SMU ESA School Counselor Program Overview and Handbook

 Saint Martin's University (last updated October 5, 2007)

• Hyperlinks
• Introduction
• Certification Approaches: MED and Certification Only
• Program Requirements for ESA School Counselor Certification
• Formal Admission into the Program
• Table 1: counseling strand courses mandatory for all students
• Table 2: Additional Coursework required for M.Ed. Students Only
• Table 3: Additional Classes Required for MED Non-Thesis Students Only
• Table 4:Additional Classes Required for MED Thesis Students Only Waiver Requests
• Removal from the Program
• Faculty
• Effect of the PEAB on Program Change over the Years
• ESA School Counselor Visions and Conceptual Framework
• How does the SMU ESA School Counselor Program prepare school counselor candidates to have a positive impact on student learning and what evidence do we have that our graduates are having a positive impact on student learning?

Introduction
Saint Martin’s University (SMU) has developed an excellent reputation for educating compassionate, capable, effective school counselors over the last 20 years. Based on follow up studies of our graduates, 90-100% of each year’s graduates searching for positions have found jobs within 1 year. To a large extent, this results from (1) effective use of the PEAB in constantly updating the program and course contents to meet the changing needs and realities of school counseling, and (2) the program’s emphasis on increasing the counselors’ compassion and practical counseling skills while also strengthening their own unique skills and abilities. Most classes are small (average of about 7-15 students). The program is flexible with most classes in the evenings. Many of our students work during the day. Although the program must be completed in 7 years the speed of completion is up to the student (up to a maximum of 12 credit hours per semester).

Click here to review our ESA School Counselor Visions and Conceptual Framework.

Certification Approaches
(Important Note: Teaching Certification is NOT required to be certified as an ESA School Counselor in the State of Washington)

Two approaches to certification are available. Those who have completed a Masters degree prior to completion of our program can follow an ESA “certification only” approach. Those without a Masters degree are required to complete our M.Ed. Program in the Guidance and Counseling Strand.

Program Requirements for ESA School Counselor Certification
(as of 10/4/2007- Note: most recent SMU Catalog and MED Handbook ALWAYS take precedence)

1. Requirement for ESA Certification for Both Certification Only and M.Ed. Programs
a. Acceptance into the program.
Current application requirements are listed in the SMU College of Education’s “Graduate Handbook” which can be accessed at http://www.stmartin.edu/education/Documents/GHFall2005.pdf

Currently (10/07) what is require to apply for the Master of Education Program and ESA Certification Program Admission:

1. Transcripts from all institutions previously attended
2. Education Division Student Contact Sheet
3. Program Application (green), accompanied by a $25 non-refundable fee
4. Character and Fitness Supplemental
5. Release of Information Form
6. Personal Statement of approximately 400 words that describes how your Masters (or ESA Certification Only) program will contribute to your professional development and aid in achieving your professional goals
7. Résumé of work experience
8. Passport size color photograph (2”x2”)
9. Three letters of recommendation (should emphasize effectiveness working in schools or with children and parents)
10. WSP/FBI fingerprint/background check dated within the last two (2) years
11. Photocopy of current teaching certificate (except Guidance and Counseling strand)
12. GRE/MAT scores (NOT required of Certification Only Students) 13. Current First Aid/CPR card

Once all the materials have been received the admissions folder is sent either (1) to a committee for those applying to the MED program or (2) to the Director of the ESA School Counseling program for Certification Only students, and a decision is made. It is a good idea to check with the College of Education Administrative Assistant (360-438-4333) to make sure everything is in so that the file can be sent to the committee.

b. Clearance based on background investigation and fingerprint check. c. Completion of all required coursework in the Guidance and Counseling Strand. See Table 1 for a list of these courses.
d. Successful completion of written comprehensive school counseling exam (given during the internship).
e. Successful completion of 400 hour school counseling internship. Completion of the internship requires signoff on a competency checklist by the in-school supervisor or University supervisor (and the intern) on all WAC competency and skill requirements. A log of the 400 hours initialed and approved by the in-school supervisor must also be submitted prior to completion of the internship. Also two “Positive Impact on Student Learning” forms must be completed.
f. The statute of limitations for completion of certification requirements is 7 years.
g. Students are expected to receive a grade of at least “B” in all courses. Candidates who receive a grade of “C” will be placed on academic probation. A student who receives a grade lower than “C” or two grades of “C” may be removed from the program.

2. Requirements Specific to M.Ed. Program for ESA Certification
a. In addition to the application requirements listed in 1(a) above, students applying for the M.Ed. program must submit to the education office scores on either the Miller Analogy Test or the Graduate Record Examination taken within the last five years. b. Must complete 37 semester hours total for the Thesis option (if a course is waived the student may take another course approved by his advisor – but the total hours required to receive the M.Ed. in Guidance & Counseling is 37 hours). This includes 26 hours in the G&C required strand courses, 8 hours in the Core Courses (MED 510 is NOT required for G&C program students) and 3 credits for MED 599, Thesis. OR Must complete 38 semester hours total for the Non-Thesis option (if a course is waived the student may take another course approved by his advisor – but the total hours required to receive the M.Ed. in Guidance & Counseling is 38 hours). This includes 26 hours in the G&C required strand courses, 8 hours in the Core Courses (MED 510 is NOT required for G&C program students), MED 550 Integrating Seminar (1 credit) and one graduate level elective in the MAC program or the MED program approved by the major professor. c. Nine semester hours of graduate work may be taken at another institution and transferred, provided the work fits the program plan, is recommended by the program advisor and is approved by the director of the masters program in education.

3. Requirement for ESA Certification Specific to “Certification Only” Students (Students who will have a masters degree from another program completed prior to completion of SMU’s ESA certification)
a. Miller Analogy or GRE scores are NOT required for admission.
b. M.Ed. program core requirements are NOT required.
c. Passing of SMU Comprehensive ESA School Counseling Examination is required.
d. No Final Project or masters thesis is required.
e. Must complete all coursework in the Guidance and Counseling Strand (See Table 1 for a list of these courses. Waivers based on training and experiences are possible) INCLUDING MED 559 Introduction to Exceptionality.
f. If waivers are granted, a minimum of two Guidance and Counseling Strand courses (with specific courses approved in writing by the ESA program director) and the five-credit internship are required for ESA certification.

Formal Admission into the Program

1. MED Applicants

When the Education Office has received all required admission materials, the file is routed to the M.Ed. Director and the Director of the ESA School Counseling Program and one or two other Education faculty member. They separately evaluate the grades, letters of recommendation, personal statement, test scores (if applicable), and other pertinent information (including the result of the interview with the prospective student). The Director of the ESA School Counselor program (and other education faculty members on the selection committee) makes a recommendation for acceptance or non-acceptance and the M.Ed. director makes the final decision. Applicants are “accepted”, “accepted conditionally”, or “not accepted”. An emphasis is made to recruit and accept applicants of diverse backgrounds. Affirmative action is supported in the admission of students to the program.

2. Certification Only Applicants

When the Education Office has received all required admission materials, the file is routed to the Director of the ESA School Counseling Program. The grades, letters of recommendation, personal statement, test scores (if applicable), and other pertinent information (including the result of the interview with the prospective student) are all considered. A final decision for admission to the “Certification Only Program” is made by the Director of the ESA School Counseling Program. Applicants are “accepted”, “accepted conditionally”, or “not accepted”. An emphasis is made to recruit and accept applicants of diverse backgrounds. Affirmative action is supported in the admission of students to the program.

  Waiver Requests
Once a student has been admitted to the program, they can request waivers of specific course requirements based on previous experience and training. A separate waiver form must be filled out for each course waiver requested. Waiver forms are obtained from the Education Office. The student must document on the form, and with any supporting evidence, how their experience and/or training meets the catalog and syllabus requirements of the class. For a waiver to be approved the form must be approved by the student’s advisor, the course teacher, and the Dean of the College of Education. If the waiver is not approved the student can appeal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Copies of the waiver form and approval or disapproval are kept in the student’s folder. Waivers do NOT reduce the number of credits required for completion of the M.Ed. program.

Removal from the Program

a. Students are expected to receive a grade of at least a “B” in all classes. Candidates who receive a grade of “C” will be placed on academic probations and their candidacy reviewed by the graduate program advisory committee. A student who receives a grade lower than “C” or two grades of “C” normally will be required to withdraw from the program.

b. Students who do well academically, but who do not have the skills or abilities necessary to be an effective school counselor present a special problem. Such students can be referred by their professor or intern supervisor to a special committee assigned by the Dean of the College of Education consisting of 2 members of the Counselor PEAB and 1 member of the faculty (not to include the referring professor). The committee will then examine the specific concerns of the professor concerning that student’s lack of necessary skills and abilities. The committee will then do one of the following (1) allow the student to continue the program with no further interventions required, (2) develop steps the student must complete to develop the necessary skills and abilities if they are to continue in the program, or (3) recommend to the Dean of Education that the student be dropped from the program.

c. Students may also be removed from the program based on criminal records, negative background investigations, and poor moral character.

Faculty:

The Education faculty consists of 1 full-time faculty member/Director, one ¼ time faculty member, and 2 long-term adjunct faculty members who are experienced school counselors.

Dan Windisch, Ed.D. Director. Full-Time Faculty. Dr. Windisch has been director of the ESA school counseling program at Saint Martin’s University for 18 years. He has served as President of the Washington Counseling Association (the state counselor organization for school counselors, mental health counselors, and career counselors) from 1999-2001 and 2004-2007. Dr. Windisch spends considerable amounts of time supervising school counselor interns in K-12 schools. By doing this he keeps up with what is currently happening in school counseling in a number of school districts and applies that information directly to his classes. Dr. Windisch also teaches the Introduction to Guidance & Counseling Class, the Internship Class, The Careers Class, and the Current Topics/Assessment Class. Dr. Windisch also supervises most of the Masters projects and has been Chair of the PEAB for the last 6 years.

Mina Ringenbach. Mina is a ¼ time regular faculty member as well as a full-time school counselor at Centralia Middle School and has had many years experience in Elementary, Middle and High School counseling. Mina teaches the Elementary and Middle School Counseling Course and the MED 542 Group Processes Class. She also teaches the “School Drug prevention and Counseling” Course and the “Peer Review class.. Mina has also served on many masters’ projects as a committee member and supervised our interns as an in-school supervisor. Mina has also taught the Group Counseling class one time. Mina has taught for Saint Martin’s for 13 years.

Betty Utter. Long term Adjunct Faculty. Ms. Utter is a retired school counselor and school principal. She has previously co-taught the Elementary and Middle School Counseling Course many times with Mina Ringenbach and has University supervised school 3 counseling internships. Mina has taught for Saint Martin’s for 11 years.

Jenny Morgan. Long term Adjunct Faculty. Jenny is currently a school counselor at Capital High school and prior to that was a school counselor at Shelton Middle School for many years. Jenny has taught our MED 540 Introduction to Guidance and Counseling course, has co-taught in the MED 544 Careers class, and has taught the MED 546 Assessment and Current Topics class. She has taught for Saint Martin's for 13 years.

Effect of the PEAB on Program Change over the Years

One of the most useful state requirements is the requirement to require a Professional Education Advisory Board (PEAB). The inputs from professional school counselors, administrators, principals, and WEA representative have been invaluable in keeping our program in tune with the needs of schools. As a result of PEAB input an increased emphasis on Glasser’s work on quality schools has been added to the curriculum. New classes, particularly the “Elementary and Middle School Counseling” Class, the Current Topics class, and the Drug Prevention and Counseling Class has been added to the curriculum based on input from the PEAB. Currently their input has resulted in making MED 542 “Group Processes” an alternative to the MAC Group class, and the piloting of changes to the MED 544 class from solely “Career Counseling” to “High School and Career Counseling.” In additions the concerns that the PEAB members have about what is happening in schools now has been almost always immediately addressed in classes taught in the program. The PEAB has had a very powerful and positive impact on the quality of our graduates.

ESA School Counselor Visions and Conceptual Framework

Saint Martin University and College of Education Framework The ESA School Counselor Program is a part of Saint Martin’s University (SMU), A Catholic Benedictine University, as well as part of The College of Education at SMU. The Conceptual Frameworks of Both are essential elements of the conceptual framework of the ESA School Counseling Program.

The mission statement for SMU from the SMU Catalog is stated online at http://www.stmartin.edu/academics/catalog/SMUCatComplete.pdf ):

SMU mission
To know, to care, to serve – to educate: the commitment of Saint Martin’s University to the student, the community and the world.

SMU Guiding principles
With the Catholic, Benedictine tradition as our guide, we accomplish our mission by recognizing the spiritual and ethical dimensions of all human activity and by celebrating the uniqueness and worth of each human being. Our goal is to provide a living and learning environment that prepares students for active, responsible and productive lives in their professions and as members of the local and global community.

 Academic values
Knowledge: We emphasize broad geographic and historical perspectives; cultural and linguistic plurality; and scientific and aesthetic understanding.
Spirituality: We provide and encourage the development of personal recognition of spiritual values beyond the intellectual and physical. Hospitality: We welcome and include in our community people from diverse backgrounds and locations. We encourage diverse viewpoints and the appreciation of different cultures.
Service: We expect that our students will live exceptional lives dedicated to serving others in the local and global community. We expect such service to mirror the Catholic Benedictine life and to nurture the family spirit among all who participate in the University. Creativity: We expect our students to find joy in acts of creation and recognize artistic expression as the bridge between interior and exterior spaces.
Communication: We provide opportunities for students to pursue ideas and communicate them in varied forms.
Inquiry: We work to develop thoughtful graduates able to engage in honest and thorough analysis; critical and independent thinking; and who are prepared to address the complex nature of our society. Discovery: We believe that discovery, including self-discovery, is developed in the context of learning, serving and valuing the worth of others.
Holistic education: We believe that intellect alone cannot sustain a meaningful life, and thus we work to unfold the potential of the whole person.

College of Education Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework approved by the College of Education and presented to the State Board of Education includes the following:

“The goal of Saint Martin’s University College of Education is to select and prepare teachers and counselor candidates to become outstanding P-12 professionals. To the General University emphasis on basic strength in academic areas of study for all graduates, the college of education adds a strong professional teacher and counselor training program which complies to specific state requirements. The program is also shaped by practitioners who serve on the Professional Education Advisory Boards (PEAB). True to its Catholic Benedictine heritage, the College of Education shares the University’s strong emphasis on moral and ethical values. A teacher/counselor educated at Saint Martin’s will enter his/her first school prepeared not only with knowledge, but also with strong values, an educational philosophy centered meeting the needs of the individual child, and a base of experience upon which to build.”

ESA Counselor Program Framework

In addition to the above conceptual framework the Counselor Preparation Program has developed the following framework based on years of experience and input from the PEAB:

1. The program emphasizes the importance of understanding, developing, and deepening the compassion of our future school counselor – compassion for themselves, for students, for parents, for teachers, and for administrators. Unless a student feels accepted as a unique, cherished, and accepted human being there is little that a counselor can do to make a difference in that child’s life. It is a necessary component of effective counseling and guidance. Compassion is hard to teach. It is not an academic subject that can be taught in conventional ways. Yet it is so important that all our students are required to take the Introduction to Guidance and Counseling where the topic is studied through case studies, stories, and as it applies to the student’s own life. Compassion is taught best by example. Faculty in the program are selected with their compassion as a factor in the selection process. The results over the years have been very gratifying. Anecdotal evidence and direct observation in schools indicates that our graduates are noticeably compassionate people who are truly making a difference in student’s lives. Also, a five year follow-up of our graduates (who are now school counselors in the state of Washington) and their supervising principals, completed in June 2007, found that our graduates are indeed compassionate and effective school counselors who have a positive impact on student learning.

2. The program emphasizes approaches that work in school counseling. We also emphasize what are the major concerns of school counselors. Information on innovative programs and approaches from the American Counseling Association (ACA) American School Counselor Association (ASCA), current research, best practices, PEAB members, school counselors, and what is observed in schools are all taught in our classes. Students are also required to spend time in schools as class assignments and practicum. Excellent programs with innovative approaches are recommended for observation sites. Networking, research skills, needs based workshop design, are all emphasized in the program and aim at practical solutions to real problems in schools.

3. The importance of students having a broad background in approaches to school counseling and therapy is emphasized. However, based on input from PEAB members, we also ensure that our graduates are well versed in Glasser’s work on Choice Theory and “Quality Schools” as they apply to school counseling. Glasser’s approach is used by several school districts in our area. In additions, the Glasser approach also ties in with our emphasis on compassion, on respect for the student, and on the importance of the student being responsible for their own behaviors.

 4. The program emphasizes the development of the unique skills and abilities of our students (we are deliberately modeling here what we want them to do as school counselors). Each student is unique, and each is encouraged to develop his or her strengths in the context of school needs. If their main interest is career counseling they are encouraged to develop papers, workshops, and approaches in career counseling that will make them more marketable and useful to the schools they will work in. If they have special skills in anger management, crisis counseling, groups, prevention programs, social skills training, or other areas, they are encouraged to develop these as they go through the program.

5. The program emphasizes development of high levels of computer and internet skills so that graduates can provide online internet information to students and parents and staff at the schools where they will be working. In the MED 546 class (current topics) students learn to use photo editing programs and develop websites, they use advanced search functions for internet searches, they develop powerpoint presentations, and they demonstrate that they are effective users of word processing and spreadsheet programs.

How does the SMU ESA School Counselor Program prepare school counselor candidates to have a positive impact on student learning (i.e., student achievement of the state learning goals and Essential Academic Requirements) and to support teacher’s efforts to do the same?

(a) School Counselors have training and skills and expertise that relate directly to several of the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirement (EALR’s). Therefore an important part of our discussions of the EALRs involve discussions of how our training could directly tie into the following EALR’s by counselor’s either (A) assisting,
or (b) teaching, in the following areas thereby having a direct positive impact on student learning:

(1) Our career counseling background ties directly into the following EALR:
Writing (copied from OSPI website 9/20/07) http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/writing/ealrs.aspx : 2.4 “Write for Career Applications”

(2) Our listening and counseling training ties into the following EALR: Communications EALR (copied from OSPI website 9/20/07) http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/communications/pubdocs/communicationsEALR.pdf “To meet this standard, the student:
1.1 Uses listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information.
1.2 Understands, analyzes, synthesizes, or evaluates information from a variety of sources.”
2. The student uses communication skills and strategies to interact/work effectively with others. To meet this standard, the student:
2.1. Uses language to interact effectively and responsibly in a multicultural context.
2.2. Uses interpersonal skills and strategies in a multicultural context to work collaboratively, solve problems, and perform tasks.
2.3. Uses skills and strategies to communicate interculturally.

3. The student uses communication skills and strategies to present ideas and one’s self in a variety of situations. To meet this standard, the student:
3.1. Uses knowledge of topic/theme, audience, and purpose to plan presentations.
3.2. Uses media and other resources to support presentations.
3.3. Uses effective delivery.

The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of communication. To meet this standard, the student:
4.1. Assesses effectiveness of one’s own and others’ communication. 4.2. Sets goals for improvement.

(2) Our listening and counseling training, human growth and development training, social skills training, and drug prevention training also ties into the following EALR: Health and Fitness EALR’s (copied from OSPI website 9/20/07) http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/healthfitness/pubdocs/pdf/healthfitns.pdf 2. The student acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain a healthy life: recognize patterns of growth and development, reduce health risks, and live safely. To meet this standard, the student will:
2.1. Recognize patterns of growth and development.
2.2. Understand the concept of control and prevention of disease.
2.3. Acquire skills to live safely and reduce health risks.

3. The student analyzes and evaluates the impact of real-life influences on health. To meet this standard, the student will:
3.1. Understand how environmental factors affect one’s health (air, water, noise, chemicals).
3.2. Gather and analyze health information.
3.3. Use social skills to promote health and safety in a variety of situations.
3.4. Understand how emotions influence decision-making.

4. The student effectively analyzes health and safety information to develop health and fitness plans based on life goals. To meet this standard, the student will:
4.1. Analyze health and safety information.
4.2. Develop a health and fitness plan and a monitoring system.

(b) Using our counseling skills to help school children deal with personal, academic, social, anger, bullying, harassment, mental health, special education, and abuse issues makes it more possible for students to be able to concentrate and do better in school and thereby have a positive impact on student learning.

(c) Counselors in our program are taught to be consultants and change agents and can help as change agents in schools on how to better achieve learning goals, AYPs, and SIPs.

(d) Counselors graduating from our program will be encouraged to be on curriculum committees for their schools and districts so that their expertise can be used as part of the curriculum development for their school or district (being where the decisions are made!).

(e) In the Elementary and Middle School Class the students are provided curriculum that is directly related to EALR’s. Therefore, the future counselors in this class can make this curriculum available to teachers, or they can teach the curriculum themselves.

(3)Evidence  that our school counselor candidates have demonstrated the knowledge and skills to have a positive impact on student learning (i.e., student achievement of the state learning goals and Essential Academic Requirements) and to support teacher’s efforts to do the same?

Requirements for Completion of the Program and Recommendation for ESA Certification: By demonstrating and having signed off by both the intern and the intern supervisor ALL of the Knowledge and skills required of school counselors under WAC 181-78A-270 we believe the school counselor candidates will have demonstrated the knowledge and skills to have a positive impact on student learning and to support teacher’s efforts to do the same. Competency will be measured by student and counseling intern supervisor evaluation and written sign-off during the school counseling internship.

As of Fall 2007, all interns must have web page links from each Standard’s benchmark that, in writing, shows how the student met that benchmark in class work (with links to their work), what the student did outside of Saint Martin’s that supplies evidence of meeting this benchmark, and what they did during the internship that supplies evidence of meeting this benchmark. The supervisor then decides to sign off on that benchmark or require more evidence until the supervisor is satisfied that that benchmark has been met. ALL Knowledge and skills standards and benchmarks must be demonstrated and signed off by both the student and the supervisor before the student can successfully complete the internship and be recommended for ESA School Counselor certification.

Long term evidence that our graduates have a positive impact on student learning The SMU’s counselor PEAB (Professional Education Advisory Board) worked with the Director of the ESA school-counseling program to survey all ESA certified school counseling graduates (and their supervising principals) who were certified from 2001- 2006 and who were working as school counselors in the state of Washington.

Three questions had particular relevance to positive impact on Student Learning and are quoted from the study below:

Question 1: Were we turning out school counselors who were having a positive impact on student learning? Yes, very much so. On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being poor, 3 being average, and 5 being excellent, the average graduates perception on their having a positive impact on student learning was a mean 4.46. The principals rated our alumni counselors with a mean of 4.22 on having a positive impact on student learning. All of our graduates rated themselves as 4’s or 5’s on positive impact. Principals rated two graduates as having 3’s (average) while the rest were 4’s and 5’s. None of our graduates were scored below average on positive impact by their principal.

Question 2: Were we turning out school counselors who were making a difference in student’s lives? Yes, very much so. On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being poor, 3 being average, and 5 being excellent, the average graduates perception on making a difference in student’s lives was a mean 4.46, between very good and excellent The principals rated our alumni counselors with an even higher mean of 4.67. It is interesting to note that the principals rated the counselors higher than the counselors did on making a difference in student’s lives. All of our graduates rated themselves as 4’s or 5’s on positive impact as did their Principals.

Question 6: At what level did the principal (or supervisor) rate the competency and skills of our school-counseling graduates? And, would Principals hire our graduates in the future? On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being poor, 3 being average, and 5 being excellent, principals mean ratings of our graduates were very good to excellent. Principal’s mean ratings ranged from 4.2 (Problem Solvers) to 4.67 (Making a difference in student’s lives) to 4.7 (Being a compassionate counselor who truly cares about students). Not one Principal felt their school counselor (our graduate) did not have the minimal skills and competencies they expected of a school counselor; 44% felt their school counselor had the skills and competencies they expected; and 56% felt their school counselor had skills and competencies that exceeded what they expected from a school counselor. Eight out of the 9 Principals who responded to whether they would hire our graduates said yes, the 9th said it would depend on who the graduate was.