Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT: ACADEMIC STUDY GROUPS 1

Capstone Project: Academic Study Groups

Jessica Tartaglia

May 18, 2020

A paper submitted in partial

fulfillment of the requirements of City University’s

Professional School Counseling Program

Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 2

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe the importance of academic study groups within a school

counseling program. An academic study group intervention was developed for implementation

for fourth and fifth grade students within a Washington elementary school in the hopes of

increasing strategies and techniques for classroom achievement and success. The participants of

these study groups are students who are below grade level in ELA (English, Language Arts) and

could benefit from support in studying and organization strategies before state testing. The

participants were planned to undergo an 8-week, small-group intervention cycle where they

could focus on and practice skills within time-management, organization and goal-setting. The

global pandemic of COVID19 as well as school closures and remote instruction changed the

course of implementation of study groups within the counseling program of this elementary

school, causing the intervention to come to a halt after only two weeks of instruction. Therefore,

this paper will discuss the plans for implementation, literature reviews and reasoning, expected

outcomes of the intervention and affects that these small groups could have had on the selected

set of students as well as the potential changes that the COVID19 pandemic could have on the

future of academics.
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 3

Description of School Community

This study of academic study groups was conducted at Twin Lakes Elementary in the

Federal Way School District of Washington. Based on (OSPI, 2020) this elementary school has a

population of 365 students ranging from preschool to fifth grade. The breakdown of the student

population by demographic is currently at 34.5% White, 24.5% Hispanic/Latino, 15.3%

Black/African American, 12.9% Two or More Races, 7.4% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and

4.9% Asian. There is a fairly even gender enrollment with 48.5% Female and 51.5% Male

students. Student program enrollment rates include 17% of students with disabilities, 12.6% of

students who are English Language Learners, 4.4% of students who are homeless and 60.5% of

families who are low-income.

Academically OSPI (2020) reported Twin Lakes Elementary at a 55% proficiency level

in ELA (English/Language Arts) based on the SBA (School Based Assessment). Within math,

Twin Lakes reported a 49.1% proficiency rate along with a 40.7% proficiency rate in science.

This SBA score report showed an increase in ELA scores of 39.8% and a math increase of 48.6%

from the previous school year.

Twin Lakes has shown trends of decreasing exclusion from the classroom due to

behavioral violations. In the 2015-16 school-year, exclusionary data was at 8.7%. That

percentage has shown a steady decrease to the 4.3% currently reported for the 2018-19 school

year. The decrease of educator turnover rate in the school has allowed for the staff as a whole to

participate in ongoing professional development to deepen awareness and understanding in many

areas of behavior and discipline.

Twin Lakes has many community connections that support with various needs of the

school. Local connections with Lifeway Church provides many basic needs for students such as

food, clothing, etc. Lifeway along with Right at Schools also provide childcare options for the
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 4

families within the school population. Twin Lakes has created partnerships with Sylvan Learning

Center that supports ongoing learning for students who need it. Many local organizations such as

Valley Cities provide wrap-around services that support students and families with the

knowledge and supports to help their children thrive and achieve. Twin Lakes has utilized these

connections as well as many others to ensure student success.

The staff of Twin Lakes Elementary collaborated to create a mission statement that drives

the work done every day with students and families. “Twin Lakes’ mission is to collaborate with

staff, students, families, and the community to maintain a learning focused culture where each

scholar feels connected, safe and empowered to contribute and achieve at their highest level”

(Twin Lakes Elementary, 2020). This mission statement was created and agreed upon by all staff

members within the school in order to increase student well-being and achievement.

Problem Statement

(American School Counselor Association, 2019) provides school counselors with

mindsets and behaviors for student success. These mindsets and behaviors were created to

support students towards academic achievement, social/emotional learning and college and

career readiness. The school counseling program at Twin Lakes Elementary has, up to the

present school year, focused primarily on the behavioral standards within ASCA (American

School Counselor Association). All school counseling that has been provided to students and

staff has revolved around SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) to support the decrease of student

exclusion due to behavioral violations. Therefore, there is a gap in the school counseling

curriculum within the realm of academic achievement. The decreasing trend of behavioral

exclusion that has occurred over the past 4 year has allowed for more time and commitment for

academic mindsets and behaviors to be implemented throughout the school.

Although the 2018-19 school year SBA scores show a growth increase in each subject

area from the previous year, there is still a large percentage of students who have not reached
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 5

proficiency. The lack of academic focus within the school counseling program at Twin Lakes is

leaving the near 50% of students who are below standards in the ELA, math and science subject

areas without support or strategies to achieve.

Literature Review

The importance of academic achievement in elementary school has been validated by

many research studies throughout the years. The following studies provide examples and

clarifications of the variety of ways that elementary aged children are cognitively and

emotionally affected by academic achievement.

The role of a school counselor includes a range of topics to cover with students, one of

which is academic development. Through a single case study approach, Kamrath & Brooker

(2018) analyzed the impact that academic advisement intervention had on three areas: student

achievement, perception of schoolwork, attitudes towards school and potential for future success.

To conduct this study, (Kamrath & Brooker) collected attendance, classroom grades and office

discipline referrals as well as perception survey data from the 500 elementary student

participants. Through action research, a 6-week small group intervention was implemented

covering topics including time and emotional management, study skills, procrastination and

organization. Overall, the results of this data showed significant improvements in terms of

academic success in the classroom. Not only did assignment scores improve within the

classroom but standardized test scores did as well. Perception data from the students and parents

also showed an increase in positive attitudes towards school and progress leading to a decrease in

behavior violations and discipline referrals. This study provided proof that academic advisement

within a school counseling model can have significant implications on academic achievement

and positive perceptions of school in elementary-aged children.

Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory introduces the ZPD (Zone of Proximal

Development). The ZPD is described by a level of learning where a student is able to push their
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 6

thinking to new understandings with the support of an MKO (More Knowledgeable Other).

Danish, Saleh, Andrade, & Bryan (2017) utilized the Vygotsky’s theory of the ZPD while

observing complex systems of thinking. The importance of an educator understanding a students’

ZPD can greatly support their participation, engagement and behavior in the classroom. “It thus

becomes important to distinguish between what a student is currently capable of (their current

developmental level), what they might do with some assistance (their ZPD), and those tasks that

are currently beyond their ability to engage with (outside their ZPD)” (Danish et al. 2017). This

study supports the thinking that a student’s ZPD has a close correlation with their sociocultural

interactions. (Danish et al.) work with groups of 5 students in which they introduce new

information through BeeSign software about honeybees. Each group is provided with a different

level of scaffolding: in other words, MKOs of varying degrees. The process of this study

included the students’ navigation of BeeSign and a post-participation questionnaire about

honeybees. The results of the questionnaire responses provided a strong alignment to the ZPD

theory. (Danish et al.) describes how the results of this study support the demonstration that the

areas students needed MKO assistance with can support the identification of future lesson

assistance that may be needed that could be planned for accordingly. The ZPD may be different

for each student in a school environment and therefore, an educator’s understanding of each

student’s ZPD and supports needed will support the amount of academic proficiency achieved in

a classroom.

Goal setting can often be a strong predictor of proficiency and achievement in a

classroom setting. Valle et al. (2016) implemented a study with elementary aged students in

which they identified the connection between homework and academic success. The goal was

not to look at the amount of homework being completed but the process in which students took

in completing it. In other words, how a student’s cognitive and behavioral homework

engagement influences motivation and academic achievement. This study was conducted using
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 7

students between the ages of 9 and 13 years old. Valle et al. analyzed the learning goals students

had set, their approach to homework which included the organization of work and the time spent

on homework. Through the use of a questionnaire, students responded to the afore-mentioned

topics and their in-class, academic performance was measured to identify correlations. The

results of this study showed significant connections between homework completion and

academic achievement. “In addition, the present study also confirms the importance of students'

effort and commitment to doing homework, showing that academic achievement is also related

with students' desire and interest to learn and improve their skills” (Valle et al.). Although the

limitations of this study such as the research design that was used as well as fact that some of the

data was based on perception data, the result discussion of this study supports the importance of

the ASCA academic mindsets and behaviors including time management, organizational skills

and goal setting.

Self-management includes skills that are crucial in academic development. Briesch

DuBois, Briesch, Hoffman, Struzziero & Toback (2017) conducted a study of self-management

counseling intervention with students and the implications on academic motivation and

classroom behavior. This study discussed the benefits of a small group counseling model on 20

teacher-nominated middle school students who were struggling with academic enabling

behaviors in the classroom setting. Students participated in bi-weekly small group counseling

sessions focused around self-management strategies including goal-setting and progress-

tracking. The results of the interventions demonstrated an increase in academic enabling

behaviors in the classroom leading to improved proficiency and achievement in academic areas.

The limitations of this study including absences, teacher management techniques and

relationships and the academic-enabling behavior observation reliability did not decrease the

implications that this study provided for future counselors. “Furthermore, results and limitations

of this study can be used to inform the successful development and implementation of similar
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 8

self-management groups within schools” (Briesch DuBois et al. 2017).

A child’s self-efficacy is an important contributor of school performance. School

counselors play a critical role in fostering self-efficacy in students. Lee & Jonson-reid (2016)

explored the impact that self-efficacy had on reading achievement of students in primary grade-

levels. This study focused on 881 students at risk of reading failure within first, second and third

grade. The participants were given a Likert-Scale questionnaire pertaining to the ease or

difficulty of reading topics such as learning letter sounds. The responses to the questionnaire

were analyzed against classroom assignments and assessment scores. The results of this study

showed a strong correlation between students with high self-efficacy and reading growth and

proficiency. In other words, students who rated themselves higher on the scale based on their

reading abilities typically scored higher within classroom reading tasks. “If replicated, these

findings suggest that efforts to improve reading should go beyond reading skills in order to also

target improvements to child’s self-efficacy about their ability” (Lee & Jonson-reid). One

limitation to this study was the use of perception data of students at young ages. However, the

outcomes of the data provided strong implications for school employees and parents to support

students with interventions for increasing self-efficacy. Therefore, school counselors who utilize

interventions geared towards self-efficacy can greatly improve student achievement in the

classroom.

MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) is a construct that allows schools to provide the

necessary supports for students in a systematic way. School counselors often use the MTSS

framework to provide leveled behavior and academic interventions to students based on their

needs (Ziomek-Daigle, Goodman-Scott, Cavin, & Donohue, 2016). A study conducted by

Ziomek-Daigle et al. (2016) analyzed the integration of the MTSS framework within the

comprehensive school counseling program at a middle school. Within Tier I of the school, or

whole school population, school counselors utilized universal screeners to address the needs of
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 9

the student body in addition to providing lessons to all classrooms using a school-wide

curriculum. Within Tier II of the MTSS model, school counselors target a group of students who

need more intentional instruction at a level that is more directed to deepen and solidify

understanding. At the Tier III level, counselors worked with individual students on intensive,

specified instruction based on each student’s needs. This case study provided evidence of the

benefits that an MTSS model can have on a school counseling program. “Focusing on the

overlap between MTSS and comprehensive school counseling programs leads to a data-driven,

evidence-based focus on improving school climate, as well as student equity, access, and

academic and behavioral success, meeting the needs of students across all three tiers” (Ziomek-

Daigle et al. 2016).

In 2017, Dietrichson, Bøg, Filges & Klint Jørgensen looked into the impact of academic

interventions for low-socioeconomic students in elementary and middle school. Academic

achievement has proven to be less common amongst LSE (Low-socioeconomic) students. “The

evidence indicates that significant differences in cognitive development and school readiness

between high and low SES students are present already prior to school starting age” (Dietrichson

et al. 2017). Therefore, this study aimed to address the benefits of targeted academic

interventions for LSE students within their school achievement. Based on the intervention model

implemented at the selected elementary and middle schools within the meta-analysis, results of

small-group instruction, increased resources and targeted feedback for students proved to have

significant positive results for LSE students. The limitations of this meta-analysis include a

number of studies that were excluded based on particular variable inconsistencies; form of

assessment, higher levels of education, etc. These studies could have provided many supportive

factors towards the impact of academic information. However, the study of Dietrichson et al.

reinforces the notion that targeted academic interventions for LES students can help to bridge the

academic achievement gap.

Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 10

Management techniques in school have a great deal of impact on academic engagement.

One case study conducted by (Gage, Scott, Hirn & MacSuga-Gage, 2018) analyzed the effects of

classroom management strategies used by teachers from 65 elementary schools on student

engagement and behavior. Within this study, teachers implemented different levels of

management techniques varying from time management to opportunities for student response.

Observations were made in these classrooms in which data was noted of student time on task as

well as analysis of student behaviors. Based on the findings of this study, Gage et al. discussed

“teachers in the Low Rates of Classroom Management Practices Class had the lowest average

percentage of time teaching, pointing to the link between explicitly teaching and student

engagement”. The limitations of this study include the vast number of environmental variables

that could not be controlled that could be considered of equal importance in student engagement.

However, the results of this study support the idea that techniques used in schools such as

opportunities for student response or time management have high impact on student engagement.

The more engagement strategies that are present within instruction, the higher amount of time on

task students will take part in. Thus, increasing academic achievement and decreasing disruptive

behaviors in the classroom.

The previously mentioned studies support the use of academic study groups within a

school counseling program. The connections to these studies provided a foundation for the

implementation of academic study groups at Twin Lakes Elementary.

ASCA Goal & Plan

Academic study groups at Twin Lakes Elementary were planned to support study skills

and strategies to support academic achievement. Currently the school counseling program at

Twin Lakes prioritizes social-emotional (SEL) interventions and curriculum focus. However, the

trend for behavioral discipline has decreased drastically within the last 4 years. This drop in

behavioral violations has increased the amount of space within the counseling program to focus
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 11

on academic support and achievement. Based on the 2019, 5th grade IRLA (Independent Reading

Level Assessment), student proficiency in ELA is at 46%. By June of 2020, 5th grade ELA

proficiency will increase by 10% putting them at 56% proficiency based on June IRLA scores.

This will support alignment of 5th grade proficiency with the proficiency of 3rd grade (58.3%) and

4th grade (56.8%) students.

The ASCA Closing the Gap Action Plan was used to support the planning and

implementation of the academic study group. The Closing the Gap plan for the academic support

groups (Figure 1) consist of two different activities for the 8-week intervention. The first activity

for the group is goal setting. American School Counselor Association (2019) supports goal

setting through the mindset “M4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long

learning are necessary for long-term career success” and the behavior standards “B.LS 4 Apply

self-motivation and self-direction to learning” and “B.LS 7 Identify long- and short-term

academic, career and social/ emotional goals”. The curriculum used in group sessions includes 4

lessons that allow the student participants to work on determining life-long goals, narrowing

those to short-term goals that will help them achieve long-term goals, connecting their short-term

goals to their IRLA power goals that is assigned by their teachers and progress monitoring

themselves throughout the eight weeks. The timeline for this portion of the intervention was

planned to span four of the eight weeks of intervention, beginning in the week of March 2nd,

2020 and ending the week of March 23rd, 2020 with each group meeting once per week. The first

session of this intervention will serve as an introduction to the group; showing students the

schedule for the sessions and conducting the perception survey. This survey will focus on what

the current knowledge and understanding of goals that students already have. Questions will

consist of some Likert-Scale questions in which students rate themselves on a scale of 1-5 based

on their feelings related to goal setting: “I think goals are important in life”, “I follow through

with my goals”, etc. Other questions will allow students to provide a written response of their
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 12

own: “One goal I have in my life is…”. Students will also have the opportunity during the goal-

setting portion of the intervention to connect their knowledge of goal-setting to the IRLA power

goals that are set by their classroom teachers. These power goals are connected to the area of

reading that each individual student needs to focus on in order to make reading growth. For

example, a student reading at a fifth-grade level may have a power goal around identifying word

meanings based on root words, whereas a student reading at a third-grade level may have a

power goal focused on decoding three-syllable words. Individual power goals will be used to

guide goal setting and monitoring throughout each session of the intervention.

The second activity for the small-group intervention is focused on study skills. This

portion of the intervention includes self-created lessons about organization, time management

and focusing attention. The mindsets and behaviors provided by American School Counselor

Association (2019) are “M5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality

results and outcomes”, “B.LS 3 Use time-management, organizational and study skills” and

“B.LS 8 Actively engage in challenging coursework”. The lessons within the study skills portion

of the small-group intervention were planned to span the final four weeks of the eight-week

cycle beginning the week of March 30th, 2020 and ending the week of April, 27th, 2020. This

time frame was planned to skip the week of April 6th, 2020 due to Spring Break. Students will

participate in a perception survey during this portion of intervention in which they will describe

what their current routine looks like during different times of their day; read to self, homework

time, etc. The outcome data for the eight-week, small-group intervention is the IRLA levels of

individual students along with the “reader engagement level” that is assessed by the teacher.

The overall outcome data of IRLA reading level, power goal progression and reader

engagement score will allow assessment of the impact of the intervention for the eight students.

Implementation

The initial plans for the group were presented and discussed with the School Counselor
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 13

and Principal of Twin Lakes Elementary. During this discussion, the team brainstormed further

ideas and fine-tuned the plans in order to begin implementation. The participants for the

academic study groups were strategically identified. When analyzing the IRLA (Independent

Reading Level Assessment) database, at 47.6%, fifth grade students were at the lowest rate of

proficiency; 9% lower than the second lowest grade at 56.8% proficiency. Therefore, fifth grade

was identified as the target grade level of focus. A deeper look at the fifth-grade subgroup of

students showed 30.2% of students “at-risk”, meaning they are performing within a year below

the fifth-grade benchmark. This analysis also showed 20.6% (15 individuals) of fifth-grade

students performing in the “emergency” tier, meaning they are performing more than a year

below the benchmark. The analysis of individual students began with a closer look at the

students performing in the “emergency” level. Six students performing within this tier were

receiving SPED (special-education) services for ELA outside of the classroom. The remaining

nine students in this tier were receiving ELL (English-Language Learner) or ELA intervention

support outside of the classroom. Therefore, analysis for counseling academic groups focused

primarily on students in the “at-risk” tier which included 19 students. Eight of these students

were receiving ELL or ELA intervention support, in which case, students in the “at-risk” tier

who were not receiving any outside-supports for academics were identified for counseling

groups. The eleven students that were identified were submitted to the three, fifth-grade

classroom teachers to collect teacher perspectives on which students would most benefit from the

learning goals of the group. The teacher-nominations provided 8 specified students to

communicate further with.

Once the eight students were identified, family communication was initiated. Phone calls

were made to parents/guardians to describe the goals, activities and intended outcomes the

academic study groups would provide. Consent letters with the group information were sent

home with students. With signed and returned consent forms, the eight participants were divided
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 14

into two small-groups with four students in each. This intervention cycle was planned to span

eight weeks, beginning March 2nd, 2020 and ending the week of April 27th, 2020 with each group

meeting once per week. This time frame was planned intentionally to lead up to state SBA

testing that occurs throughout the month of May. The rationale for this time-frame was to

frontload these students with skills and strategies to increase their learning to support the stress

that comes with SBA testing. The second intention for the time-frame of the intervention cycle

was to prepare the participating students with academic support and study skills before beginning

middle school the following year.

The weekly meetings for these groups were scheduled during fifth-grade lunch so that

students would not miss out on any academic time in the classroom. The initial meeting took

place for group one on March 2nd and group two on March 3rd. This meeting served as an

introduction to the group and an overview of the eight weeks. The students began by creating

group norms. Examples included: “be on time”, “share your thoughts and ideas” and “what

happens in group, stays in group”. The students also participated in the initial goal-setting

perception survey. This survey showed room within the students’ mindsets for lots of

improvement and further knowledge needed on goal-setting. However, six out of the eight

students did have a long-term goal for what they wanted to do with their life; the future career

they wanted. The two students that were not able to decide on a life-goal were tasked with the

responsibility to brainstorm an idea they could use during the next meeting of a job they would

be interested in doing as an adult.

The second meeting that took place the week of March 9th, 2020 allowed students to take

a closer analysis of their long-term, life-goal and narrow it down. After reviewing the group

norms, students had the opportunity to use a worksheet to list out their long-term goal and dissect

it into short-term goals that will help achievement of the long-term goal. The long-term goals

were narrowed down using the worksheet until they were geared towards goals that could be
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 15

accomplished within the remainder of the school-year. As the session came to a close, students

were tasked with bringing their classroom IRLA journal which has a collection of their IRLA

power goals.

The intervention cycle came to an abrupt halt after the second session due to the

COVID19 pandemic. The global outbreak of COVID19 caused school closures across the

country to promote social-distancing. Therefore, the remaining 6-weeks of the academic study

group interventions did not continue.

Results

The results of the academic study groups could not be collected. The school closures

caused by the COVID19 pandemic did not allow for implementation of the groups throughout

the eight-week intervention cycle. The information collected within the two weeks of group

implementation did not provide enough data to use towards result analysis.

Internship Reflection

The internship that I experienced at Twin Lakes Elementary was full of many moments;

moments that excited me, challenged me and pushed me towards growth. Since August of 2019,

I have participated in various counseling roles and activities at Twin Lakes that have helped me

to understand the value of school counselors in the education system. I have been an employee at

Twin Lakes Elementary since August of 2014; as a first-grade teacher from 2014-2018 and then

as a preschool-fifth grade instructional coach from 2018-present. When deciding on where I was

hoping to do my internship, I considered going to other elementary schools to experience a

variation of students, staff, methods, environments, etc. However, due to finances and

responsibilities within my role as instructional coach, I ultimately decided to participate in my

internship at Twin Lakes.

There were several pros and cons that this decision provided. Interning at my current

work site allowed for me to continue with my roles and responsibilities without needing to take a
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 16

leave of absence or multiple days off to intern in a different location. However, this created a

very loaded daily work schedule for the entire year. Not only was I working my daily

instructional coaching hours but I added on hours to my schedule before and after school as well

as using many of my lunches and planning blocks to put in my internship time. Simultaneously

working both an instructional coaching job with a counseling internship was extremely difficult

to balance at times. Within the first couple of months, it was easy for me to lose track of meeting

times and locations, forget a classroom to visit or even double or triple book myself due to the

workload. With City University classes and coursework on top of it all, I was overwhelmed.

Over time, I learned to manage it all in different ways. It caused me to restructure my

organization methods and time management countless times. Although, as all of these challenges

and struggles felt as though they were pushing me past my limits, it instead pushed me towards

growth and a better understanding of what I’m capable of.

The positives that I have gained from my internship experience are far greater than I

could have hoped. The amount that I was able to be a part of with the students, staff and families

of the Twin Lakes population grew exponentially throughout this year. I took so much pleasure

in assisting teachers in setting up peace corners in their rooms and supporting them with Second

Step and other SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) lessons. I was able to create relationships with

a much wider span of students through classroom lessons, small-group activities and one-to-one

counseling and advising. My years as a first-grade teacher gave me the opportunity to work with

all of my students through their success and challenges, but in my classroom teacher role, I never

felt as though I could provide every individual student the time and attention they truly needed.

Through counseling at Twin Lakes, I was able to support students on a much more personalized

level than I’d ever been able to before. Conversations around friendships, homelessness, family

relationships and suicide were just a few of the most impactful conversations I was able to take

part in and support students through. Although difficult topics arose with students, they also
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 17

provided the most growth opportunity for me as I worked with these students to overcome their

challenges and barriers. Even though I have worked in this school for many years, this internship

allowed me to see and experience parts of the school environment that I hadn’t experienced

before.

Impact of COVID19

My internship experience changed significantly on Thursday, March 12th, 2020; the day

the Federal Way Public Schools superintendent and Twin Lakes principal announced the

upcoming school closure. Emotions were high on that Thursday afternoon by both students and

staff that included curiosity, confusion, anxiety, fear, panic and even excitement by some. The

final day and a half that I spent within the walls of Twin Lakes were spent spreading support to

wherever I could. As an instructional coach, my role included copying work packets for teachers

and covering classrooms so that teachers could step out to get everything in order to send home

with students. My role as a counseling intern included supporting the heightened emotions that

were occurring school-wide; responding to behaviors in classrooms and conversing and problem

solving with teachers and students.

Counseling remotely was a very interesting experience. The global pandemic and social-

distancing has been new territory for everyone; something we are all experiencing for the first

time, together. Therefore, the biggest challenged my mentor counselor and I faced was what the

best way to communicate with families is and what the appropriate amount of communication is.

Together, we collaborated on phone calls to families, beginning with the entire Twin Lakes

population and then phasing towards weekly phone calls to students who were a part of our Kids

2 Love program and Check-in/Check-out program. These programs include students who require

behavioral support and also students who would benefit from positive adult relationships at the

school giving them personalized daily check-ins with an adult. Since these programs have both

been in place for these students throughout the school year, it was important to continue check-
Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 18

ins with them as often as possible during this time of social-distancing; showing students that

they still matter and are cared for.

Future Implications of COVID19

I have experienced many thoughts about the future implications that the COVID19 global

pandemic will have. I feel as though the closures of schools, businesses and facilities will have

very negative effects on economics, possibly leading towards a recession for our country. School

closures, although taking part in remote/online learning, may cause this generation of students to

miss out on learning opportunities causing them to be academically behind where they may have

been without the pandemic.

However, as dangerous and frightening a global pandemic may be, I strongly feel that it

will blossom some positive outcomes. Our community is coming together in ways that they

haven’t before. People are spreading awareness, kindness and safety in new and enlightening

ways to those who need it. Essential workers are being celebrated in ways that they haven’t been

in the past. Humanity is changing because of COVID19 in ways that wouldn’t have occurred

otherwise.

Our students are learning far more during this time than many people assume. Within an

elementary school I have seen children as young as kindergarten participating in online learning,

giving them further understanding and knowledge of technology that will benefit their future use.

Further than that, our students are learning compassion, empathy and the importance of reaching

out to others in need. They are working to overcome challenges and obstacles they never would

have faced within the walls of a classroom. We as school counselors are counseling and

supporting these children in new ways, expanding skill sets and strategies that will benefit all

future students.

Professional Goals

This internship experience has provided me the opportunity to reflect on my professional

Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 19

goals in new ways. Within the school building, my goals as a school counselor include taking

more initiative in implementing strategies, activities and supports in areas that I view necessary.

My goal for becoming an elementary school counselor will require a strong initiative. As an

intern counselor, I sought thoughts and permissions from my mentor counselor for everything I

did. I look forward to seeking out improvements and implementations that could be made on my

own within my own program.

Within remote learning, my goals as a school counselor include gaining further

understanding and ideas for student support. If remote learning continues throughout the 2020-21

school year, it will require development for school counseling in ways to better connect with

students and families of the school community regularly past a simple phone call.

Conclusion

My internship at Twin Lakes Elementary has led to growth and development that have

supported my progress towards becoming a school counselor. With all the success and

challenges that I have faced this year, I look forward to applying all that I have learned in my

future role as an elementary school counselor.

Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 20

References

American School Counselor Association. (2019). Asca national model: a framework for school

counseling programs. Alexandria, VA.

Briesch DuBois, J. M., Briesch, A. M., Hoffman, J. A., Struzziero, J., & Toback, R. (2017).

Implementing self-management within a group counseling context: Effects on academic

enabling behaviors. Psychology in the Schools, 54(8), 852–867. https://doi-

org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.1002/pits.22029

Danish, J., Saleh, A., Andrade, A., & Bryan, B. (2017). Observing complex systems thinking in

the zone of proximal development. Instructional Science, 45(1), 5-24.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.1007/s11251-016-9391-z

Dietrichson, J., Bøg, M., Filges, T., & Klint Jørgensen, A.-M. (2017). Academic interventions

for elementary and middle school students with low socioeconomic status: a systematic

review and meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 87(2), 243–282.

https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316687036

Gage, N. A., Scott, T., Hirn, R., & MacSuga-Gage, A. (2018). The relationship between

teachers’ implementation of classroom management practices and student behavior in

elementary school. Behavioral Disorders, 43(2), 302-315.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.1177/0198742917714809

Kamrath, B., & Brooker, T. (2018). Improved attitude and achievement: A case study of an

elementary school academic advisement intervention. Professional School Counseling,

21(1) doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.5330/1096-2409-21.1.60

Lee, Y. S., & Jonson-reid, M. (2016). The role of self-efficacy in reading achievement of young

children in urban schools: C & A C & A. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal,

33(1), 79-89. doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.1007/s10560-015-0404-6

Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT 21

OSPI (2020, April 30). Twin lakes elementary school, federal way school district. Office of

Superintendent

https://washingtonstatereportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ReportCard/ViewSchoolOrDistrict/101

205

Twin Lakes Elementary (2020, April 30). Federal way public schools. Retrieved from

https://www.fwps.org/twinlakes

Valle, A., Regueiro, B., Núñez, J. C., Rodríguez, S., Piñeiro, I., & Rosário, P. (2016). Academic

goals, student homework engagement, and academic achievement in elementary school.

Frontiers in psychology, 7, 463. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00463

Ziomek-Daigle, J., Goodman-Scott, E., Cavin, J., & Donohue, P. (2016). Integrating a multi-

tiered system of supports with comprehensive school counseling programs. The

Professional Counselor, 6(3), 2202-232.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.cityu.edu/10.15241/jzd.6.3.220
 Running Head: CAPSTONE PROJECT: ACADEMIC STUDY GROUPS 22

Appendix (Figure 1)

ACTION PLAN
CLOSING THE GAP

By June of 2020, 5th grade students will increase ELA IRLA proficiency by 10% putting them at 56%
Goal: proficiency.
Target Group: 5th grade students who are below grade level in IRLA ELA
Data to Identify Students IRLA Scores, classroom grades, RTI (Response to intervention) data wall

ASCA Process Data Outcome Data

Domain and (Projected (Achievement,
Mindsets & number of Perception Data attendance and/or
Behaviors Projected students (Type of surveys/ behavior data to be Contact
Activities Standard(s) Curriculum and Materials Start/End affected) assessments to be used) collected) Person
Goal Setting M 4. Self-created lessons: 3/2/20 – 8 students Goal setting perception IRLA level Tartaglia
B.LS 4 -Intro & Survey 3/27/20 (5th grade, survey Progression graph
B.LS 7 -Short-term goals below ELA IRLA power goals Reading engagement
-IRLA connection standard, w/o
-Progress monitoring receiving
outside
Materials: Survey, goal forms, supports)
IRLA access, progress graph
Study Skills M 5. Self-created lessons: 3/30/20 – 8 students Time-management / IRLA level Tartaglia
B.LS 3 -Organization 5/1/20 (5th grade, perception survey Progression graph
B.LS 8 -Time-management below ELA IRLA power goals Reading engagement
-Focusing attention standard, w/o
-Exit survey & Celebration receiving
outside
Materials: corresponding supports)
worksheets, survey, progress
graph