.com/ 2. Have new posts sent to you via email (click here to subscribe) 3. Subscribe via our RSS feed here. Non-classroom Instructional Personnel Evaluation Systems http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/non-classroom-instructional-personnel.html Review and Approval Guide for Non-classroom Instructional Personnel Evaluation Systems http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-and-approval-guide-for-non.html Florida’s Student Services Personnel Evaluation Model and Guide http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/floridas-student-services-personnel.html District Performance Evaluation Systems (FDOE) http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/district-performance-evaluation-systems.html Two New Resources for Pharmacology and Co-Occurring Disorders http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/download-two-new-resources-for.html NACAC Webinar: Moving Towards a Professionalization of College Readiness Counseling http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/nacac-webinar-moving-towards.html The Top 10 Ways School Counselors Can Support Teachers http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/top-10-ways-school-counselors-can.html COUNSGRADS is an unmoderated listserv for graduate students in counselor education. http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/counsgrads-info.html Duval County is hiring school counselors http://myfsca.blogspot.com/2012/06/duval-county-is-hiring-school.html FSCA Calendar of Events http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/calendar_list.asp

Professional Recognition FSCA is committed to recognizing the outstanding work done by school counselors, administrators, and advocates of the school counseling profession. FSCA recognizes individuals who excel in promoting and facilitating the role of school counselors in Florida. Awards will be presented during a banquet at the FSCA 2012 Convention in ST. PETERSBURG. The nomination deadline is July 15th, 2012. See below for each award description. Click here to learn more and to download nomination forms. Here is a list of previous award winners.

2012 FSCA Scholarship Winners http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=39&sl=91&contentid=91 2012 FSCA Convention http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/2012convention 2012 FSCA Pre-Convention Workshops http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/2012precon FSCA 2012 Summer Drive-In http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=37&contentid=88 FSCA Leadership Roster http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/leadership FSCA SCOY History http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=18&sl=66&contentid=66 Legislative Update: March 2012 http://www.fla-schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=35&sl=65&contentid=65

Next Deadline to Submit: July 26, 2012 Theme: Back to SchoolPublication:Florida School Counselor magazine Back to School Edition 2012 Submit to: Shannon Romagnolo Editor - Florida School Counselor fscaeditors@gmail.com

The Florida School Counselor Association (FSCA) expands the image and influence of professional school counselors through advocacy, leadership, collaboration and systemic change at the state level. FSCA empowers professional school counselors with the knowledge, skills, linkages, and resources to promote student success in the school, the home, the community, and the world.