May 2024

Aspiring to ASCA National Model Implementation.

Andréa Donegan, DPI School Counseling Consultant

Wisconsin’s comprehensive counseling model, the ASCA National Model, is robust and is most often a work in progress in districts across the state. Obstacles abound as school counselors pursue implementation. As the school year winds down, it is likely that some of our implementation goals and plans have been sidelined as other priorities took center stage. And yet, opportunities abound and can help us dust off those goals and plans to continue our efforts to build, improve, or sustain a comprehensive school counseling program that ensures access and opportunity for all students and is informed by data and revised based on outcomes. Resources are available for Model implementation through WSCA, ASCA, and DPI. Check out and consider how they can support you in this journey. 

Our colleagues across the state are a great source of support as they grapple with some of the same challenges. For inspiration, we can turn to each other and to our new RAMP recipients as they share a bit of their experience and journey implementing the Model and pursuing the RAMP designation. Let’s start with a collective congratulations to Cindy Bourget, Elk Mound Middle School (Elk Mound Area School District), Sarah Flier, Willow River Elementary School (Hudson School District), and Ann DePagter, Regan Haulotte, Steve Schneider, Giselle Simons, Sheboygan South High School (Sheboygan Area School District) for earning the 2024 RAMP designation for their school counseling program from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).  

 How did pursuing RAMP elevate your practice? (Cindy Bourget)

The School Counselor’s role can easily be reactive if we do not use data to make decisions and focus on preventative care. That’s where I was 5 years ago: changing schools because I was so overwhelmed, questioning my decision to be a counselor, and lost in the myth that I was failing because I couldn’t, “fix students.” Working through the pandemic forced me to realize that I needed to do something differently– so I signed up for the ASCA Model Training. Becoming a “Recognized ASCA Model Program,” (a RAMP school) helped my practice to become so much more accessible for all the people I serve, while being something that I could do long term. Over three years, I have been able to grow my practice using academic, discipline, and achievement data as my guide. I now reach more students, have built capacity in my staff and community, and am able to work on systems that will support student growth long after I am gone.

What was most meaningful to you in the RAMP process? (Steve Schneider)

Our team of four counselors took a full day to identify the Mindset & Behavior Student Standards for Success that we felt were most developmentally appropriate for each grade level in our building. Then, we compared that to our existing curriculum and made adjustments to what we are teaching to each grade level in order to best align with the student standards. This was a great collaborative team process and gave us confidence that what we were providing to students through our lessons was aligned with standards that are grounded in research around student academic success. 

What was most meaningful to you in the RAMP process? (Sarah Flier)

It is meaningful to me to be able to bring this recognition to an amazing group of kids, staff, and families here at Willow River. I have staff and parents who work in a close, trusting relationship to help support their students with classroom lessons, small group and individual work; an incredible advisory council whose feedback improves the program each year; and a principal who ensures my schedule allows me to spend time using the specific set of skills school counselors have.  I may have been the one to submit the materials to demonstrate a RAMP-worthy program, but it is my school community who made it all possible.

How are your students/school/program different as a result of implementing Wisconsin’s adopted ASCA National Model? (Cindy Bourget)

I am so grateful for Wisconsin’s adopted ASCA National model–  it provides a focus for my program and a roadmap to use. With the use of the ASCA Student Mindsets and Behaviors to shape my student services I have a guideline to select topics for my universal lessons and set goals for individual students that are structured in a stakeholder friendly way. I am able to talk about my work because the Student Mindsets and Behaviors link seamlessly into what the teachers are working to do in the classroom. As we strive to work together and make sure that the limited time we have with students every day is spent well, we can work together to help students meet their academic, discipline, and attendance goals.

What else do you want to share that will resonate with educators, partners, and WI residents? (Sarah Flier)

School counseling has evolved dramatically in the past several decades. From our research-based Mindset & Behaviors standards to our proactive instruction based on academic, attendance, and discipline in our buildings, our profession functions much differently than from what I even recall as a K-12 student in Wisconsin growing up. I have had the honor of learning from and collaborating with dozens of incredible Wisconsin school counselors who are changing the lives of our kids each day. Your support in our work is essential to our ability to continue this great work!

What else do you want to share that will resonate with educators, partners, and WI residents? (Steve Schneider)

It seems that many people are surprised to learn that there is a set of Student Standards that are specific to school counseling. These standards are the heart of a school counseling program, helping define the curriculum taught, as well as the desired outcomes of small groups and individual work with students. School counselors also are able to measure the impact of their work when they show that students are attaining the standards, and that academic achievement is improving.

As we congratulate these school counselors on their outstanding achievement, we look forward to this collective journey of providing a robust school counseling program through implementation of the ASCA National Model in schools across the state.