2411 - SCHOOL COUNSELING AND ACADEMIC AND CAREER PLANNING

The Board requires that a planned program of guidance and counseling be an integral part of the educational program of the District. The plan shall be developed by licensed school counselors in collaboration with student services staff, teachers, parents, and community health and human service professionals. The developed plan will be adopted by the Board and maintained by the District. Such a program shall be available to all students without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, sex (including transgender status, change of sex or gender identity), or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability ("Protected Classes").

This plan should be developmentally appropriate and:

1. enable counselors to effectively communicate with students who have limited English proficiency and/or are sensory impaired;

2. assist students in achieving their optimum growth;

3. enable students to draw the greatest benefit from the offerings of the instructional program of the schools;

4. help integrate all the student's experience so that s/he can better relate school activity to life outside the school;

5. help students learn to make their own decisions and solve problems independently.

Academic and career planning services, including individualized support and access to software tools and staff assistance, shall be provided to students in Grades 6 to 12. The mission of academic and career planning is to provide a comprehensive plan, which will be developed and maintained by a student, that includes the student's academic, career, personal, and social goals and the means by which the student will achieve those goals both before and after high school graduation.

The District Administrator shall implement the school counseling program which carries out these purposes and:

1. involves appropriate staff members at every level;

2. honors the individuality of each student;

3. is integrated with the total educational program;

4. is coordinated with available resources of the community;

5. cooperates with parents and recognizes their concern and ideas for the development of their children;

6. provides means for such sharing of information among such appropriate staff members as may be in the best interests of the student;

7. provides that an appropriate amount of time and effort shall be given to providing guidance and counseling services to those students sixteen (16) to nineteen (19) years of age who do not intend to enroll in an institution of higher education after graduating from high school or who require or desire employment in connection with their continued education;

8. establishes a referral system which utilizes all the aid the schools and community offer, guards the privacy of the student, and monitors the effectiveness of such referrals.

Guidance and counseling personnel are directed to provide information and direction to students with limited English proficiency regarding access to English Learners (EL) programs and offerings within the District. Such personnel are also directed to provide information and direction to students with sensory impairments regarding available resources and access to those resources.

Revised 4/5/10
Revised 1/23/17
Revised 12/27/17
Revised 1/22/18
Revised 8/6/18

© Neola 2019