Interview Results and Analysis
The school counseling program at any level relies on one or more persons to ensure it has a purpose and is effective; otherwise like many school programs it is one to receive cuts or elimination in one form or another. The past decade has given rise to the term stakeholder and “has assumed a prominent place in public and nonprofit management theory and practice” (Bryson, 2004, p. 21). The consensus is, a stakeholder affects or is affected by an organization. In this private Catholic special education school, everyone involved is a stakeholder and a key part to the development of students. The principal is the main stakeholder in this school and an integral part to the success of a school counseling program (Dunlap, 2011). Communication with the principal is an essential element of the counselor’s responsibility to determine the priorities, programs, goals, specific duties (counseling and noncounseling, if any) as well as critical to the success of the counseling program (Gysbers & Henderson, 2012).
Specifically regarding the counseling services is, the principal also the chair of the committee recently updating the guidance services for the area counselors and their schools. The guidance services designed for all students incorporates aspects of the American School Counselor’s National Model along with the national standards and benchmarks for effective elementary and secondary Catholic schools with the intention to assist students in developing their gifts and talents. The principal and/or the assistant principal, parents meet first when considering or registering for the school, continuing affirmation of their importance in support of the counseling program. The following paragraphs will discuss the guidance services, as it currently exists in a private school setting.
Awareness of School Counselor Scope and Role
The counselor follows the guidance program established for Catholic elementary schools in 2013, using the ASCA...