DEFINE

The DEFINE component of the ASCA National Model consists of three sets of standards to address student mindsets and behaviors, ethical standards for school counselors, and professional standards and competencies for school counselors.

Vision Statement: The vision of the Joseph Lane Middle School Counseling Department is to ensure that all students gain the skills they need to become productive members of society and go on to accomplish great things as adults. In alignment with Jo Lane's vision statement, our counseling department strives for students to be members of a safe, positive, and inclusive school community where everyone is celebrated, involved, and has a sense of belonging. In concordance with the ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies, students will be empowered to become lifelong learners and prepared with the academic and social-emotional skills to contribute to their communities.

Mission Statement: The mission of the Joseph Lane Middle School Counseling Department is to empower students to fulfill their academic, career, and social/emotional development to their greatest potential by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. In alignment with Jo Lane's mission statement, we aim to equip students with the skills they need to thrive in school, community, and home settings by encouraging them to take risks, think critically, collaborate, and connect with meaningful, relevant content. We believe all students deserve access to a comprehensive school counseling program regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, physical and mental abilities, or socio-economic status.

DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS

Academic

Academic development is achieved by implementing standards-based activities to develop student skills and strategies that widen learning potential.

Career

Career development is achieved by implementing standards intended to help students connect their work in school to future job prospects and develop post-graduation plans to successfully adjust to higher education and job opportunities and future job opportunities.

Social/Emotional

Social/Emotional development is achieved by implementing standards intended to equip students with emotional regulation and management skills as well as tools and strategies for working with diverse personalities and situations.

American School Counselor Association (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

CONFIDENTIALITY & LIMITATIONS

At Jo Lane Middle school, we take student privacy seriously. It is an ethical obligation for school counselors to maintain student confidentiality with the understanding that what the student shares in individual and group counseling sessions will not be shared outside of the counseling environment.

It is also important to note that there are limitations to confidentiality in certain situations. It is an ethical and legal obligation for a school counselor to report when a student discloses that they or someone they know is being harmed or at risk of harm. This includes suspected child abuse, when an individual is a danger to themselves or others, or when law enforcement or legal situations require a breach of confidentiality. In small group counseling sessions, student participants are not guaranteed to keep private information to themselves. For this reason, a requirement for student participants is to maintain trust by keeping information confidential or risk longer participating.