Wrapping Up a School Year

In Virginia we still have more than 6 weeks of school but I finish most of my groups this week (before testing season). I am starting on the dozen activities I do the last 2 months each year. Here are some of my most important tasks to wrap up the school year:

1 Transition activities - for students moving lead good-bye lunch groups, for students moving up to middle school arrange for school resource officer to come and give talk about walking safely to and from middle school, for all students participate in Awards’ Ceremonies.

2 Student School Climate Survey - Google forms survey to assess the effectiveness of bullying prevention and social emotional components of program.

3 Staff survey – Google forms survey to assess topics covered in classroom lessons, groups offered, etc. to serve as basis for planning.

4 Data analysis – Review behavior data (discipline & bullying reports), attendance reports, and academic records of students (report cards and standardized tests).  Analyze pre-post survey data for classroom units and small groups. Write and publish the Counseling Program Annual Report on Web page.

5 Share results – Use DATA format to highlight aspects of the School Counseling Program, especially those related to program goals. Distribute results reports to key stakeholders. We need data to prove the effectiveness of our programs and inform school board members of the critical need for MORE school counselors. Take time to Reflect on findings and determining implications will give direction to program improvement. Next year I am going to try to limit most of my groups to 8 sessions because I did not find that having them meet 10 times made a significant difference.

6 Draft annual calendar – Set dates for 2017-2018 counseling advisory committee meetings, school-wide events, based on overall calendar planning for school and PTA.

7 Inventory and order books and supplies – Prepare orders that will be placed when funds are available July 1. Write grant if need additional funds. I am writing a grant with school librarian asking PTA for more funds for social skills books for teachers to read aloud next year based on grade level.

8 Declutter office – move toward a paperless environment (I only have a half draw of paper files and it is mostly crisis materials). Remove materials that have not been used in 2 years or have been updated.

9 Participate in grouping meetings – give input to class placements to facilitate classes that are balanced.

10 Pick summer project and professional development – pick one group curriculum and/or grade level curriculum to revise.  Set a goal for professional development including online webinars, professional learning communities via Twitter, books, etc. This summer I am going to focus on trauma informed counseling.

11 Notes and forms - Shred notes with student information and send risk assessment forms to central office according to policy.

12 Celebrate successes and say goodbye – Thank all those who collaborated to make the program successful, and acknowledge colleagues who will not be returning in the fall.