PGP- Post-Probationary Professional School Counselor Self-Directed Growth Options
Washoe County School District’s Strategic Plan, Envision WCSD 2015, includes a vision for Professional School
Counselors.
Goal 4 - Value and Strengthen a Positive, Self-Renewing Culture – includes the following:
4.1.3 Schools will implement the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model
Framework to develop action plans and to support initiatives in closing the achievement gap.
“A School Counseling Program is comprehensive in scope, preventative in design and developmental in nature. The
ASCA National Model is written to reflect a comprehensive approach to program foundation, delivery, management
and accountability. School counseling programs are designed to ensure that every student receives program
benefits. It recommends that the majority of the school counselor’s time be spent in direct service to all students so
that every student receives maximum benefits.” (The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling
Programs, 2003)
The Growth Options Plan is designed to address the needs of experienced counselors (with three full contract years
or more experience) who wish to enhance their personal and professional development by focusing on areas of
interest and engaging in highly reflective individual activities. The plan should represent the ultimate in professional
growth, with long-term benefits for the individual counselor, his/her colleagues, students and the school community.
Enhancement of student success is an overarching goal of all plans. The counselor’s desire/request to pursue one
of the options must be supported by the administrator. Counselors are encouraged to collaborate with their
administrator and/or peers in developing and implementing their plan.
Growth Options:
I. Curriculum Action Planning and Results Reporting - The school guidance curriculum component consist of a
written instructional program to address standards and competencies student need in order to succeed. Curriculum
plans include expected results for all students stated in terms of what will be demonstrated by the students. These
plans develop over time and require a counselor to explore curriculum available to meet the state and national
counseling standards. A counselor should present a completed curriculum crosswalk, curriculum action plan, and
results of the delivery of that curriculum over the Professional Growth year.
II. Closing the Gap Action Plan and Results Reporting - The ultimate goal of a school counseling program is to
support the school’s academic mission. Ensuring academic achievement for every student includes counselorinitiated activities designed to meet the needs of under-served, underperforming and underrepresented populations.
School counselors do this by examining the student academic achievement data and developing interventions
designed to help students succeed. The Closing the Gap Action Plan details how the responsible counselor will
address the data-reflected needs and what results occurred. The Results Report should answer the following
questions: “Why is the competency being address?”, “What data drive the need for activity?”, “How have the targeted
group of students improved because of the implementation of the action plan?”
III. Professional School Counseling Themes Exploration – ASCA incorporates the four themes of leadership,
advocacy, collaboration and systemic change as part of the framework. School counselors play a significant part in
improving student achievement and are uniquely positioned to be student and systems advocates. School
counselors ensure equity and access to rigorous education for every student. A professional school counselor is
invested in the 4 themes as an over-arching philosophy. A counselor may identify one or more of the themes in
which to do an explorative exercise in leadership, advocacy for students, collaboration and teaming with all
stakeholders for student achievement, or systemic change that may remove barriers for students.
IV. State/National Association Involvement/Professional Contribution - The counselor may choose to hold an
elected office with the state or national organizations. Involvement in the professional organizations as holding office
such as president or president-elect is key to supporting the profession. The counselor would structure a method of
reporting how this activity contributed to their professional growth. There may be other activities that support the
profession of school counseling such as publishing, research, or writing standards of practice. Those activities are
approved by the administrator and results of the contribution are to be shared with the counseling community or
stakeholders. The counselor would demonstrate the use of this experience regularly with the school counseling
community.
V. Sharing professional knowledge with other counseling professionals or stakeholders– The Counselor
develops a method for sharing professional knowledge with others. Counselor may develop a concept or research
project and make a professional presentation at state or national level conference held by the school counseling
profession (Nevada School Counselor Association, American School Counselor Association, American Counseling
Association, etc.) Counselor may also teach an in-service series or workshop to benefit counselor development.
VI. Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) – Many benefits are gained by a counseling program to go through
the process of becoming a Recognized ASCA Model program. The WCSD Counseling Department has emphasized
that RAMP is not a necessary outcome to implementation of the National Model, but the application process provides
structure and growth to individual counselors and teams. Choosing this as a Track II option must be supported by
the administrator and experience shared with counseling peers/stakeholders. Achieving RAMP is not the growth
result but experience of the process should be clearly outlined.
VII. Focus on Individual Model System – The ASCA National Model is comprised of 4 systems – Accountability,
Management, Delivery, and Foundation. A counselor may do an in depth project to develop one of the model
systems that may not be as strongly developed as others. The ASCA Program Audit clearly defines the components
of each system and the counselor should use the audit as a guide for this growth choice.
PGP-Post-Probationary Professional School Counselor Self-Directed Growth Options
Counseling
Goal Sheet
The process of the professional growth plan should begin with reflection and self-assessment to
identify one of the Growth Options for possible growth or enhancement. The counselor will submit a
plan describing the goals, planned results, implementation strategies and activities, timelines, and
resources available or needed. The counselor will have one mid-point check-in and one final
summative conference to review results. Counselor should choose only one option.
Options: (described in Professional Growth Program description)
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Curriculum Action Planning and Results Reporting
Closing the Gap Action Plans and Results Reporting
Professional School Counseling Themes Exploration
State/National Association Involvement/Professional Contribution
Sharingprofessionalknowledgewithothercounselingprofessionalsorstakeholders
FocusononeNationalModelSystem(Foundation,Management,Delivery,orAccountability)
Expected Outcomes
Goal of Option Chosen
Specifically Outlined
Timeline
Benefit to students/school
Initial Planning Date:
Administrator’s Signature:_____________________________________
Counselor’s Signature:________________________________________
(This should include strategies with
artifacts, portfolios, outlines,
reflection sheets or data in Results
Reporting)
Summative Review of Professional Growth School Counselor Self-Directed Growth Plan
Name:
Date of mid-point review:_____
Administrator’s Signature:____________________ Date of Summative Review:________
The administrator signs here to indicate that the Growth Plan has been satisfactorily completed. This review
should be attached to the goal sheet and submitted to the Human Resources Division.
Plan Results:
Goal
Indications of
Successful PGPgrowth
Benefits shown to
students/school
Notes or comments on Option
outcomes:
Recommendations for
continued growth.