Leadership Letter: Counselor Supervisor Tips

As the number of school counselors grows and the focus on student mental health increases, it is important for school districts to have a designated individual who is responsible for supporting and advocating for counselors at the district level. Counselor supervisors play a vital role in ensuring that each campus has a quality comprehensive school counseling program in place and shaping the district's perception of school counselors. Here are a few tips to assist counselor supervisors with building a successful district-wide school counseling program:

• Provide quality professional development for school counselors
• Assist with clarifying the role of campus counselors
• Create a high quality and rigorous evaluation tool
• Stay in touch with what is happening on campuses
• Affirm the school counselors
• Seek feedback from the school counselors

When I first became a counselor, almost 20 years ago, I stepped into the school with nothing! No supplies, no direction and no support. I had to buy everything for my school counseling program and pretty much make it up as I went. There was no one to call for help. I was told to "just figure it out." Counselor supervisors, it is our responsibility to set up our school counselors for success. This means providing them with the blueprint of exactly what they are expected to do as a counselor in your district and giving them the training, resources, and support to effectively create a robust comprehensive school counseling program for all students.

Creating a high quality and rigorous evaluation tool is key to having a great school counseling program at every school in your district. There may be a few moans and groans from your counselors at first, but once they start seeing the improvements in student outcomes and principals begin understanding the value of using school counselors appropriately, it becomes a strong advocacy tool for counselor supervisors and for campus counselors.

Finally, stay in touch with what is happening on campuses. Go visit the counselors at their schools, as often as you can. Be in tune with the unique challenges that each school faces. Ask them about all of the wonderful things they are doing at their schools. Affirm them for their hard work and dedication. Listen to them. And most important, be the leader they want to follow.
 
Dana Jackson is the Lone Star State School Counselor Association supervisor vice president and executive director of Counseling Services in Grand Prairie ISD