Principal

1
Principal Counselor Partners in Success

• School Counselor Frank Phinney, M.Ed., LPC
• Principal Dana Nolan, Ph.D.
• Walker Freshman High School

2
Partners in Success

• ASCA National Model
• Professional School Counselors (PSC) collaborate
  with many stakeholders to ensure a quality school
  counseling program.
• Administrators provide support for the
  organization, development and implementation
  encourage counselor and teacher cooperation
  recognizes importance of each participants
  role in implementing the school counseling
  program.

3
Partners in Success

• Emphasis on student achievement challenges the
  notion that principal's are the sole leader in a
  school (Janson, 2008).
• Janson (2008) also noted additional research that
  indicated that a leadership model that empowers
  and utilizes the skills and knowledge of all
  professionals on a school campus serves as a
  catalyst to improve student achievement
  (Halverson, 2003 Leithwood, Seashore Louis,
  Anderson, Wahlstrom, 2005)

4
Partners in Success

• Chata Loesch (2007) indicated that research
  reveals the effectiveness of a school counseling
  program is largely determined by the principal's
  provision of support.
• This serves as the basis for ASCA recommendation
  of principals and PSCs working as a team toward
  the common goal of assisting students in all
  areas where they may need assistance (Chata
  Loesch, 2007).

5
Partners in Success Potential Barriers

• Mallory Jackson (2007) indicate some potential
  barriers as follows
• Training before ASCA
• Inappropriate duties lack of understanding of
  professional competencies of PSCs
• Perception Communication is necessary

6
Partners in Success Breaking Barriers

• Self-Advocacy
• Adherence to Professional Standards
• Contribute to School Environment
• PSCs must learn how to discuss student
  development and provide data to support their
  assertions (Hardesty Dillard, 1994).

7
Partners in Success Top Ten

• At Walker Freshman High School we have gone to
  great lengths to ensure the PSC is directly
  involved in a leadership role and a collaborative
  partnership with the administrative team.
• School Counselor Magazine (Nov/Dec 2006),
  Covington Grant provided a Top Ten List of why
  PSCs should be involved in leadership activities.
  

8
Partners in Success WFHS Top Ten

• Visibility
• Presence is Fundamental
• Teachers, students and parents have to see you as
  leader
• Availability
• Counselor as advisor rather than chairperson
• Engage in efforts directly related to student
  achievement

9
Partners in Success WFHS Top Ten

• Extension of Leadership Team
• Shared Philosophy and Passion Buy-In for Entire
  school!
• PSCs when in partnership with Administration can
  have dramatic impact
• Knows the Trends
• Front Lines knows student perceptions
• Communicates to administration student concerns
• Assists new teachers with effective strategies

10
Partners in Success WFHS Top Ten

• Big Picture Perspective
• Solution-Focused approach to problem solving
• Changing Climate partnership ensures we assist
  our students their families access resources
• Decision-Making Skills
• Assimilate information, process information and
  make decisions on the data
• Data-Driven decision-making influence school
  policy, learning strategies, etc.

11
Partners in Success WFHS Top Ten

• People Skills
• Inherent in who we are as counselors
  communicators and listeners
• Principals are bombarded with information and
  request to see them serve as first line of
  defense!
• Coordination and Follow-Up Skills
• Do this every day for our students
• Apply these skills globally school improvement
  plans and presenting data to stakeholders

12
Partners in Success WFHS Top Ten

• Leadership Skills
• PSCs by position are seen as leaders within the
  school and community
• Utilize this to develop and nurture other leaders
• Principals Need Our Help
• Roles and Expectations are ever-changing
• Principals need leaders willing to step to the
  task Gone are the days of the Counselor in a
  Closet!

13
Partners in Success

• Contact Information
• Frank Phinney, M.Ed., LPC Frank.phinney_at_lpsb.org
• Dana Nolan, Ph.D. dana.nolan_at_lpsb.org
• Walker Freshman High School
• 13443 Burgess Avenue
• Walker, Louisiana 70785
• http//walkerfh.lpsb.org/