Comprehensive Career Development Program

Jordan Hopkins

Lewis and Clark College

Graduate School of Education and Counseling

 Peace of Mind Middle School:

Comprehensive Career Development Program

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Peace of Mind Middle School Counseling Department is to provide a

high quality comprehensive counseling program that addresses the academic, career, and

personal/social development for every student. Our program is designed to empower students to

become successful adults via individual counseling, groups, and classroom guidance, while also

partnering with staff, families, and communities to maximize student achievement.

Rationale:

It is the duty of school counselors to provide a unique range of knowledge for our

students, staff, and families. Here at Peace of Mind Middle School we plan to implement a

program supported by research and guided by NOSCAs 8 components, as well as the ASCA

Mindsets and Behaviors. Utilizing a comprehensive counseling program is the first step in being

successful in implementing a career development program. While implementing these into our

program, we will remain focused on the academic achievement gap and work together

collectively as a school to build a career and college going culture. Comprehensive career

development programs are crucial pieces to the puzzle of education, thus it is essential that our

students be enrolled in a program that provides endless possibilities inside and outside of school.

Students should leave their academic journey with the tools and skills they need to succeed in the

pathway they choose.

Beginning with research, John D. Krumboltz Happenstance theory proves that due to

students experiences they choose their own career pathway. Krumboltz believes that humans are
ever changing and career interests evolve as we develop. According to Krumboltz, school

counselors should teach our students the importance of engaging in a variety of interesting and

beneficial activities (Krumboltz, 2014). He created four propositions to help guide counselors

when working with students. (1) The goal of career counseling is to help clients learn to take

actions to achieve more satisfying career and personal livesnot to make a single career

decision. (2) Assessments are used to stimulate learning, not to match personal characteristics

with occupational characteristics. (3) Clients learn to engage in exploratory actions as a way of

generating beneficial unplanned events. (4) The success of counseling is assessed by what the

client accomplishes in the real world outside the counseling session (Krumboltz, 2014). The

Happenstance theory supports our career development program by giving us the tools to

successfully communicate with our students about their future. We can also use Krumboltzs

propositions to create a positive career and college culture at Peace of Mind Middle School.

In the State of Oregon, districts have rules and guidelines they must abide by. How these

rules and guidelines are implemented is ultimately up to the district and schools. Therefore, it is

our job as educators to provide students with the proper tools for success. The Oregon

Administrative Rules states, each school district shall implement plans for career education for

Grades K through 12, as part of its comprehensive guidance and counseling program, based on

the Oregon Department of Educations Framework for Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling

Programs for Pre-Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade. Career education curriculum is part of

the overall comprehensive guidance and counseling curriculum, written to address Essential

Skills, Education Plan and Education Profile and the four interrelated student developmental

domains: academic, career, personal/social, and community involvement. With that being said,

implementing a comprehensive career development program is mandatory in the State of

Oregon. Districts and schools across the state must provide students with a career and college
 readiness program. School counselors have the pleasure in executing these programs within our

schools.

The College Boards National Office for Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) promotes the

value of school counselors as leaders in advancing school reform and student achievement.

NOSCAs 8 components of college and career readiness is a guide to help school counselors

narrow their focus. The 8 components chart a comprehensive, systemic approach for school

counselors use to inspire all students to, and prepare them for, college success and opportunity-

especially students from underrepresented populations. These components can inspire our

students to explore careers and their aspirations (College Board Advocacy and Policy Center).

Within our program, we plan to implement these components to empower our schools

community. To ensure success, we plan to teach guidance lessons, host college and career family

nights, promote jobs within the classroom, and emphasize the importance of character.

Lastly, we plan to focus on 4 of the ASCA mindset and behaviors. The ASCA mindsets

and behaviors are competencies designed to meet student developmental needs and align with

academic content. The database allows school counselors to contribute new competencies that

support and align with a specific standard (ASCA, 2015). The ASCA mindset and behaviors have

4 different categories: mindset, learning strategies, self-management, and social skills. Our career

development program will cover at least 1 mindset and behavior in each category. The 4

mindsets and behaviors we have chosen to focus on are:

Mindset:

#4 Understanding that postsecondary education and lifelong learning are necessary for long-term

career success.

Behaviors:
 Learning Strategies: #7: Identify long and short-term academic, career and social/emotional

goals.
Self Management Skills #10: Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to

changing situations and responsibilities.

Social Skills #3: Create relationships with adults that support success

We have chosen these 4 mindsets and behaviors because we feel these 4 will narrow our focus on

what we want our students to achieve within this program. We will use these mindsets and

behaviors along with the NOSCAs 8 components to measure our success and get many steps

closer to closing the achievement gap.

Data/Plan:

In order to measure the efficacy of a comprehensive career development program, you

need data. We will measure the efficacy of our career development program by focusing on the

NOSCAs 8 components of college and career readiness. We plan to use these components by

focusing on the ASCA mindsets and behaviors along with implementing Krumboltz 4

propositions into our practice.

National Office for School Counselor Advocacy:

8 Components of College and Career Readiness

1. College Aspirations
Goal: To create and build a college going culture based on early college
awareness.
Mindset/Behavior Addressed: Social Skills #3: Create relationships with adults
that support success
Focus: Active and productive engagement in school
Data:
Attendance rates between different ethnic groups
Discipline referrals between gender groups and ethnic groups
 Promotion (getting teachers to promote their aspirations and what drove them to post secondary
education
Plan:
Guidance lessons (dreams/aspirations, college awareness, job awareness and exposure)
Family nights (building a school community culture, helping parents locate proper resources)
Community (guest speakers from different professions, colleges, and organizations)
2. Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness
Goal: Students planning, preparing, and participating in an academic program that
connects to their college and career aspirations.
Mindset/Behavior Addressed: Learning Strategies #7: Identify long- and short-
term academic, career and social/emotional goals.
Focus: Academic performance
Data: State testing (english, math, and science)
Plan:
Guidance lessons (goal setting, study skills, learning styles, forecasting/course options, high
school options)
Family (communication, monthly/weekly newsletters)
Community (have volunteers from the community help students with literacy, math, and science)
3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement
Goal: To ensure exposure to a wide range of extracurricular and enrichment
opportunities that help build leadership, nurture talents and interests, while
continue to increase student engagement.
Mindset/Behavior Addressed: Self Management Skills #10: Demonstrate ability to
manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities.
Focus: Participation in enrichment and extracurricular programs
Data: Participation in: academic programs, clubs, teams, organizations, and
classroom/school jobs.
Plan:
Encourage students to create school clubs and teams
Create student leadership opportunities
Family involvement (parent led activities)
Community (bringing in people to be apart of enrichment and extracurricular activities)
4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes
 Goal: Provide ongoing exposure to experiences and information necessary to
make informed decisions when selecting a college or career that connects to
academic preparation and future aspirations.
Mindset/Behavior Addressed: #4 Understanding that postsecondary education and
lifelong learning are necessary for long-term career success.
Focus: College and Career Exploration
Data: Participation in college and career exploration
Plan:
College visits (local community colleges, 4-year university, and vocational/trade schools)
School Future Days
Family involvement (at least one member of the family participate in going to a college visit)
Guidance lessons (career exploration, college planning, goal setting)
5. College and Career Assessments
Goal: Promote preparation for college and career assessments
Mindset/Behavior Addressed: Mindset #4 Understanding that postsecondary
education and lifelong learning are necessary for long-term career success
Focus: Begin the talk about EXPLORE, PSAT, SAT, ACT
Data: Participation in career/interests assessments, State testing (reading, math,
science, writing)
Plan:
Guidance lessons (reading testing scores, PSAT, SAT, ACT, EXPLORE)
Teachers (creating a positive culture around assessments)
Family (exposure to the different types of assessments)
6. College Affordability Planning
Goal: Provide students and families with comprehensive information about
college costs, options for paying for college, and the financial aid and eligibility
requirements.
Mindset/Behavior Addressed: Social Skills #3: Create relationships with adults
that support success.
Focus: Starting the conversation around college affordability
Data: Family and student participation in Family College/Career Night,
Participation in Financial Aid planning process.
Plan:
Guidance lessons (college costs and financial aid planning)
 Family College Planning Night
A positive career and college culture (everyone should be talking about their passions and goals)
7. College and Career Admission Process (high school)
Personal Development Goal: Actively collaborating with school counselors and administration at
the high school.
8. Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment (high school)
Personal Development Goal: Actively collaborating with school counselors and administration at
the high school.
Closing Remarks:

I am confident that my fellow colleagues and I here at Peace of Mind Middle School will
successfully implement our career development program. We will continue to strive for
academic, career, and personal/social success in all of our students. To ensure successful
implementation, we will continue to collaborate with staff, families, and the community. Our
mission statement reinforces that we will empower our students to become the best they can be
inside and outside of school. Finally, it is our duty as educators to advocate and create ever-
lasting relationships with our students and their families.

References:

College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. Middle School Counselors Guide (NOSCA). (n.d.).

Retrieved March 10, 2016, from

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/advocacy/nosca/11b-
4382_MS_Counselor_Guide_WEB_120213.pdf

Curry, J., & Milsom, A. (2013). Career Counseling in P-12 schools. Chapter 9 (159-176).

Krumboltz, J.D. (2014). The Happenstance Learning Theory. Journal of Career Assessment,

17(135).

Mindsets & Behaviors | American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (n.d.). Retrieved

March 10, 2016, from http://schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/about-

asca/mindsets-behaviors

Oregon Secretary of State Archives Division. (n.d.). Retrieved March 12, 2016, from

http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/pages/rules/oars_500/oar_581/581_022.html