WVDE | School Counseling Home

Welcome to the LINKS Program WebsiteClick below to enter.

                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                           

  About LINKS

Barbara Ashcraft, MA, LPCSchool Counseling Coordinator

ObjectivesParticipants will…

understand why LINKS is important… the potential impact on students and staff

become familiar with the LINKS Program be introduced to the LINKS Website explore LINKing LINKS to other school activities and

programs receive an overview of the www.cfwv.com and

www.careercruising.com connection to scalable, sequential and ongoing career development

Begin exploring how to revamp your program to move from ‘Good to Great’

Children are the living messages that

we send to a world we will never see

The Unconscious Gap…

Calabrese, R. L. (2002). The leadership assignment: Creating change. Boston: Allyn & Bacon

Until we become aware of the existing gap between what out students can do and what they are doing, we remain satisfied. Sandy River may be a good School, but what can you do to make it great?

About LINKS …

involving a personal relationship with at least one adult serving as an advocate for the student.

bridge the gap between what is taught in the core curriculum and the skills necessary for success in school and in the work place

LINKS Student Advisement…

Bridge the gap … Self-Knowledge Life Skills School Success Skills Educational Development Work Ethic Career Planning.

Why LINKS…Learning, Individualized Needs,

Knowledge and Skills

Improve Learning for ALLAddress Individualized Needs Increase Knowledge and Skills for ALL

Personalizing the Learning Environment

“High schools of the 21st century must be much more student-centered and above all much more personalized in programs, support services and intellectual rigor.” This means every student should have a personal adult advocate and a Personal Plan of Progress.

NASSP. (2004). Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform

What is Advisement?1. A systemic approach to providing ALL students with skills

and background to make decisions about his/her education and career

2. A process to aid students in developing self-awareness, option awareness, and decision-making skills

3. A process to help each student improve his/her chances for long-term employment

What is LINKS

LINKS is a standards-based, system-wide student support program/system to assist all students in successfully navigating middle and high school.

LINKS was designed specifically for WV students by WV educators

Expected Outcomes All students make informed academic and

career plans Parents are systematically involved in their

child’s education including the development of academic and career plans

More students successful in higher level courses Improved school behavior Increased graduation rates Higher test scores

Guidance: What is it? Guidance The help all students

receive from parents, teachers, counselors, community members and others to assist with educational and career development

Counseling The help some

students receive from credentialed professionals to overcome personal and social problems that interfere with learning.

Students need to know….Who they are…

Where they want to go…

And how they are going to get there!

They need a systemic approach of all

staff working together in a

caring and knowledgeable

manner.

Contributors to Student SuccessCareer goalConnection with

caring adultConnection with post

secondary opportunities

The Silent Epidemic 2007

Grad Nation 2009

National Trends…Then and Now

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

We must ALL give ALL students the right messages.

Workforce Mid 20th Century 21st Century

Professional 20% 20%

Skilled 15% 65%

Unskilled 65% 15%

Emerging Fields“hyper-agriculture flash markets

neurostimulation new forms of education

customized health care non-lethal weapons,

nanoceuticals desktop manufacturing

bizarre new energy sources risk management

streaming payment systems privacy-invasion sensors

smart transportation program-able money

Toffler & Toffler, 2006, Future Shock, p.5

Emerging Fields

“Eighty percent of the jobs to be held by today’s kindergarten students during their lifetimes do not currently exist.

(Global 21 Educators Flyer, 2010)

21st Century Learning…

20

Groups, Mentoring, StudentHelpers, Clubs, Crisis Interventions,Short-term counseling

Groups, Tutoring, Peer Helpers,

Classroom Guidance Lessons, School Assemblies, Student Advisement Programs, Test Prep Programs, Academic Plans, Field Trips

Classroom Guidance Lessons, Student Advisement Programs,School Assemblies

IEP, 504 Therapy – Outside or SBMH Centers

Group Demonstration

Students Supports

Shelly DeBerry

Relationships If students know you care you can push

even more

Who is most vulnerable?

Malcolm Smith “Why are kids so Angry and What Can We Do About It?”

Over 300 students who committed violent acts No relationship with a caring adult

http://www.cjnetworks.com/~msconsult/peaceful.htm

Protective Factors: Advisors Big brother/sister

program Teachers (positive) Church Supportive parents Coaches Community members Band Teachers Positive peer relationships Free Lunch Program Prevention programs Federal / State assistance Policemen Firemen Custodian Bus driver Community programs

Standard 4: Student Support Services and Family/Community Connections

In high quality schools, the staff:

places student well-being at the forefront of all decisions,

provides support services to address student physical, social/emotional and academic growth, and

forms positive connections to families and the community.

Function A: Positive Relationships

“They don’t have to like me, they just have to learn from me”

“Student’s don’t care what you know until they know that you care”

What is so important?

Creating Relationships Advisor/Advisee Program

Mentoring (career, teacher, peer, community)

Tutoring

Student/school connectedness

Faculty relationships

Culture of respect

VISIONING EXERCISE

How will our school be different as a result of LINKS?

How will our students be different?

How will our staff be different?

How will our connection withParents be different?

American Student Achievement Institute

bblackburn

Group ActivityMove to a table of the role that you may be playing or are interested in learning more about.

Go to the LINKS website and find the roles and responsibility chart and lists related to your groups.

Review and discuss these roles and how they relate to the overall success of the LINKS program.

Be prepared to share the roles/responsibilities for your group that stood out as most important.

Coordinator Responsibilities

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Advisor Training

Parent Consent Forms

Student & Staff

Evaluation

Copy Plans &

Handouts

Student Feedback

Forms

Advisor Logs

Monthly Follow-up Trainings

Student & Parent

Evaluation

Advisor Evaluation

Prepare Student

Portfolios

Public Relations

Update & store

portfolios

Principal ResponsibilitiesP

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Secure resources & support

Establish Steering

Committee

Select coordinator(s)

Support implementation

& evaluation

Hold staff accountable

Share evaluation results

Recognize & support

successful implementation

Learn about LINKS

Internal & external

PR

Develop PD plan

Monitor program & eliminate barriers

LINKS is a facilitated learning experience. You support and encourage students’ discussion!

Everything you need is on the website Engaged learning rubrics Mentoring activities Grading Rubric

Your LINKS coordinator will provide copies of each lesson plan and handouts in time for you to prepare. Important to look ahead at lessons; some require

school specific forms.

Advisor Role

LINKS Logistics

bblackburn

Student Referral Process

Consistent Referral processEasy to use referral forms

Individual Student Referral Group referral Family concerns

About LINKS…Currently Being Piloted

36 lesson plans per grade level (5 – 8: WV specific, downloadable)

40 lesson plans per grade level (9-10: WV specific, downloadable

Standards based (Policy 2520.19 allows schools to offer for credit)

About LINKS…Can be offered for creditCourse code 7676 called LINKS

1 time per week 45/50 minutes¼ credit per year = 1 full high school credit

Online Career Course www.cfwv.com 1 time per week 45/50 minutes¼ credit per year = 1 additional full high school

credit for

2 full credits (9-12)

Links Components Curriculum

Academic skills Personal/social skills 21st Century Skills Career development

Relationship with a trusted adult Bridge the gap between post-secondary and workforce

demand and the curriculum School navigation skills LINKing all components within the school together Creating a core knowledge base for all teachers

2007 Pawley’s Group Report Commissioned by 2006 WV SenateRecommendation 7Recommendation 7:: Develop a model for career

counseling, student support and academic advising.– recommended that West Virginia develop a

systematic way to help students with career exploration.

2007 Pawley’s Group ReportWest Virginia must move from “random acts

of progress” to a system based on the 4 Ss –

StrategicSynergisticSustainableScalable

Implementation StepsCurriculum Mapping Advisor training (ongoing)Student/staff/parent surveysStudent portfoliosLesson plans and handouts Public relations Trouble shootingOngoing supportLiaison with principal

Ongoing Professional Development Professional learning communities Grade level teams …lesson plan deliveryTeams by Topic

curriculum map – Grade Level Teams customizing lesson plans portfolios Project Based Learning ISTP Parent activities

Book Clubs

Timeline for Revising/Redesigning Current Program

40 Lesson Plans (per grade level)- Policy 2520.19Course Code 7676

Student

Materials

Please use the Power Points as templates.

Review each PowerPoint before using and make revisions to fit your school.

You may need to add your school name, staff names, school specific activities, programs and schedules.

www.cfwv.com

Grade Level and Lesson Activities: Have students explore their Portfolio in CFWV.com. You may wish

to concentrate on one area within the Portfolio and have the students fill out their relevant information.

Resources: Lesson Plan – Creating Your Own Overall Personal Portfolio and Career Portfolio Lesson Plan – Introduction to Lifelong Portfolios Lesson Plan – Storing Your Portfolio Plus More

College Foundation of WV

Career Activity Correlations

LINKS Lesson Plan

LINKS Lessons

Teasing/Bullying ( 5.7)Conflict Resolution (5.8, 6.8)Decision Making (5.13)Learning Skills (6.16)Study Skills (7.5)Risk Taking (7.15)Attitude (8.28)

About LINKS…Can be offered for creditCourse code 7676 called LINKS

1 time per week 45/50 minutes¼ credit per year = 1 full high school credit

Online Career Course www.cfwv.com 1 time per week 45/50 minutes¼ credit per year = 1 additional full high school

credit for

2 full credits (9-12)

Practitioner’s Panel Mark Skagg – Principal – Ansted Middle School Jason Crouch - Reading/LA teacher – Ansted Middle School Samatha Gerwig - Math and Social Studies Teacher – Ansted

Middle School Katherine Miller - PE/Health teacher – Ansted Middle School George Sumner - Curriculum and Instruction Specialist for Fayette

County Schools Kent Kraft – Math Teacher – Martinsburg High School Cathy Grewe – School Counselor – Jackson Middle School

Grade level curriculum planning meetingExamine LINKS lessons for that gradeDo the fit?What are some topics that need addressed at

your schoolAre they addressed in other grade levels?Are they available in other state curriculums