Bridging the Opportunity Gap A School Counselors Role

Bridging the Opportunity Gap: A School Counselor’s Role Kristina Donovan Patti Lieberman Sonia Reso

Video Montage Lygas, D. (2013). “Orientation Video” Princeton: NJ.

Agenda �Research and Purpose �Academic �Leadership �Enrichment �College �Q &A

Ice Breaker – Flexible Thinking

Flexible Thinking Cont’d

Research �Mason, Ockerman, and Chen-Hayes, (2013) explained that the social action school counselor must ask some poignant questions • What change needs to happen? • Do I believe change can happen? • Where are my gaps, and what part does culture / race / socioeconomics play in this? �Next is what is my action plan? �The purpose is educational equity!

Systemic Change �Systemic change is needed to promote true multicultural equity in access and utilization of school services (Sue & Sue, 2009) �Perhaps redefining your approach and definitions of what central educational and counseling concepts mean (Mack, 2012; Sue & Sue, 2009)

Academic �Start with the basics: Belief systems • Belief that all students can be successful • Understand the socio-cultural oppression and barriers to equity that are present �Program beliefs • No honors courses but other ways to take advanced courses • No class rank �Targeted at-risk measures �Study skills

Tracking �Requirements for weighted classes are fluid. Meaning, a student that wants to take an advanced or accelerated course can by earning a certain grade �This removes the issue of tracking, in which students are either honor tracked or not as soon as they enter �Students can move up or down at any point year over year

Success Students are encouraged to stretch in classes they are interested in and we offer the following advanced level classes: All courses taken at Princeton University AP English III AP Art History AP Biology AP Calculus AB, BC AP Chemistry AP Computer Science AP English IV AP Environmental Science AP European History AP French AP Government & Politics AP Italian AP Japanese AP Macroeconomics AP Mandarin AP Microeconomics AP Music Theory AP Physics AP Spanish AP Statistics AP United States History AP World History Algebra II (accelerated ) Astronomy (accelerated) Biology I (accelerated) Chemistry I (accelerated) Geometry (accelerated) Intro to Computer Science Using Java (accelerated) Multivariant Calculus and Linear Algebra (accelerated) Obj. ect Oriented Prog. Using Java (accelerated) Oceanography (accelerated) Physics I (accelerated) Pre-Calculus (accelerated) Sociology (accelerated) World Languages (all advanced courses – Spanish & French)

Academic Support �PPS has all students eat lunch at the same time �To support the academic classes, teachers are often available every day during break to help students with material �In addition we run a full time tutoring service through our IDEAS Center

IDEAS Center Tutoring �Students fill out form and have the following options • Fellow student • Princeton University student • Adult tutor (either from community, or teacher on duty) �Available during school, break, and after school �Available for all subjects

At-Risk Measures �D & F reports are run and students meet with counselor to start interventions �There are weekly supervisor meetings where counselors bring their at-risk list to brainstorm ideas �There are monthly assistant principal meetings where counselors discuss at-risk students

Leadership �School Programs – Teen Pep, Peer Group, Big Brother/Big Sister, Community Service Leaders, True Blue, Sources of Strength, Student Ambassadors �Community Programs – GAIA, TAG, Corner House, Hi. Tops

School Programs �Teen Pep – Junior students educating younger students about healthy decision -making �Peer Group – Senior students helping freshman students with their transition into high school �Big Brother/Big Sister – Senior students are paired with underclassmen as a support structure

School Programs Cont’d � Community Service Leaders – upperclassmen help lead a sophomore community service group � True Blue –community service-based club where all students (grades 9 -12) can participate � Sources Program � Student of Strength – Suicide Prevention Ambassadors – Upper classmen (mostly seniors) who give tours of our school

Community Programs �Corner House – organization with a goal to promote the health and well-being of Princeton residents through prevention, education and treatment programs. �Hi. Tops – a non-profit organization within town whose mission is to promote risk reduction education, healthcare and communication skills to our adolescents.

Community Programs Cont’d � GAIA – Peer leadership opportunity focused on multiculturalism. � TAG (Teen Advisory Group) – Substance abuse prevention education

Enrichment � PUPP – Princeton University Preparatory Program � Gen One – First generation college students � WOWY – World of Work for Youth

College �Testing �Groups �Individual Conferences �Evening Presentations �Day Programs �Communications

School Based Academic Skill Building �Study Skills �SAT Courses �SAT Summer Prep �Essay Summer Prep (for college)

Testing �SAT/ACT preparation courses offered through Tutoring Center �PSAT in school, no cost to student for all sophomores and juniors �ACT PLAN in school, no cost to student for all freshman

SAT Workshops

Groups �All Sophomores given Naviance career search �Junior Seminars �Junior Lunch Groups �Senior Seminars �Senior Lunch Group

Groups �Go in to Sophomore science classes for Naviance career inventory �Junior Seminar: introduction to college application process �Junior lunch groups �Senior Seminar: execution of college application process �Senior lunch groups �Senior transition groups: Know Before You Go!

Individual Conferences � Parent / Student individual conferences available for all student at PHS �Seniors • Discuss and refine college list, as well as “if you like this school, maybe you should look at this school” • Discuss application process, and review application plan �Juniors • Quick sheet – snapshot of the student’s interests • Start to explore and develop list of colleges

Calendar of Events

Evening Presentations � Teen Topics for 9 th & 10 th grade � Sophomore Night: Preparing for parents Junior Year & Beyond � Evening for the College Athlete � College Panel for Junior Students & Parents � College Application Process for Junior Students and Parents � Last Minute Jitters for Seniors and Parents � Financial Aid Evening for Seniors and Parents � Transitioning to College for Seniors and Parents

Day Programs �College representative visits • Students can sign up to meet and hear from representatives from various colleges • Good opportunity for students that are not able to travel to schools �College Fair • Two day College Fair event where students can meet with multiple representatives from colleges from all over the United States

College Visits

Communications �Naviance email blasts including upcoming events, and college reminders �Facebook reminders �Twitter messages �Website postings �Phone / email blasts �Morning announcements �Homeroom

Community Collaboration �Financial Aid Night with Spanish translation �Community scholarship committee �College multicultural events

Q&A �Questions? ?

Small Group Activity �Break in to small groups (4/5 people) and design a program that will support the students in your respective schools �Each group will choose from Academic, Leadership, Enrichment, or College. To avoid duplicates, please let us know your top two choices

Discussion �Share the program developed in small group �Are there any programs your district is using currently that we have not covered

Reference � Mack, L. (2012). Does every student have a voice? Critical action research on equitable classroom participation practices. Language Teaching Research, 16(3), 417 -434. doi: 10. 1177/1362168812436922 � Mason, E. M. , Ockerman, M. S. , & Chen-Hayes, S. F. (2013). Change-Agent-for-Equity (CAFE) Model: A Framework for School Counselor Identity. Journal Of School Counseling, 11, 1 -25. � Sue, D. W. , & Sue, D. (2009). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (5 th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons