"Middle and high school counselors will find this book to be very helpful for its practical and hands-on approach." —Karen Thompson, Assistant Professor Psychology & Counseling Valdosta State University   "This is a great collection of resources to aid secondary school counselors." —John Littrell, Professor of Counselor Education/Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Iowa State University   "This is an outstanding addition to the field." —Greg Brigman, Professor of Counselor Education Florida Atlantic University   "The material is especially helpful because of the separation in grade levels.  I often find it difficult to find material specifically designed for transitions from ninth to tenth grade AND from sixth to seventh. This is one of the most valued sections of the book for me." —Judy Buchholz, Ninth-Grade School Counselor D. W. Holmes Junior High School, CA   "This is a major contribution to best practices in school counseling." —Gerald Monk, Professor of Psychology & Counseling San Diego State University   "…an invaluable resource for school counselors." —Barbara Blackburn, ASCA Secondary Vice President and President Elect Innovative and essential strategies for charting a course toward an effective secondary school counseling program! The recent wave of accountability reform movements has largely overlooked the needs of middle and high school counselors, yet has generated daunting pressure for guidance programs to be standards-based and data-driven. Written from the perspective of a practicing, certified counselor, this guide contains essential information needed to implement the American School Counselor Association's National Model and smoothly transition from service-based to program-based counseling. The book affirms that the school's guidance and counseling program play an integral role in the instructional program and overall school success. Best Practices for Effective Secondary School Counselors centers on six best practices and highlights specific action plans and examples for each one, allowing counseling staff to easily implement the comprehensive programs outlined. Key features include: Time-saving checklists, surveys, and forms Straightforward tactics for applying six best practices Strategies for stress management Tips for writing successful letters of recommendation An extensive resource and Web site list From evaluation, advisement and communication, to career education, transition, and professional development, this user-friendly text features relevant and proven solutions for counselors' primary concerns.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Best Practice 1: Utilize Data to Evaluate Program Effectiveness and Plan for Continuous Improvement Section 1: Review the School Counseling Plan Section 2: Develop a School Profile Section 3: Obtain Stakeholder Perspectives Section 4: Create a Self-Evaluation Instrument Section 5: Formulate a Counseling Program Action Plan 2. Best Practice 2: Design and Implement a Comprehensive Advisement System Section 1: A Schoolwide Advisement Program Section 2: An Individual Advisement Program Section 3: A Rising Ninth-Grade Advisement Program 3. Best Practice 3: Design and Implement an Extensive Career Education Program Section 1: Basic Principles of Career Development Section 2: Design Appropriate Career Development Plans for Middle and High School Students Section 3: Design and Implement a Comprehensive Career Center Section 4: Career Portfolios for Students 4. Best Practice 4: Create Transition Programs That Prepare Students for Success Section 1: A Keystone Program for Rising Ninth-Grade Students Section 2: A Credit Recovery Program for High School Students Section 3: A Capstone Program for Twelfth-Grade Students 5. Best Practice 5: Establish and Maintain Communication With the School Community Section 1: Establishing Communication Section 2: Maintaining Communication 6. Best Practice 6: Design a Personal Plan for Professional Development Appendix A: Stress Management for Secondary School Counselors Appendix B: Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation Form B1: Student Recommendation Worksheet Form B2: School Profile Resource B3: Tips for Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation Resource B4: Word Bank of Adjectives Resource B5a: Sample Letters 1 Resource B5b: Sample Letters 2 Resource B5c: Sample Letters 3 Resource B5d: Sample Letters 4 Resource B5e: Sample Letters 5 References Index