Woodland Elementary School Honored by American School Counselor Association
Woodland Elementary School will receive the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation for its outstanding school counseling program during a special ceremony at the American School Counselor Association's annual conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in July.
The RAMP designation, awarded to schools whose counseling programs align with the criteria set in the ASCA National Model, recognizes schools that are committed to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program and creating an exemplary educational environment. More than 450 schools have received the RAMP designation since the program's inception.
Woodland Elementary School Counselors Sharon Kirton and Elizabeth All spent more than a year working with the principal and school staffs to develop goals, action plans, classroom lessons, parent involvement, and monthly activity calendars that are aligned with the national standards.
If you visit Woodland Elementary School on a Friday, you are likely to meet Skye, a therapy dog that comes to school to encourage students to write. Students sit with Skye while they write letters, then Skye “reads” the letters on the morning news show.
"Our counseling program focuses on how best to meet the needs of all of our students," said Counselor Elizabeth All. "It is designed to help parents understand the developmental stages and needs of their child, and encourage them to work with their child’s teachers to develop school success strategies." Ms. Kirton said that the evaluation component will be an extremely important step in assuring that goals are being met and realigned when necessary. She added that the counseling program receives tremendous support and encouragement from the administration.
Woodland's school counseling program provides programs for students in the areas of academics, personal and social skills, and career development. The counselors have begun meeting with students and parents to discuss topics like Seven Habits of Happy Kids, test-taking skills, bully prevention, and goal setting.