Our Mission Statement
The mission of the New Mexico School Counselor Association is to promote excellence in the profession of school counseling and the development of all students.
NMSCA Goals
- Goal 1: School Counselors are valued members of the educational community at the same level as other educational professions.
- Goal 2: School Counselors are knowledgeable and educated about the role of professional school counselors and the ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling at a comprehensive and effective level.
- Goal 3: Instructors in counselor education programs are knowledgeable and educated about the role of professional school counselors and the ASCA National Model at a comprehensive and effective level.
Summary of NMSCA Beliefs and Benefits
New Mexico Public Schools ' Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program is reflective of the American School Counseling Model for School Counseling Programs. It is multi-culturally appropriate, comprehensive in its scope, preventative in its design, developmental in its nature, and an integral part of the total educational program. The Program focuses upon the three domain areas, (1) academic development, (2) career development, and (3) personal/social development. It ensures that New Mexico Public Schools meets the needs of our students, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and emphasizes academic success for every student.
For the full document of beliefs and benefits please click here.
NMSCA Bylaws are available by clicking here.
For the full document of beliefs and benefits please click here.
NMSCA Bylaws are available by clicking here.
New Mexico Comprehensive School Counseling Program Guide
Delivery System
A comprehensive school counseling program (American School Counseling Association, 2002) reaches every student in the school and is implemented by a credentialed school counselor. The ASCA National Standards delineate measurable student competencies in three areas, or domains. These are comprehensive in scope in that they encompass the Academic Domain, the Career Domain and the Personal/Social Domain of the student. The standards may be selected based on local need. A comprehensive school counseling program is preventative in design and developmental in nature. It is an integral part of the total educational program and is conducted in collaboration with the school community.
The Delivery System outlines the plan for the delivery of the NM Comprehensive School Counseling Program to students. Within the delivery system are four components: Individual Student Planning, School Guidance Curriculum, Responsive Services, and System Support.
Individual Student Planning
The Individual Planning component of the New Mexico Comprehensive School Counseling Program requires school counselors to coordinate ongoing systemic activities. These ongoing activities are designed to assist the individual student in establishing, monitoring and completing personal goals as well as developing plans for their future. In this way, counselors help all students plan and manage their own learning and help them to gain competencies in the Academic Domain, the Career Domain and the Personal/ Social Domain. This service includes advisement, assessment, placement and follow-up.
Individual planning will be an ongoing process. It will be integrated into the core curriculum by instructing students on setting short and long term goals, social skills, study skills, organizational skills, problem solving skills and decision making skills, and career awareness and career development. Students can utilize the counselor during one-on-one or group sessions for monitoring the progress of their individual planning.
School counselors are responsible for ensuring that all students have an individual plan for success and for monitoring and assisting students in the progression of their plan. The counselor, student and parents should collaborate in the planning, progression and documentation of the student's individual plan.
During the high school years this plan should be reviewed annually.
Some examples of topics within this component are:
A comprehensive school counseling program (American School Counseling Association, 2002) reaches every student in the school and is implemented by a credentialed school counselor. The ASCA National Standards delineate measurable student competencies in three areas, or domains. These are comprehensive in scope in that they encompass the Academic Domain, the Career Domain and the Personal/Social Domain of the student. The standards may be selected based on local need. A comprehensive school counseling program is preventative in design and developmental in nature. It is an integral part of the total educational program and is conducted in collaboration with the school community.
The Delivery System outlines the plan for the delivery of the NM Comprehensive School Counseling Program to students. Within the delivery system are four components: Individual Student Planning, School Guidance Curriculum, Responsive Services, and System Support.
Individual Student Planning
The Individual Planning component of the New Mexico Comprehensive School Counseling Program requires school counselors to coordinate ongoing systemic activities. These ongoing activities are designed to assist the individual student in establishing, monitoring and completing personal goals as well as developing plans for their future. In this way, counselors help all students plan and manage their own learning and help them to gain competencies in the Academic Domain, the Career Domain and the Personal/ Social Domain. This service includes advisement, assessment, placement and follow-up.
Individual planning will be an ongoing process. It will be integrated into the core curriculum by instructing students on setting short and long term goals, social skills, study skills, organizational skills, problem solving skills and decision making skills, and career awareness and career development. Students can utilize the counselor during one-on-one or group sessions for monitoring the progress of their individual planning.
School counselors are responsible for ensuring that all students have an individual plan for success and for monitoring and assisting students in the progression of their plan. The counselor, student and parents should collaborate in the planning, progression and documentation of the student's individual plan.
During the high school years this plan should be reviewed annually.
Some examples of topics within this component are:
- Study skills
- Goal setting
- Behavior planning and monitoring
- Social skills
- Bully prevention
- Promotion and retention information
- Transitions from school to school, school to work or school to higher learning
- Summer school programs
- Four-year or six-year plans
- Test score review, interpretation and analysis
- Career awareness
- Interests inventories
- Test taking strategies
- Yearly course selection
- Financial aid
- Senior exit interviews and surveys
- College selection
- Job shadowing, internships, entrepreneurship opportunities
Management System
The management of a school-counseling program is an organized effort that is concrete, clearly delineated and reflective of the school site's needs. In order to systematically deliver the guidance curriculum and address each student's developmental needs, the school counseling program must be efficiently and effectively managed. Clear expectations and purposeful interaction with all stakeholders results in a school-counseling program that is integrated into the total educational program and provides meaningful “change” on the part of students.
The organizational foundation of a school counseling program is built on systems of management, active input of an advisory council, action plans, student monitoring, use of time, calendars, use of data and a precise understanding of school counseling and non-school counseling program responsibilities. Administrators and counselors work collaboratively to analyze student data and develop action plans and implementation timelines. Administration supports school counselors in delivering the program. Counselors set up calendars to ensure program implementation, monitoring of student progress and maximizing time spent executing the school-counseling program.
Counselor/Administrator Agreements
Management agreements ensure effective implementation of the comprehensive school counseling program to meet students' needs. The school counseling staff and administrators must make management decisions based on data analysis and site needs. In addition, decisions and agreements must be made regarding the organization and assignment of counselors. It is recommended that:
- The counseling team members and administrator review and discuss data driven needs for students and school site based on data analysis.
- The school counseling team decides on a plan of action to meet student needs.
- The school counseling team and administrator agree on how students, guidance curriculum and services will be assigned to specific counselors.
- The school counseling team produces and presents yearly a draft of the management agreement
- The administrator reviews the management agreement and arrives at a consensus with the school counseling team.
- How will students be assigned to school counselors to ensure every student has access to the program and acquires the pre-determined competencies?
- Will counselors choose to specialize in different areas? Who will provide responsive services while other counselors are delivering the scheduled curriculum?
- What amount of time should be spent delivering guidance lessons, providing individual student planning, delivering responsive services and managing system support?
- Who is responsible for implementation of the various services and specialty tasks?
- How will counselors be compensated for work beyond contract hours?
- What budget is available to purchase the necessary materials and supplies to implement the program?
- What professional development is needed to support the school counselor or team's ability to provide a comprehensive school-counseling program?
- How often should the school counseling department meet as a team, with administration, with school staff and with the advisory council?
- Who decides how support services for the counseling team will be provided and organized? What role do school counseling assistants, registrars, clerks, and volunteers play on the counseling team?
2011-2012 NMSCA Board Members
Region Counties
Region I - Northwest - Cibola, McKinley, San Juan
Region II - Northeast - Rio Arriba, Taos, Mora, Colfax, Union, Harding, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Los Alamos
Region III - Central - Bernalillio, Valencia, Sandoval
Region IV - Southwest - Socorro, Catron, Grant, Sierra, Hidalgo, Luna, Dona Ana, Otero
Region V - Southeast - Eddy, Chaves, Lea, Roosevelt, Curry, Quay, De Baca, Guadalupe, Torrance, Lincoln
Region I - Northwest - Cibola, McKinley, San Juan
Region II - Northeast - Rio Arriba, Taos, Mora, Colfax, Union, Harding, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Los Alamos
Region III - Central - Bernalillio, Valencia, Sandoval
Region IV - Southwest - Socorro, Catron, Grant, Sierra, Hidalgo, Luna, Dona Ana, Otero
Region V - Southeast - Eddy, Chaves, Lea, Roosevelt, Curry, Quay, De Baca, Guadalupe, Torrance, Lincoln
President: Freida Trujillo
(505) 315-8213 Trujillo_f@aps.edu
President Elect: Charlene Lutz
(505) 401-2497 lutz@aps.edu
President Elect-Elect: Vacant
Past President: Lori Sanchez, PhD, LPC, NCC
(505) 898-6388
Lori.sanchez@bosqueschool.org
Secretary: Angelica Delgadillo
ardelgadillo03@gmail.com
Treasurer: Debbie Behnfield
(505) 934-4885
dbehnfield@comcast.net
Webmaster: Devon Ehardt Shelton, M.S., NCC
Elementary VP: Vacant
Middle VP: Vacant
Secondary VP: Royceann Storey LaFayette, Belen
505-966-2204 storeyr@belen.k12.nm.us
Post Secondary VP: Vacant
Region Representatives:
Northwest Region: Virginia Berrin, Gallup
(505)863-6649 vberrin@yahoo.com
Northeast Region: Kate Greenway, Santa Fe
505-467-2626 kgreenway@sfps.info
Southeast Region: Vacant
Southwest Region: Vacant
Central Region: Vacant
Committe Chair Representatives:
Ethics Chair: Yvonne Limon, Albuquerque
505-450-5798 yvonnerealtor@msn.com
Legislative Liaisons: Royceann Storey LaFayette, Belen
Rebekah Castillo, Albuquerque
505-414-3577 bekahac@aol.com
Membership Chair: Beth Dorado, Albuquerque
505-407-4720
dorado.elizabeth@gmail.com