Wanted: School Counselor Advocates & Leaders New Jersey School Counselor Association October 14, 2012

Who’s Here? Elementary counselors Middle/Jr High counselors Secondary counselors Multilevel counselors Guidance Directors Counselor Educators Graduate students Other

Checking In Previous conference attendees? Who had to pay out of pocket? What are you here for? –Professional development –Your school made you come –Nothing else to do

Whately MA Map

So Why Me? What Can I Offer You? School Counselor and K-12 Director of School Counseling 19 years in the profession Leader – local, state, regional & national Advocate for students, school counselors and our profession

What is advocacy? Function: noun 1 : the profession or work of an advocate 2 : the action of advocating, pleading for, or supporting a cause or proposal Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Three Questions 1. How do you advocate? 2. What is a school counselor advocate? 3. What kind of advocacy does our profession need in 2012?

Do you know these advocates? Jaime Escalante Erin Gruwell

What Does ASCA Say? 3 rd Ed. released June 2012

Local level advocacy Colleagues Administrators School boards Parents Community members Strangers Elected officials/policy makers

State & national level advocacy Elected officials Legislators Policy makers

Advocating for our profession Talking about what school counselors do Demonstrating with data our impact on student success and achievement Sharing our program results with stakeholders Going to meetings Writing letters to the editor Submitting press releases with photo ops

Advocating for your school counseling program Who do you talk to about what your program is doing? What data do you have that impacts student success and achievement? Where do you share your program information, goals and successes? –Staff/school –School Board –Community newspaper, local cable station –Community groups – PTA, Rotary, Realtors

Another Question Beyond Advocacy what does the School Counseling profession need in 2012?

What is a Leader? Someone who –has a passion –has a vision –is willing to make a commitment of time, talent & treasures –wants to make a difference

What a Leader Is Not? Someone who –has a personal agenda –is looking for glamour & fame or concerned about self over others –is not able to work as a team player –is not invested in the organization –is not willing to be an active volunteer –is not a visionary and forward thinker

Why be a School Counselor Leader? There are numerous opportunities at the local, state and national level Change is in the air – the time is NOW It helps your students and families and brings recognition to your school counseling program If not you, then who? Why Not?

2012 Leadership Challenges Limited time Lack of interest among members –Too busy; too much work; not appealing List of challenges is great Lack of interest among potential members Limited resources to do the job well

Taking Your School Counseling Program from Good to Great Greatness is a matter of conscious choice Greatness is not an end point; it’s dynamic Core values are essential for enduring greatness It is much easier to become great than to remain great We must possess passion

Taking Your School Counseling Program from Good to Great (continued) Performance must be assessed relative to our mission We must be accountable for progress in outputs, even if those defy measurement; we must provide evidence to track our progress

Level 5 Leaders Ensure greater success in the next generation Need to produce sustainable results Attribute success to factors other than themselves Display a workmanlike diligence – more plow horse than show horse Are ambitious, have the mission in mind and will do whatever it takes If people follow you because they have no choice, then you are not leading

First Who…Then What Getting the right people on the bus, then figuring out where to drive it Great vision without great people is irrelevant We need people with passion and commitment When in doubt keep looking When you know you need to make a change, act Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems The right people are your most important asset

Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results Choose Your Attitude –There is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself Play Make Their Day Be Present

Next Steps What can you contribute to taking school counseling in NJ from Good to Great? How does the profession move forward? When do we do this? Who else needs to be on the bus?

Next Steps (cont’d) What questions do you have? What challenges do you face as an Mover & Shaker? What resources do you need? Create your own action plan

For more info… Bob Bardwell School Counselor & Director of School Counseling 55 Margaret Street Monson, MA x1109

Can you be an Advocate?

Leadership Resources Good to Great – Jim Collins Good to Great & the Social Sectors How the Mighty Fall – Jim Collins Fish: Remarkable Way to Boost Morale & Improve Results – Stephen Lundin The Disney Way – Bill Capodagli & Lynn Jackson