Striving to enhance the counseling resources and services provided to students, Pearson Ranch Middle School was recently named a 2018 Lone Star State School Counselor Association (LSSSCA) Bronze Winner.
The award recognizes campuses for displaying a dedication and demonstrating outstanding comprehensive counseling programs that were data-driven, focused on goal completion and aligned to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. Campuses had the opportunity to apply for the bronze, silver or gold award. Each level of the award represents a higher rigor or programming.
“Our counselors strive to provide a Comprehensive School Counseling Program, as recommended by the American School Counselor Association, and to meet the needs of each of our students,” Principal Kim Winters said. “This means that they plan the program carefully to ensure that they spend the majority of their time working directly with students. Our campus and students are fortunate to have supportive and wonderful staff.”
Their goal as a campus is for each student to know that the Pearson Ranch staff and the counseling services offered are there to support them both emotionally and academically, Winters said. Their campus-specific goals for the year include focussing on improving student academic performance, increasing career awareness among students, and enhancing coping skills to deal with anxiety. These goals are created through the assistance of feedback from parents, students and staff members, which was provided during a campus need assessment at the start of the year.
Pearson Ranch will advance further in their journey this year to provide world-class counseling services to students by continuing to implement programs such as Career Cafe, which offers students the opportunity to explore and discuss career options, Self-Care Week, and That’s Our Story, Too Book Groups, in order to reach out to as many students as possible. They will also be working towards earning the LSSSCA Silver Award next year.
