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tend to involve themselves with teachers counselors as well as establishing a pro- student is in school. Often, the parent
more than school counselors. Walker, ductive and meaningful student-coun- will see the name of the counselor from
Shenker, and Hoover-Dempsey (2010) selor relationship. Parents are looking a course schedule and either know
believed the counselor-parent relation- for a positive relationship with the school this person through an older sibling or
ship is different from the relationship counselor since the school counselor have no idea. The goal of the school
between teacher-parent as the student is one person who will working closely counseling department should be to get
may only work with an individual teacher with the student for the duration of high quickly acclimated with the parents as
for one semester or school year and school. Parents expectations is that the soon as possible. An example can be
then that relationship ends. Therefore, school counselor will meet regularly to hold a Freshmen Parent Orientation
the relationship between counselors, with their child and discuss academic just as many districts hold a Fresh-
students, and parents can be viewed as course selection, working with students men Orientation for the students this is
a collaborative one where parties work on post-secondary plans, providing strictly for the parents. Allowing parents
together on long-range strategies to best individual counseling, communicating to take part and understand the where
support students for school success. regularly with students and parents, their child is attending school will help
Hughes (2008) concluded that parents and, above all, acting as a supportive to ease their fears about starting a new
having a positive working relationship advocate (Hughes, 2008). Many school school. Establishing a positive working
with the counselor leads to boosting counselors follow these guidelines when relationship quickly can build strong rap-
a student’s confidence about working meeting with students. port with parents as well as letting the
with a counselor for planning course Today, many school counselors have parents know that the school counselor
selections, reaching academic goals, access to reach out to parents, making is visible and here to support their child.
and applying post-secondary plans. An it possible to explain who they are and School counseling departments conduct
additional study conducted by Wilder what their role is to support their child. programs allowing for parents to learn
and Dee (2013) alluded that parents Although school counselors today who the counselors are; however, some
would like counselors to focus on aca- have large caseloads and it may not parents do not attend these programs.
demic counseling along with address- be as easy to have in-person meet- Parents who exhibit a desire to meet
ing behavioral concerns with students. ings, often an e-mail or phone call can with the school counselor show they are
The results of this study detailed how be the next best solution. This can motivated to build a positive relationship
parents feel less likely to know exactly allow the parents to know that their to assist their child. The same is for the
what school counselors' activities con- child’s school counselor is available school counselor to make a conscious
sist of on a daily basis. Increasing par- and concerned. With all of the duties effort to outreach to parents and es-
ent awareness of the school counseling and responsibilities that school coun- tablish a rapport. This motivation may
experience can motivate both parties selors have to manage on a daily ensure for the parents to continue this
and assist in improving student’s suc- basis, a quick e-mail or phone call effort and perhaps meet more frequently
cess in school. can lead to positive interactions with with the counselor. Additionally, this can
Communication With Parents parents. enhance the students working relation-
ship with his/her school counselor.
Parents at times feel out of the loop Although school coun-
when trying to understand what their Designing Professional
child should know with respect to selors today have large Development for School
academic courses, graduation require- caseloads and it may Counselors
ments, testing, and post-secondary not be as easy to have
options as well as career pursuits. My From my research study, I had given my
research study designed professional in-person meetings, school counselors a pre- and post-test
development for school counselors often an e-mail or phone survey to measure the effectiveness of
based on perceptions from teachers, a professional development training for
students, and parents. It was aligned call can be the next best counselors. Based on the information
with the American School Counselor solution. This can al- collected we developed an eighth grade
Association (ASCA) National Model ® low the parents to know parent survey aimed at introducing the
Framework to further understand as parents to the counseling department
school counselors what areas of our that their child’s school prior to entering high school. The survey
counseling process could be addressed. counselor is available included questions that allowed parents
Parent feedback included the impor- and concerned. to introduce themselves and their eighth
grade children to their new high school
tance of reaching out to students early counselor. The goal of this eighth grade
in the freshman year so that the student- Increase Parent Awareness survey was to foster an early start of the
counselor relationship could start just as student-counselor relationship.
the freshmen year begins. Greeting and Students entering school in particular
meeting students as they begin their for middle and high school years have The school counselors believed that
high school career may lead to increas- a school counselor assigned to them, by developing an eighth grade parent
ing student comfort levels with school usually lasting for the duration that the questionnaire before students began

Educational Viewpoints -42- Spring 2019