President’s Letter: Leadership Self-Check

The following leadership qualities are addressed in the new 2019 edition of the ASCA National Model. How many of the six leadership qualities do you have? How many are you working on? How many do you need to begin?

1. Leadership – Having a vision is a characteristic of effective leadership. Articulating that vision motivates followers to accomplish goals and work cohesively toward a shared purpose. (“School Counselor Leadership: An Essential Practice”)
2. Leadership – School counselors demonstrate leadership in a school counseling program by developing vision and mission statements aligning the school counseling program with the school’s vision and mission. Without this leadership, the school counseling program is disconnected to the overall mission of the school.
3. Leadership – School counselors demonstrate leadership by systematically selecting and delivering activities and interventions addressing a wide variety of Mindsets and Behaviors informed by school data. Although not all Mindsets and Behaviors can be addressed in a single year, school counselors look for ways to deliver as many standards as possible for as many students as possible.
4. Leadership – School counselors participate in the school improvement process to bring the school counseling perspective to the development of school goals.
5. Leadership – School counselors engage in a thoughtful, intentional approach around selection of strategies, activities and interventions by focusing on the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success to inform the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program. (ASCA Professional Standards and Competencies B-PF 5)
6. Leadership and advocacy – By completing program assessments and taking action on areas needing improvement, school counselors demonstrate leadership through a commitment to continuous school counseling program improvement and advocacy for a fully implemented comprehensive school counseling program.

(From “ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs,” fourth edition)

How did you do on this self-check? Please do not get discouraged if this is an area for you to improve in. It’s just a matter of getting started. Great resources are available, including webinars on the ASCA website. If you have not done so, purchase “ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs,” fourth edition. It’s a book all school counselors should own. We also hope you will join us in Seattle for One Vision One Voice, the 2020 ASCA national conference, June 27-30. This conference is for all school counselors no matter where you are in your career walk.

Maybe you are doing well and would still like to grow in the area of leadership. Please share your story. AkSCA is always looking for speakers during our annual conference. If you like to write, we always welcome newsletter articles. I know there are other counselors out there who can learn from you. Keep up the good work.

Contact Natalie Kant, AkSCA president, at nkant@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.