The mission of the Wissahickon School District Guidance and Counseling Program is to be an integral component of the educational system and to provide equitable access to school counseling services for all students. The Guidance Department is committed to helping students achieve success in the school setting and to preparing students for the 21st century through academic, career, and personal/social development.

The Wissahickon School District Guidance and Counseling Program is a comprehensive school-counseling program that is developmental and systematic in nature, follows a K-12 sequence, is clearly defined and is accountable.  Professional school counselors are certified educators who address the needs of students and provide assistance through four primary interventions:  guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services and systems support.  All aspects of the counseling program play an integral role in the educational enterprise and are designed to promote and enhance student learning.  By providing interventions within a comprehensive program, school counselors focus their time, skills and energy on direct services to students, staff and families.  Above all, school counselors are advocates who work cooperatively with other individuals and organizations to promote the development of children, youth and families in their communities.  As members of the educational team, school counselors consult and collaborate with teachers, administrators and families to assist students to be successful academically, vocationally and personally.

The guidance curriculum was written and developed by the K-12 counseling staff in accordance with the National Standards and the Gysbers Model.  The curriculum competencies are demonstrated through classroom lessons, seminars, workshops, groups and individual meetings with students.  The school counseling program based upon National Standards enables all students to achieve success in school and to develop into contributing members of our society.  The primary goal of the program is to promote and enhance student learning in the areas of academic, career and personal/social development.  Academic development includes acquiring attitudes, knowledge and skills, which contribute to effective learning in school as well as understanding the relationship of academics to the world of work, to life, home and the community.  Career development includes the employment of strategies to achieve further career success and job satisfaction as well as fostering understanding of the relationship between personal qualities, education and training and the world of work.  Personal/social development includes the acquisition of skills, attitudes and knowledge which help students understand and respect self and others, acquire effective interpersonal skills, understand safety and survival skills and to develop into contributing members of our society.

Comprehensive school programs positively impact students, parents, teachers, administrators, boards of education; other student services personnel, business and industry.  An effective school counseling program is a collaborative effort that focuses on the needs, interests and issues related to student growth.  The program is evaluated and assessed each year to insure that the needs within each building are met and students achieve success.

The Wissahickon School District guidance counselor is a Master's level, certified educator who assists students, parents, staff and administrators.  School counselors are employed in the elementary, middle and high school buildings and their work is differentiated by attention to age-specific developmental stages of growth, related interests,, tasks and challenges.  Each school counselor is responsible for delivering the K-12 comprehensive program, which is designed to help all students develop their academic, social, career and personal strengths.

The K-12 Scope and Sequence provides an outline of competencies or focus areas that are introduced at certain grade levels.  it is important to understand that topics are introduced and built upon every year.  As various topics are introduced and understood, they are then developed, learned and finally applied.  The program is interdisciplinary as it complements, enhances and reinforces the academic areas.  Counselors deliver the model in a variety of ways to students but do uphold the following core beliefs in all buildings, K-12.

• All students have the right to be served and have access to the K-12 guidance program in order to address social, emotional and academic needs.

• The K-12 guidance program is based upon the needs of the students, the National Standards and the Gysbers Model.

• The K-12 guidance program is consistent with the developmental stages of growth and is assessed each year to insure that the needs of the students within each building are met.

• The K-12 guidance staff meets on a regular basis to coordinate, plan and implement activities for students, parents, staff and administrators.

• The K-12 guidance staff fosters on-going professional development to maintain the high standards of the program for the Wissahickon School District.