ARCHIVES
2008
→		Jun
→		May
→		Apr
→		Mar
→		Feb
→		Jan
2007
→		Nov

Commentary

Mel Riddile

Richard A. Flanary

Principal and Counselor Collaboration


by Mel Riddile
& Richard A. Flanary





In an industrial economy, schools were charged with sorting students. Some went to college. Some went directly to work in factories and mills. The American Dream was available to anyone who was willing to work hard enough. The bell curve was not only expected but acceptable and desirable.

Not so in the knowledge economy of the 21st century. Today’s schools are judged by what each and every one of their
students know and are able to do. Students who leave school without the necessary academic skills — reading, writing, and mathematics — are essentially relegated to a lifetime of marginal employment and second-class citizenship.

Tired of spending hundreds of millions of dollars to educate workers, business leaders urged lawmakers to raise standards,
to make the curriculum more rigorous, and to hold schools accountable. States were among the first to recognize that both the future prosperity of its citizens and equal access to a productive future were jeopardized by inconsistent or low educational standards. Local, state and national accountability mandates that it is no longer acceptable for significant segments of the student population to be underserved. 

The portrait of American schools clearly shows significant disparity in school and student performance based on geography and student demographics. While the strategies vary, there is a clear message from every state that student performance must improve. In order for student performance to improve, schools must alter their practice and engage students, families and faculties in very different ways. It is no longer business as usual.

In the midst of this call for improvement, there are glowing examples of schools achieving great successes in serving all students. Successful schools share practices that support and enhance student performance, and one of the promising strategies is effective collaboration between the principal and school counselors. The American School Counselor Association, the College Board and the National Association of Secondary School Principals are cooperating on a project to investigate and report the findings related to these successful principal and counselor practices that result in improved student performance.

In 2004 and 2005, NASSP released "Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform" and "Breaking Ranks in the Middle: Strategies for Leading Middle-Level Reform." These documents provide a framework for redesigning middle-level and high schools and offer three core areas of improvement: collaborative leadership; personalization; and curriculum, instruction and assessment.  The interaction between principals and school counselors is important in each of these three
core areas.

It is the school counselor who puts the school plan into action.

Collaboration in building high performing teams
and creating a learning community that supports student success is an
important byproduct of principal and counselor interactions. It is the school counselor who
puts the school plan
into action. The moment
of truth in putting into practice lofty academic goals and aspirations for student success occurs when the school counselor sits down with each student to develop an individual learning plan. Unless there is a close working relationship between the principal and the counselor, and unless there is effective communication and buy-in, the school’s hopes and dreams
for each student will never be realized.

The principal’s role has changed from manager to instructional leader. Likewise, today’s school counselor is a prominent member of the school leadership team. Counselors play a critical role in the success of each student and the overall success of the school. More than ever before, counselors are actively engaged with students, parents and faculty. An important artifact of counselors engagement is information and perspectives that contribute to more effective collaborative practices that support overall
school effectiveness.

The transition from success for some to success for each and every student demands a customized plan for each student. Students need multiple paths to success, and, in some cases, more instructional time to succeed. The need for customization,
a much more complicated curriculum, and a myriad of state graduation requirements have dramatically increased the complexity of the counselor’s task.

Personalizing the school environment creates a sense of belonging and provides students with opportunities to assume ownership over their learning.  Counselors play a critical role
in ensuring that the school is an inviting place that engages families as partners and assists in eliminating student
anonymity. Monitoring student progress and participating in the development of intervention strategies in a timely manner allows teachers to adjust their approach and students to alter their practice collectively. They also result in less teacher frustration and greater student success.

Curriculum, instruction and assessment are about the relationship between students and learning. Today, we must
set students up for success. Principals and counselors must engage in an ongoing dialogue that guarantees a two-way flow of information. Counselors hear from both students and teachers on the successes and failures of the curriculum. Counselors work in a data-rich environment and using counselor-generated data for planning purposes rather than for reporting practices makes a difference in how schools reduce student failure. They are in a unique position to help inform instruction and assist in targeting remediation efforts.  

A close working relationship between the principal and the counselor ensures that there is alignment between the stated desires for student academic success and actual practice. Working as a team, counselors and principals can ensure that
the school is responsive to student, parent and teacher needs and that the school serves to build the capacity to link students' current academic preparation to their future aspirations. 

» Principal and Counselor Collaboration » "Why Can't You Be Content to Be the Model Minority?" » Academic Values and Big Time Athletics, a Growing Dilemma

» Deborah Bial: The Posse Foundation Creates Network of Leaders

College Board Connection publishes thoughtful, appropriately written Letters to the Editor every issue when submitted. Such letters should be no more than 300 words in length. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Please include a daytime phone number, and send to connection@collegeboard.org.

Fall Counselor Workshops Are Here — Register for a Free Session Near You. Register by Oct. 3 and Save on College Board Forum 2008. AP® and Pre-AP® Workshops Are Back in Session. 2008-09 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology Registration 2008-09 Access & Diversity Collaborative National Seminars SAVE THE DATE for PrepárateTM: Educating Latinos for the Future of America. SAVE THE DATE for A Dream DeferredTM: The Future of African American Education. CALL FOR PROPOSALS for AP Annual Conference 2009: Due Oct. 15, 2008

CONTACT | CAREERS | ABOUT US | PRIVACY | TERMS OF USE | PRESS | LINK TO US | ARCHIVES