Plano ISD Counselors Focus on College Readiness Grades Prek-12

February 8, 2007

Plano ISD Director of Guidance and Counseling Paul Weaver and elementary counseling leaders shared with the Board of Trustees at their February 6 meeting key elements of the district's comprehensive counseling program, including a new focus on college readiness at the elementary school level.

Secondary Grade Levels 6-12

Mr. Weaver shared with trustees the following college readiness / campus counseling and guidance programs.

In grades seven and nine, the district's AVID Program and career fairs emphasize college readiness. CollegeEd is a new program, currently being piloted in seventh and ninth grades.

Career Education, working in conjunction with counselors has successfully implemented the Kuder Career Assessment, an online career exploration program for students in grades seven and eight.

Ninth through 12th grade students are offered financial planning seminars, while 10th and 11th grade students participate in "Off to College" classroom presentations. PSAT (Pre-Scholastic Aptitude Test) is administered to 10th and 11th grade students.

Many programs are offered to senior high school students which involve college readiness. They include:

PSAT/NMSQT – National Merit Qualifying Test (students pay for this test)
MyRoad – free with the PSAT/NMSQT
Individual Academic Conferences – College Informational Books
Classroom Guidance – Off To College
College Nights
Financial Aid Parent Meetings
Major Mania
Community College and Certificate Program Open House
Concurrent Enrollment Parent Informational Meetings
Senior Meetings – Review of Academic Conferences – College Informational Books
National Merit Finalists– based on PSAT/NMSQT
National Achievement Finalists– based on PSAT/NMSQT
National Hispanic Scholars– based on PSAT/NMSQT

Elementary Grades Prek-5

"This has been an exciting year for counselors," shared Mr. Weaver. "Not only are we continuing to focus on college awareness for all students, we have added an elementary program. All of our early childhood (prek) and elementary students were taught guidance lessons with the theme 'College is the ticket to your future.'"

Elementary cluster leaders Mary Kay Eastep, Lynda Shuttlesworth and Marla Nunally shared the following details with trustees.

Kindergarten and First Grade

Mary Kay Eastep reported that, "One of our goals this week was to help even our youngest students at the Early Childhood Centers envision themselves as high school and college graduates. The adventures of Flat Stanley as he traveled to various campuses and bigger than life drawings of people in different careers helped them to understand this.

"In Kindergarten and First grade, Plano students discussed the types of things they were good at and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Their career choices were related to a good college education. Plano students were also exposed to numerous colleges and universities through the great classroom and hallway decorations by their teachers who shared about their own Alma Mater."

Second and Third Grades

Lynda Shuttlesworth shared that, "The second and third grade lessons discussed why college is important. Each second grade student wrote why they want to go to college. We discussed what one needs to do to be ready for college and what careers need a college education.

"The third grade lesson was on goal setting. The students identified what steps they should take to reach a goal. They applied this knowledge to write a goal about college."

Fourth and Fifth Grades

Marla Nunally told trustees that, "Elementary fourth and fifth graders had lessons from the counselors about how to set goals: short term and long term. At the end of the lesson students were guided to write a letter to describe the goals for school, home and the future.

"College buzz words such as degree, associate of arts, and graduation requirements are discussed during guidance classes.
Counselors and the Plano ISD community promoted the belief that students should never let money be the obstacle to finding the road to a college education.

"A college power point developed by counselors was a part of the kick off to college readiness, and finally the fifth graders are presented with a card, generously donated with funds from the PISD Education Foundation.

"School board member, Missy Bender, visited a campus fifth grade class and was able to hand each child a College Bound card and express words of encouragement about the power of a college education.

"We look forward to next year as we continue to build our Early Childhood and Elementary College Awareness Program."

School Board Resolution

WHEREAS, school counselors are employed in public schools to help students reach their full potential; and

WHEREAS, school counselors are actively committed to helping students explore their abilities, strengths, interests, and talents as these traits relate to career awareness and development; and

WHEREAS, school counselors help parents focus on ways to further the educational, personal and social growth of their children; and

WHEREAS, school counselors work with teachers and other educators to help students explore their potential and set realistic goals for themselves; and

WHEREAS, comprehensive developmental school counseling programs are considered an integral part of the educational process that enables all students to achieve success in school;

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Board of Trustees of the Plano Independent School District does hereby proclaim February 5-9, 2007, as National School Counseling Week and encourages all citizens of our district to recognize and support the outstanding work of Plano ISD’s school counselors during this special observance and throughout the school year.