West Virginia School Counseling Protocol
The Counselor Role in the Senior Year
12th Grade
Activity Description: This protocol provides counselors with guidelines to fulfill their roles
in helping students successfully navigate their senior year and prepare for post-secondary
transitions. This protocol is an ‘overarching’ protocol that is linked to several more specific
senior-oriented protocols.
School Counselor Performance Standard: Standards are currently in draft form and
will be added at a later date.
Function:
Indicator (s):
GOAL: This protocol outlines the role of the school counselor in facilitating a
successful senior year for students in his/her caseload.
Rationale:
Students and parents require a lot of assistance from the school counselor to successfully navigate
the senior year and preparing to prepare for the transition to post-secondary education or the world
of work. The senior year is demanding, requiring the counselor to be organized and prepared with
resources and knowledge to assist students and parents with: understanding post-secondary
opportunities and requirements, college admissions testing, the scholarship and financial aid
process, NCAA eligibility requirements, the college and post-secondary application process and
fulfilling graduation requirements.
Protocol Activities:
1.)
Conduct senior Interviews with seniors and parents
2.)
Complete initial and ongoing senior credit checks
3.)
Communicate with parents and students about graduation requirements and student
deficiencies
4.)
Distribute a senior Timeline
5.)
Facilitate Scholarships and Financial Aid process(follow protocol)
6.)
Facilitate student registration for ACT/SAT Testing
7.)
Arrange ASVAB Testing/Interpretation
8.)
Coordinate the College and Technical School Application Process
9.)
Collaborate with Military Collaborations (follow protocol)
10.)
Coordinate Career Day
11.)
Coordinate College day
12.)
Facilitate Senior Exit Interviews/Surveys
13.)
Recognize student accomplishments (Awards Programs)
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DRAFT – Developed by Barbara Ashcraft – October 2010 - Pending Committee Review and Final Approval
West Virginia School Counseling Protocol
Materials: Counselor Resource = CR
1. Scholarships and Financial Aid Protocol
2. Facilitating Military Collaborations Protocol
3. Senior Planning Guide - Packet (SAMPLE) (CR1)
4. Graduation Requirement checklist (CR2)
5. Sample letters to parents (graduation deficiencies) (CR3)
6. Letter to parents inviting them to senior orientation and providing an overview of the senior year
SAMPLE (CR4)
7. Senior Failure Credit Recovery Plan (CR5)
8. Senior Meeting Documentation Log (CR6)
9. At-Risk Senior List FORM (CR7)
10. SAMPLE: Power Point Post Secondary Transitions (CR8)
11. Transcript Request Form (Sample) (CR9)
Procedures:
1. At the end of the junior year (over the summer), complete a credit check to verify each senior’s
completion of graduation requirements.
2. Send a letter to student and parents informing them of any deficits, including options for credit
recovery (see sample letter)
3. Assist with scheduling for credit recovery
4. Keep a list of at-risk seniors, monitor regularly, refer to SATs as needed
5. Continually update at-risk senior list
6. Revise senior schedules to ensure completion of graduation requirements
7. Arrange a senior parent orientation (graduation requirements, review college admissions
requirements, college visits, scholarships/financial aid (PROMISE), requesting transcripts,
senior year events/calendar, ACT/SAT Testing, credit recovery, NCAA, military resources and
access to recruiters, Senior Projects and/or Work-based learning, FERPA guidelines- sharing
of information/right to opt out etc.)
8. Facilitate a process to have all students and parents sign off on existing credit requirements
needed to graduate at the end of the school year.
9. Conduct classroom guidance lessons to ensure all the items in #5 are discussed with all
seniors.
10. Arrange senior interviews with students and parents to discuss all items listed in #5 to assure
individual needs are met.
11. Facilitate a comprehensive process for informing students about scholarships and financial aid
and the application process (follow protocol)
12. Facilitate career and college day programs
13. Inform students and parents of graduation deficiencies and credit recovery options at the end
of each grading period (send letter to each student and parent who is failing or potentially
failing).
14. Regularly remind students of ACT/SAT deadlines and items on #5.
15. Facilitate an exit interview or survey to determine final senior plans.
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DRAFT – Developed by Barbara Ashcraft – October 2010 - Pending Committee Review and Final Approval
West Virginia School Counseling Protocol
16. Collaborate with other staff to assure students are recognized for accomplishments throughout
the school year and at the Final Senior Awards Program
Limitations:
 Lack of parent support/not showing up for orientations/interviews. The counselor should
document all attempts to contact parents.
Additional Resources:
Web Links:
Evaluation:
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DRAFT – Developed by Barbara Ashcraft – October 2010 - Pending Committee Review and Final Approval