Administrators and Counselors Working Together to Impact School Climate and Culture
This collaborative training is designed to help school administrators and counselors build a strong partnership to create and sustain a positive school climate and culture. It focuses on aligning the efforts of school leadership and counseling programs to foster an environment where all students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Participants will learn strategies to improve communication, develop joint initiatives, and use data-driven approaches to tackle challenges such as bullying, mental health issues, and student engagement. Participants will leave the training with a personal action plan focused on school climate that they will commit to completing in both the short and long term.
Objectives:
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
1. Understand the Role of Administrators and Counselors in School Climate: Recognize the unique and complementary roles that administrators and counselors play in shaping school climate and culture.
2. Collaborate Effectively: Develop strategies for building a productive partnership between administrators and counselors, fostering open communication and mutual respect.
3. Align School Counseling Programs with School-Wide Goals: Learn how to integrate school counseling programs with broader school initiatives, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), social-emotional learning (SEL), and restorative practices.
4. Use Data to Drive Decision-Making: Develop strategies for using data (attendance, behavior, academic, and climate surveys) to identify areas of concern, track progress, and improve student outcomes.
5. Address Common Climate Issues: Learn how administrators and counselors can work together to address key challenges in school climate, such as bullying, disengagement, and mental health concerns.
6. Create a Sustainable Partnership: Establish actionable steps for ongoing collaboration and maintaining a positive, inclusive school climate and culture over time.
| Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. |
MASCA deeply values its diverse membership and is fully committed to creating an organization where each individual is welcomed, included, respected and empowered. No person will be excluded from MASCA on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation or military status, or for any other discriminatory reason. These activities include, but are not limited to, appointment of its Governing Board, hiring or firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and the providing of services. This policy is fundamental to the effective functioning of MASCA as an organization that supports counselors and promotes equity in our schools, districts and the Commonwealth.