Beliefs and Counseling Mission and Philosophy:
Kathy Thompson DSA
DPS Beliefs and Philosophy:
District School Counseling Mission Statement:
Our mission as professional school counselors is to provide a comprehensive,
developmental counseling program designed to promote the formation of productive
and responsible citizens by assisting all students to develop academic, career, and
personal/social competencies.
District School Counseling Philosophy Statement:
Denver Public Schools adheres to the philosophy that the school counseling program is
an essential and integral part of the overall educational process. The comprehensive
program is built on the assumption that certain educational, career, and personal
objectives are attainable when school counseling for all students is provided. This
implementation acknowledges that school counseling is no longer a service to be
offered by one person, but a program coordinated with other educators incorporating a
comprehensive curriculum. Growth and learning are developmental; therefore, school
counseling must be developmental and sequential.
District School Counseling Belief Statement:
To implement the school counseling program in Denver Public Schools, counselors are
committed to the following.
We believe:
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All students have dignity and worth.
All students have the right to be served by the school counseling program.
The school counseling program shall be evaluated on stated goals and related
student competencies.
The school counseling program should be consistent with expected
developmental stages of learning.
School counseling program activities shall be planned and coordinated by the
counseling staff.
All students’ ethnic, cultural, and racial differences and special needs are
considered in the planning and implementation of the school counseling program.
The school counseling program will utilize community resources.
The school counseling program shall be managed by state-certified, master’s
degree-level counselors.
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All students should have access to a school counselor to discuss academic,
career, and personal/social concerns.
The student and parent(s) are responsible for monitoring the student’s
educational progress with the assistance of a professional school counselor.
An ongoing program of counselor competency training/retraining is necessary to
maintain a quality school counseling program.
Professional mandates and guidelines proposed by the national and state
counselors associations will continue to set standards for the school counseling
program.
All counselors abide by the professional ethics of guidance and counseling as
advocated by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).
My Perspective; Belief and Philosophy of DPS Counseling:
This is my first year as a high school counselor at Denver School of the Arts and it
has been baptism by fire! Don't get me wrong, I love it! However, I have been a middle
and K-8 school counselor for the past twelve years and in that time high school
counseling has morphed into a program in which counselors must become "experts" in
the realm of college preparation. Oh, don't get me wrong, I am enjoy every aspect of
my learning. I have sat with the DSF representatives and picked their brains and asked
questions about every item they address. I have learned what a FASFA and a COF is, I
had no idea prior to becoming a high school counselor. This is serious and detailed
work! I believe that the mission and philosophy for counselors in the DPS must be one
of learning and engaging themselves fully, dedicated to assisting students with the
fulfillment of their future educational goals, dreams and visions.
Every student is different in their personal goals for their lives. A well thought out
counseling program recognizes that each school has a different clientele and must rise
to its beliefs and cultural surroundings in order to gain a more forward momentum for its
educational success. I have worked in a vast array of schools that have been all
encompassing in their experiences and makeup. However, the one thing I have learned
beyond all else is; all students deserve a chance at life and at a future of opportunity,
whatever that looks like for them as individuals. Pairing counselors, teachers, and
administrators with the right school with a program that they have a passion, is vital for
its success. If an educator, counselor or administrator takes a job at a school for the
sake of a job, or for the money, then to me; it is unethical. The work that we do as
counselors and educators is the most important work there is because of its nature of;
preparing our future generations.
Our schools and the counseling programs within them, must be one of cohesive
connections that allow access to students in order to properly prepare them for their
futures. We must build into our accountability component a clause that allows
counselors access to students on a more amenable basis. Without this, a counselor is
not being given the tools they need in order to be successful. Our district philosophy
states, " the school counseling program is an essential and integral part of the overall
educational process," however being allowed access to students in order to complete
necessary tasks must be a given for all students to have equitable opportunity for
planning of their educational futures.
I do believe that counselors in the DPS adhere to the beliefs and statements contained
above, however, I must ask: Do the administrators and teachers hold the same
philosophies and beliefs? Can we truly say that "school counseling is no longer a
service to be offered by one person, but a program coordinated with other educators
incorporating a comprehensive curriculum? Growth and learning are developmental;
therefore, school counseling must be developmental and sequential." In order to make
this belief a reality, we must have district support allowing counselors access as their
students as needed in order to do this most beneficial and important work.
Without the support of our administrators, superintendants, teachers, and department
directors, we will continue to fight this uphill battle of allowing counselors access and
time to deepen the knowledge and expand the awareness of every child in our midst.
Creating built in work days as part of this experience must become a mandatory event
in order to complete the many required tasks and demands that we are all faced with as
counselors. Why not allow time for data required components to be a part of our time
with students in order to complete Naviance and College in Colorado tasks and have a
win; win situation for everyone? Build in days on the calendar that allow counselors
access to all their students three times a year to complete these requirements and gain
the support of the administrators and teachers which will serve as a catalyst in building
mutual respect for one another and our many important roles as educators.