COMPONENTS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
School Counselors
(Adapted from South Burlington School Districts Differentiated Evaluation System.)
DOMAIN 1: DOMAIN 2:
CONSULTATION AND COUNSELING AND
COORDINATION SKILLS INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
1a. Fosters constructive and respectful climate within 2a. Demonstrates the knowledge and use of various
the school. counseling theories, techniques and procedures.
1b. Works constructively with school personnel, 2b. Adheres to standards of practice regarding
parents and area resources in planning and confidentiality and ethical standards.
developing programs that meet the needs of students.
2c. Provides information to promote student self-
1c. Makes appropriate referrals. understanding and growth in individual, group and
classroom settings.
1d. Coordinates counseling and guidance services
with other curricular and instructional programs. 2d. Assists parents and students in making
appropriate educational plans and life decisions.
1e. Assists students with educational transitions.
2e. Understands the principles of human growth and
development.
2f. Understands and applies knowledge of diversity
issues.
2g. Uses communication and conflict resolution
skills effectively.
DOMAIN 3 DOMAIN 4:
INFORMATION AND PROGRAM PROFESSIONAL
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
3a. Maintains and uses relevant data following 4a. Participates actively in school meetings.
FERPA regulations around confidentiality to meet
student needs and assist others with the use of this 4b. Demonstrates professionalism.
data.
4c. Promotes positive relations between/within the
3b. Maintains and distributes to students and parents school and the community.
information concerning curriculum offerings and
other appropriate activities. 4d. Reflects on practice and sets appropriate
professional goals.
3c. Maintains skills to access and process pertinent
computer information regarding students. 4e. Contributes to the school, district and profession
through service and participation in tasks and
3d. Understands the basic concepts and principles of committees.
measurement and evaluation.
4f. Develops professionally through enhancement of
3e. Promotes and participates in aligning the content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
guidance program with the mission of the school.
3f. Determines guidance priorities based on needs
and plans tasks and activities accordingly.
FEEDBACK FORM
SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Domain 1 Consultation and Coordination Skills
COMPONENTS
Counselor Counselor is inconsistently Counselor is positively engaged in enhancing Counselor consistently models a positive
Fosters
demonstrates a pattern involved in enhancing school school climate and is aware of his/her impact attitude and takes on a leadership role in
Constructive and
of harmful climate and is unaware on the school’s climate. creating opportunities to enhance school
respectful climate
interactions with staff of the ways in which he/she is climate.
within the school.
and students. negatively impacting climate.
Works Counselor is Counselor is moderately aware Counselor works effectively with others in Counselor initiates programs that address the
constructively with conceptually unaware of and successful at developing resources for students. needs of students.
other school of and unable to advocating for students.
personnel, parents articulate the needs of
and area resources the student.
in planning and
developing
programs that meet
the needs of the
student.
Counselor fails to Counselor makes appropriate Counselor referrals reflect sound judgment Counselor acts as a resource for colleagues
make referrals when referrals inconsistently. Is and knowledge of resources. Maintains making referrals and acts as a liaison to
Makes appropriate
appropriate. Unaware aware of and uses district and uses an up-to-date listing of community community referral sources.
referrals.
of potential referrals referral list. referral services.
and resources.
Coordinates Counselor is Counselor is inconsistent in Counselor works cooperatively to ensure that Counselor initiates, monitors, and adjusts the
counseling and ineffective in coordinating programs. all students have access to guidance delivery of guidance services to respond
guidance services coordinating programs and services. to the needs of students and staff.
with other programs.
curricular and
instructional
programs.
Assists students Counselor is Counselor completes some Counselor establishes a well-organized, Counselor annually reflects upon and plans
and staff with ineffective in setting transition tasks. publicized, and executed transition program. ways to constructively improve the
educational up and executing process.
transitions. transition tasks.
FEEDBACK FORM
SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Domain 2 Counseling and Interpersonal Skills
COMPONENTS
Demonstrates the Counselor displays little Counselor displays basic knowledge Counselor’s work reflects understanding of counseling Counselor demonstrates extensive content knowledge
knowledge and use of knowledge of counseling but cannot make connections between theories, techniques, and practices. with evidence of continuing pursuit of such knowledge.
various counseling theories, techniques, and theories, techniques, and practices.
theories, techniques practices.
and practices.
Adheres to standards Counselor is unaware of Counselor follows guidelines Counselor communicates guidelines to students, families, Counselor serves as a resource for colleagues in
of practice regarding guidelines and violates inconsistently. and staff and follows them consistently. matters regarding confidentiality maintains a high
confidentiality and confidentiality and ethical level of current knowledge of standards and best
ethical conduct. standards unnecessarily. practice.
Provides information Counselor’s presentation is Counselor’s presentation is somewhat Counselor presents information/material that is Counselor’s presentation encourages students to gain
to students that poorly organized and/or not organized and developmentally developmentally suitable and supports the instructional self-understanding based on their individual needs.
promotes growth and developmentally appropriate. appropriate. goal of having students be meaningfully engaged in
self-understanding learning.
through
individual, group, and
classroom settings.
Assists parents and Counselor provides minimal Counselor makes modest and Counselor’s efforts to engage parents and students are Counselor responds frequently and successfully to
students in making information to parents and inconsistent attempts to engage frequent and successful. parent and student concerns with great sensitivity.
appropriate students and/or fails to respond parents and students.
educational plans and sensitively to their needs.
life decisions.
Understands and Counselor displays minimal Counselor applies basic knowledge of Counselor’s knowledge of developmental characteristics Counselor demonstrates of understanding of
applies the principles knowledge of the the developmental characteristics of enhances the student well being. developmental characteristics as well as
of human growth and developmental characteristics students. acknowledgement of student uniqueness, and
development. of students. exceptions to patterns.
Counselor displays little Counselor recognizes the value of Counselor is consistently sensitive to issues of diversity. Counselor raises an awareness of diversity issues in a
Understands and
knowledge of diversity issues diversity issues but displays this variety of settings.
applies knowledge of
and does not indicate that such knowledge inconsistently.
diversity issues.
knowledge is valuable.
Counselor’s lack of knowledge Counselor inconsistently applies Counselor and group member interactions are friendly Counselor’s efforts result in group members
Uses the group setting and skill in group dynamics knowledge of group dynamics and and respectful. Counselor’s knowledge of group exhibiting desired behavior change and/or
to facilitate behavior does not facilitate cooperation students exhibit minimal respect for dynamics is evident in the skill development and self-understanding and they are able to transfer this to
change and self- and personal growth. counselor and group members. behavior change in the group. other settings.
understanding.
Uses communication Counselor’s failing to use Counselor inconsistently uses some Counselor consistently and effectively deescalates Counselor is viewed as an example by colleagues and
and conflict resolution constructive communication communication and conflict resolution conflict situations and improves group dynamic through administrators for his/her effective use of
skills effectively. and conflict resolution skills. skills. the use of communication skills. communication and conflict resolution skills.
FEEDBACK FORM
SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Domain 3 Information and Program management
COMPONENTS
Maintains and uses Counselor’s system of Counselor’s system is Counselor’s system is fully effective and follows Counselor’s system serves as a model for record
relevant data maintaining and using rudimentary and poorly organized FERPA. keeping.
following FERPA student data is in disarray and FERPA is not followed
regulations around and counselor is unaware consistently.
confidentiality of FERPA regulations.
to meet student needs
and assist others with
the use of this data.
Maintains and Counselor is unaware of Counselor makes inconsistent Counselor is knowledgeable and responsive to Counselor remains current, anticipates needs,
distributes to students curricular attempts to inform families and needs for information. and provides relevant information to all
and families offerings/resources. students. concerned.
information
concerning curricular
offerings and other
appropriate activities.
Maintains skills to Counselor has minimal Counselor has adequate computer Counselor demonstrates proficient computer skills Counselor uses skills to train others.
access and process computer skills and does skills and accesses some district and uses district technology support to further skill
pertinent computer not access district technology support. development.
information technology
regarding students’ support.
records.
Understands the basic Counselor lacks Counselor has a basic Counselor has a working knowledge of and is able Counselor serves as a resource to colleagues and
concepts and understanding of basic understanding but has some to accurately convey significance of data. uses data to help in assessing school needs.
principles of concepts and principles of difficulty explaining the
measurement and measurement and significance of data.
evaluation. evaluation.
Promotes and Counselor avoids dialogue Counselor participates in dialogue Counselor promotes and participates in the Counselor routinely initiates dialogue and
participates in and reflection regarding and reflection if specifically dialogue and reflection necessary to align the reflection with school staff to align the guidance
aligning the guidance the guidance program’s asked. guidance program with the school’s mission. program with the school mission.
program with the alignment with the
mission of the school. school’s mission.
Determines guidance Counselor fails to identify Counselor erratically considers Counselor consistently prioritizes and connects Counselor is aware of and prioritizes emerging
priorities based on priorities; tasks and needs in planning tasks and activities with demonstrated needs. building needs and assists in developing a
needs and plans tasks activities are unrelated. activities. proactive plan. (to further the school’s vision).
and activities
accordingly.
FEEDBACK FORM
SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Domain 4 Professional Responsibilities
COMPONENTS
Counselor avoids being Counselor participates in school Counselor volunteers to actively participate in Counselor volunteers to participate, makes a
Participates actively
involved in school meetings when specifically asked. school meetings. substantial contribution, and assumes a leadership
in school meetings.
meetings. role.
Demonstrates Counselor makes Counselor demonstrates Counselor works as part of a team to ensure that Counselor plays a leadership role in team decision-
professionalism. decisions based on self- inconsistent but well-meaning student needs are met. making to ensure that decisions are based on
serving interests or lets consideration of student, family, the highest professional standards and
personal issues affect job and staff needs. consistently result in student needs being met.
performance resulting in
unmet student needs.
Promotes positive Counselor relationships Counselor maintains cordial Counselor’s relationships are characterized by Counselor is sought out by members of school and
relations with colleagues and relationships with colleagues and support and cooperation. community as valued resource.
between/within the community are negative or community members.
school and the self-serving.
community.
Counselor is unaware of Counselor shows general Counselor is aware of and reflects on best practice Counselor thoughtfully reflects on best practice
Reflects on practice
best practice and does not awareness of best practice and and sets appropriate professional goals to and engages with colleagues in setting appropriate
and sets appropriate
set appropriate sets minimally appropriate further development. professional goals that serve as a model.
professional goals.
professional goals. professional goals.
Contributes to the Counselor avoids Counselor participates when Counselor volunteers and makes a contribution. Counselor volunteers, participates, makes a
school, district and becoming involved. specifically asked. significant contribution, and assumes a leadership
profession through role.
service and
participation in
committees/teams.
Develops Counselor does not Counselor participates in Counselor seeks out opportunities for professional Counselor seeks out opportunities for professional
professionally engage in professional professional activities to a limited development and systematically development, systematically
through development. extent when they are convenient. incorporates that knowledge into practice. incorporates that knowledge into practice and
enhancement of creates opportunities to share knowledge with
content knowledge colleagues.
and pedagogical
skills.