Back to the Basics: College Counseling Simplified

Chelette Stephenson, Director of College Counseling & Alumni Programs

 

July 8, 2015

Define College Counseling

Objectives for today      

•  Take the stress out of day-to-day activities and learn how to efficiently advise students, parents, and administrators on your campus.

•  Create actions plans for social media use, active calendaring, utilizing daily priority planning sheets, events and activities to promote college, while serving all populations to ensure equal access to college.

Who am I?

Chelette Stephenson  

@TxCollegeLady  

•  Mother of 2 children under the age of 6 & wife. •  Yes Prep-North Central, Director of College

Counseling & Alumni Program-2 years  

•  Magnolia ISD College and Career Advisor, 8 years

 

•  LPC •  ACA, TACAC & NACAC member •  2012 NSI Innovative Program •  NSI Presenter since 2010 •  Texas A&M Class of 2001

Yes Prep North Central      

•  North Central: 945 students, Public Charter School in Houston, Texas

•  Named by U.S. News & World Report as the #4 Best High School in the state of Texas, #7 Best Charter School in the Nation and #28 Best High School in the nation

•  The ethnic background of our students is as follows: Hispanic/Latino 96%

 

African-American 3% Caucasian 1%  

•  82% of our students are economically disadvantaged and qualify to receive either free/reduced price breakfast and lunch.

My Team      

•  3 ½ College Counselors including DCC •  Comprehensive college counseling, ongoing

alumni support, summer opportunities, Seminar class and strategic IMPACT Partnerships with targeted colleges and universities.

Define your Boundaries

Capture this:      

1.  What are your non-negotiables? 2.  Do you have clear boundaries that you, your

team, administrative team and others know?  

3.  How do you communicate this with others?

What are your objectives?

Why do you do what you do?

1.  Create personal & team goals 2.  Create guiding questions to ask you and/or

your team 1.  Why are we doing this? 2.  Are we doing this because we have

almost done this? 3.  Is this transformational? 4.  Does this benefits students, teachers,

families or the community.

That sounds great but how do you do it?

Daily Priority Sheet I'm thankful for;.. --------------------------  

Goal(s): _

Priorities

PEOPLE

f± People I'm waiting on.

Appointments Today

People I need to reach out to oday.

List the people you haYe to react\ Oijt to today no rratterwtoat:

List me pEOple who vou nl!l!d something from to move forward:

Priority ij1: Data Priority 112: Persistence PriJrity It: Organize

5 big t hings I must do to move this project forward :

5 big things I must do t o move this proj ect forwa rd:

5 big things Imust :lo to move thi;project forward:

1. 1. 1. 2. 2. 2. 3. 3. 3. 4. 4. 4. 5. 5. 5.

Vision Achievement Instruction Persistence Team Growth Area of Growth

Structured Check Ins

Agenda  Item   Notes   Action  Required  (Whom/When)  

Temperature  Check  (5  minutes)  

Highs/Lows  (opportunity  to  share  personal/professional  successes  and  challenges)  

Looping  You  In…  (5  minutes)  

FYIs  (This  is  where  you  provide  me  with  quick  written  updates  on  things  you  want  to  loop  me  in  on/I  want  to  be  looped  in  on,  which  we  might  engage  in  during  the  mee?ng)  

Old  Business  (10  minutes)  

Next  Steps  Review  /  Status  Updates  from  Previous  Meetings  (This  is  where  you  capture  our  next  steps  from  the  last  mee?ng  (for  both  of  us!)  and  update  on  progress)  

AR   "

Chelette  

AR   "

Chelette   "

Date   Owner   Item  

AR   "

Chelette   "

CollaboraOon  (35-­‐40  minutes)  

Collaboration  Time  (This   is  likely  1-­‐3  meaty  topics  you  would  like  me  as  a  thought-­‐partner.      When  possible,   I  would   like  you  to  come  having  thought  about  mul?ple  solu?ons  and  recommenda?on(s).       If   there   are   documents   you  would  like  feedback  on  related  to  this  agenda  item  or  ones  that  serve  as  background  informa?on,  please  paste  into  this  agenda  so  I  can  review  ahead  of  time.)  

Feedback  (15  minutes)  

Learn  from  Each  Other  /  Focus  Area  Work  (e.g.  HIRs/Goals  review)  

Next  Steps  (5-­‐10  minutes)  

Review  Next  Steps  Coming  Out  of  this  Meeting  (This  is  the  time  we  both  quickly  process  our  notes,  review  them  and  commit  to  each  other  next  steps  to  ensure  we  are  on  the  same  page.)  

Topic   Lead   Notes  

AR  

Chelette   "

Personal Professional Development      

1.  Join a professional organization and become active! (NACAC, ACA, ASCA, etc)

2.  Serve on a board or volunteer advisory group with the local college or community organization.

3.  Attend conferences outside the box. 4.  READ and encourage a book club among your

counseling team, admin team, teachers, etc.

A glance into my year

•  Alumni Programming & Support •  Alumni Send Off in August •  Alumni Luncheon (January) •  Alumni Graduation and Staff Program •  Alumni Mentor Program •  TIA Program (Teachers Inspiring Action) •  College Alumni Call Bank

•  Daily seminar classes 6th through 12 grade •  Good teaching is good counseling. Good counseling

is good teaching •  Get in the classrooms, commons…get out of your

office!

Senior Events

•  College Fly In Programs •  College Week for HS and Middle School •  College Application Deadline: November 15 •  Project Submit Lock-in •  FAFSA & TAFSA Week •  Financial Aid Deadline: February 15 •  Senior Signing Day •  Alumni Transition Event

•  Partner with colleges

•  Smart Cookie Party for PSAT testers •  Oh the Places You’ll Go to honor College

Acceptances  

•  Chalk Art for SAT/ACT Prep throughout the year. •  Social Media Presence: @NC2College and

@TXCollegeLady  

•  College Boot Camp (ACE Program) •  Chemistry Booster for outgoing Seniors

(Partnership with local college) •  Summer Opportunities Coordinator •  Spring Trips

A few other great ideas      

•  Shark Week •  9th Grade Summer Program

Questions?