Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas

CREST Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas A continuous improvement document sponsored by the Texas School Counselor Association Socorro High School Address: 10150 Alameda Phone: (915) 937-2000 Website: sisd.net Fax: (915) 859-0206 District: Socorro Independent School District Grade Levels: 9th-12th Enrollment: 2913 School Year: Year Round Ethnicity: 98.13% Hispanic SES: 85% Free/Reduced Lunch Principal: Oscar Troncoso

Principal’s Comments Dropout Recovery It was quite an honor for Socorro High School to receive 18 its first CREST Award in 2005. The impact that the CREST 16 14 12 Students philosophy and the Comprehensive Guidance Program has 10 8 had on our school is immeasurable. So, it is with great 6 4 pleasure that I submit the 2006 CREST for Socorro High 2 0 School. We are a vital school community that consists of Not Graduating Recovered over 3,000 students, faculty, staff, and parents that promote In 2006, the counseling dept. chose to work with the second the development of life skills for all its students by providing year tenth graders and monitor them very closely in order to a stimulating educational environment which offers strong help them regain lost credits. Through nova net classes, academic, social, emotional, and physical growth. individual counseling and tutoring, we were able to help 14 A huge part of this support comes from the Socorro out of 20 students maintain and improve their credits. High School Guidance and Counseling Department. In 10th Grade Course Recovery 2002, we began implementing a Comprehensive 10 n o

8 i t Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program, which is t n a e p 6 i d c u based both on the State of Texas standards and on the i t t 4 r S a

National Standards for American School Counselor’s P 2 Association (ASCA). Our Guidance and Counseling 0 passing not affected not passing droppped Department consistently meets with students, parents, classes faculty, and administration on a regular basis to ensure that # of Students the student’s academic, career, and personal needs are met. Student Results Student Support Personnel Team Our academic results continue to improve every year and The SHS Guidance and Counseling Department consists it is in part due to the interventions of the SHS Counseling of seven full-time counselors with a combined 149 years of Department. Counselors meet with students individually to experience. All counselors have a Master’s Degree in review the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Guidance and Counseling including one with L.P.C. (TAKS) scores. The TAKS scores made a substantial (Licensed Professional Counselor) certification and two with increase in language arts this year. educational administration certifications. Five of the 2005-2006 ELA TAKS Results counselors are members of the Texas Counseling 78 76 71 71 68 80 Association, two counselors are members of the American 55

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t 60 2005 2006

School Counselor Association, and two counselors are also n 50 e

c 40 members of the local association, the Trans-Pecos r e 30 Association. P 20 10 0 In addition, our department includes an assistant 9th 10th 11th principal in charge of curriculum, a registrar, a scheduling Grade Level clerk, a transcript clerk, and a counselor clerk. All our Our counseling department’s tireless efforts to promote the support staff is biliterate and they are very dedicated in college culture have paid off. Counselors met aggressively working with the counselors in providing the best service to with the seniors to encourage the American College Testing all our students. Program (ACT) Testing. As you can see, the rate of students Socorro High School is comprised of eight academies testing increased dramatically. and each counselor is assigned to an academy which include medical, math and science, teaching, business, fine arts, ACT Participation computers, human services, and vocational programs. Other duties include the GO Center, College Day and college n 70 o i t

a 2005-06 p tours, scholarships, financial aid and post-secondary i c i

t ACT year r a P information. Guidance presentations, group counseling and f o

a 36 individual counseling, and parent conferences are utilized on e Y the basis of all student needs and issues. 2004-05

School Climate and Safety 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 At Socorro High School, climate and safety is of high % Of Student Participation priority. The DASH (Drugs, Alcohol, Safety, and Health) Another area that the counseling team had an integral part Committee targets a wide variety of topics that include Drug in helping curve is the no-shows students. The counselors Prevention, Domestic Violence, and Safe Sex. In addition, were part of the team that made phone calls, searched in our guidance and counseling department offers programs cumulative folders, and made home visits in order to track that include Anger Management, Tolerance and Diversity, these students down. As you can see, the results are Empowering Girls, and conflict resolution in order to focus astounding. on the prevention and intervention of the students’ needs. Senior Recovery In 2005, the counselors worked with the seniors who failed their fourth year of school and through an aggressive 72 effort of phone calls, home visits, and counseling, the rate of 80 70 N

No Shows u t dropouts improved. m u d 40 b e Recovered e n r

t O Recovery Group 20 s f Not found 2 0 The Effective Schools Survey: survey containing five Major Achievements questions specifically relating to the counseling program is The SHS Counseling Dept. continues to be part of the completed by students, parents, and teachers success of the SHS community with various achievements. Personal/Social Domain  Socorro High School Counseling Dept. receives it first The SHS Counseling Department continually accepts CREST Award. referrals from faculty, staff, parents, and other professionals  Socorro High School was the first site in El Paso to in determining what help and support a student might be in house a GO CENTER. GO CENTER promotes higher need of. We work closely with the District Counselors on education through high school peer tutors and collegiate Special Assignment, Jane Johns and Mark Parra, and with tutors. the SHS CIS Social Worker, Margie Solorzano. In addition,  In 2003, the SHS Counseling Dept. was honored by the the students can be referred to a therapist through CIS. El Paso Collaborative for Excellence for being the Community Partnership/Resources school with the highest number of student graduate on Socorro High School and the counseling department the recommended program in the Socorro District. collaborate with numerous community partners in order to  In 2005, Socorro High School had the highest number help our students be more successful now and in the future. of students graduate on the Recommended/ and  University of Texas at El Paso: college tours, Distinguished programs in the Socorro District. representatives, class presentations,  In 2006, again SHS had the highest number of students  El Paso Community College: college tours, graduate on the Recommended and Distinguished representatives, class presentations, GO Center tutors, programs in the Socorro District. dual credit  Socorro High School had the highest number of students  Fort Bliss: Military Child Coalition Training; Military who applied to the University of Texas at El Paso. Deployment Training  Our counseling department hosts regional, state and  Optimist Clubs of El Paso: Student Appreciation national collegiate forums. Awards and Banquet  Our counseling department sponsors scholarship night,  El Paso Collaborative of Excellence: School college fair, and a financial aid workshop every year. Recognition and Grants  SHS Counseling Dept. presented two years at the  YWCA: Project Redirection and the NO KIDDING Arizona Counselor’s Academy, and at New Mexico Program both geared towards teenage pregnancies State University.  YWCA: Reach awards for outstanding senior girls and  The registration process has been improved for Banquet for outstanding 10th grade girls efficiency and organization even more so this year.  YIP: (The Youth Initiative Program) Monthly  The SHS Counseling has successfully presented to the presentation to offer support from community resources SHS Staff and Faculty with critical issues. like El Paso police Dept., Sheriff’s Dept, Social  Members of the SHS Counseling Team are members are Services the SHS Attendance Committee, the SIT Committee, Parent Volunteer Involvement and the SHS Safety Committee. School Improvement Committee: committee that includes  The Counseling Team holds a Department Retreat to staff, faculty, students, parents plan and to set goals for the upcoming year. Guidance Advisory Council: committee that meets two times  Every year, the SHS Team administers the Preliminary a year to advise and support the Counseling Department. Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) to many 9th,10th, and Parent Summit: Parent volunteers help plan and staff the 11th graders. yearly summit which offers a variety of sessions and  The Socorro High School hosted its first Vertical Team speakers for all SHS parents. Meeting and we met with all the feeder pattern LPAC Committee: District Committee that sets policy elementary and middle school counselors and shared CIS Parenting Classes: classes are given on a variety of information. topics that parents can attend Parents volunteer continuously throughout the year for various functions depending on the block activities. Measurements Parent Volunteer Coordinator: Lilly Laija 937-2000 Working together with the school administration, our counseling department utilizes a variety of measurements to Keeping you Informed continually assess student progress. The SHS Counseling Dept. utilizes a variety of ways to Academic Domain communicate with the students, staff, faculty, parents, and TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills): community: Counselors meet with students to review scores and options Personal: Classroom presentations, Evening Presentations, for remediation if needed. ARD Committee Meetings, S504 Committee Meetings, GO Course Placement: Counselors meet with students on an Center Activities, Academy/Block Meetings, Department individual basis to review proper course placement and Meetings, Department Head Meetings, Administrative scheduling. Meetings Nine week grades: Counselors meet with students after nine Print: Counseling Newsletter, College Handbooks, weeks grades are released to identify students in need of Registration Packets, Counseling Dept. Monthly Calendar, support. Scholarship Bulletin Boards, Letters sent home to parents, Special Education: Counselors meet with the Admission, Scholarship Lists, Pamphlets in Teacher Mail Review and Dismissal Committee to determine the needs of Electronic: Call-out Center System Announcements, the Special Education students. Counseling Dept. Website, E-mail Information, Marquee Section 504: Counselors meet with the Section 504 Information, and Scholarship E-mail Information to students, Coordinator, teachers, and parents to determine the needs of Staff and Faculty E-mail Information. the Section 504 students. All communications are done in English and Spanish. Career Domain Focus for Improvement PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test), SAT The Socorro High School Guidance and Counseling (Scholastic Achievement Test), ACT (American College Department is committed to continue improving services to Test), SAT II (subject specific tests): Counselors work year the SHS community through continual implementation of long in order to guide students in the college process. the Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and AP Exams: Counselors administer the Advanced Counseling Program. One of our new goals for the 2006- Placement Exams to allow students to gain college credit for 2007 school year entails increasing the number of students their AP courses. that take the Advanced Placement Testing. Career Cruising: Counselors provide this program to assist in career exploration and post-secondary options.