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MEASURE OF SUCCESS
School Counseling Program
Name and Address of School:

Arrowhead Elementary School

5549 Susquehanna Dr.
Virginia Beach, VA 23464

Name of Counselor(s) Leading the Initiative:

Jaclyn Cordero (Intern) under the supervision of the full-time school counselor, Brittney West,
LPSC, and the part-time school counselor, Danielle McGovern, LPSC.

Principal: Kimani Vaughn

Assistant Principal: Dr. Lorrie Voshell

Enrollment: 510

School Demographics:
Caucasian/Non-Hispanic: 50%
African American: 24%
Hispanic: 12%
Two or More Races: 9%
Asian: 4%
Native American: 1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: <1%
Low-Income: 49%

STEP ONE: MISSION

School Mission:
To provide a quality education through shared responsibility in a safe supportive
environment for all students to meet the challenges of a global society. We are
“Committed to Excellence”.

STEP TWO: ELEMENTS

Current Critical Data Element(s):
The assistant principal and school counselors identified these critical data elements to try
to impact:
1. 22 students (10 female, 12 male) are struggling academically after coming back to
school or due to virtual learning (2 virtual students).
2. These students are not turning in their work on time, if at all.
3. Based on prior knowledge about these students, most of them struggle in one or
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more of the following areas:

a. Personal self-confidence
b. Academic self-confidence
c. Motivation
d. Social skills
4. The school counseling team will meet with these students either individually or in
small groups.

STEP THREE: ANALYZE

Baseline Data:
 22 students are struggling academically and
may benefit from extra support (either
individual sessions or small groups)
 15 of the 22 students have been chosen to join a
small group led by either Ms. Cordero, Ms.
West, or Ms. McGovern
 Students have been grouped based on grade
level, personality, and on the areas they can
improve on (according to Ms. West an Ms.
McGovern)
 Ms. Cordero was tasked with leading two
motivational groups for three 3rd grade boys
and three 5th grade boys.
Goals:
1. 100% of students in the
group will report an
increase in motivation to do
well in school by the last
group session (Apr. 23rd).
2. 100% of 3rd and 5th grade
boys in the motivation small
group will be able to
identify what motivation is
and what motivates them by
April 23rd.

Motivation Scale: 3. 100% of students in the

group will be able to
differentiate between an
internal and external locus
of control with the
understanding that having
an internal locus of control
is better than having an
external locus of control.

Group 1: 3rd Graders 4. 100% of students in the

“The Ironmen” group will create a SMART
Initials Motivation Level goal with objectives.
(1-10)
Feb. 24 5. 80% of students’ teachers
1. DW 2 will report an increase in
2. CM 2 observed student
3. EH 1 motivation.
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Group 2: 5th Grade Boys

“The Robloxians”
Initials Motivation Level
(1-10)
Feb. 24
4. JB 2
5. TF 2
6. RD 1

Prior to the small group content:

 0% of these students could identify what
motivation is.
 0% of these students knew what motivates
them.
 0% could create a SMART goal on their own.

After first group meeting:

 100% of students self-identified as not feeling
very motivated in school (1-3)
 100% of students said they wanted to do better
in school.

STEP FOUR: STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE

Stakeholders Strategies
The School Improvement Team has Beginning date: Feb. 24, 2021
identified students who are struggling Ending date: April 23, 2021
academically and could benefit from small
group sessions. The school counselors and
school counseling intern are particularly
concerned about setting these students up
for academic, social, and emotional
success. Thus, the school counseling intern
has agreed to provide extra support for
these three 3rd graders and the three 5th
graders through small group sessions
geared towards motivation.
School Counseling Intern  Created a small group permission
(Jaclyn Cordero) slip to send to each student’s
parent(s)/guardian(s)
 Created small group lessons for 8
weeks geared towards motivating
3rd and 5th grade boys to
academically succeed in school
 Met with both groups every

School Counselor/Supervisor
(Brittney West)
Part-Time School Counselor
(Danielle McGovern)
Assistant Principal
(Dr. Voshell)
Teachers of Students
Parents of Students
STEP FIVE: REANALYZE, REFLECT, AND REVISE
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Wednesday during lunch through
April 21st
 Helped motivate students with
encouragement, support,
motivational content, and goal
setting
 Consulted with supervisor on a
weekly (often daily) basis
 Helped identify students who could
benefit from a small group
 Helped group students together
 Provided intern support and
materials as needed
 Supervised intern and provided
feedback to intern when requested
and/or needed
 Met with her own small group of
students
 Helped identify students who could
benefit from a small group
 Helped group students together
 Met with her own small group of
students
 Helped identify students who
needed extra support due to
academic concerns
 Asked school counselors to find a
way to meet with these students
either individually or in small group
settings
 Responded to intern’s emails
 Allowed intern to meet with
students during lunch and
sometimes past lunch time
 Provided feedback and/or concerns
about students to the intern
 All 6 of the students’ parents
consented to allowing the intern to
lead a small group for their children
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Reanalyze baseline data:

Group 1: 3rd Grade Boys’ Self-Reported Motivation Levels

“The Ironmen”
Initial Motivation Level Motivation Level Motivation Motivation Level
s (Scale: 1-10) (1-10) Level (1-10)
Feb. 24 Mar. 24 (1-10) Apr. 23
Apr. 16
1. DW 2 7 6 6

2. CM 2 6 10 6

3. EH 1 5 7 5 (out loud)
7 (on posttest)
Group 2: 5th Grader Boys’ Self-Reported Motivation Levels
“The Robloxians”
Initial Motivation Level Motivation Level Motivation Motivation Level
s (Scale: 1-10) (1-10) Level (1-10)
Feb. 24 Mar. 24 (1-10) Apr. 23
Apr. 16
4. JB 2 8 Absent 9

5. TF 2 6 Absent Absent

6. RD 1 2 4.5 6

3rd Graders- The Ironmen

1. DW’s SMART Goal: I will turn in more than half of my homework in on time
starting 3/19 through 4/14.
o On Fridays, I will do my homework for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 
o On Mondays, I will spend an hour doing assigned work. 
o On Monday nights, I will make sure my work is in my backpack. 
o I will do work at Mom’s house

2. CM’S SMART Goal: I will interrupt my teacher less than I currently do starting
3/19 through 4/21.
o Starting 3/18, I will keep a tally record of how often I interrupt my teacher.
o  I will raise my hand before I interrupt. 
o I will keep a tally record of how often I raise my hand instead of interrupting. 
o I will keep a reminder to stay on task and stay focused on my desk (Thanks, Ms.
C!)

3. EH’S SMART Goal:  I will complete at least half of my Monday work on Mondays
starting 3/22 through 4/17.
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o I will find a quiet place (outside) to do my work (No TV or distractions)

o  I will work 30 minutes to an hour and then take a small break.

5th Graders – The Robloxians

4. JB’S SMART Goal: I will raise my participation grade from a P to AP by 4/14.

o I will review my Tuesday folder each week to see what I can work on. 
o If I know the answer to a question, I will raise my hand.

5. TF’S SMART Goal: I will raise my Social Studies grades to at least a P by the end
of the quarter.
o I will study twice a week for 30 minutes at a time. 
o I will look up videos to help me remember dates and facts.

6. RD’S SMART Goal: I will raise all my math grades to at least a P by the end of the
grading period.
o I will ask for help when I am stuck. 
o I will complete my work to the best of my ability. 
o I will check my work before I turn it in. 
o I will study for 30 minutes 1-2 times a week (Redbird)

Effective Strategies
 Meeting with students weekly in their groups
 Building group cohesion by having the students create their own group names and
group rules:
o 3rd grade boys were “The Ironmen”
o 5th grade boys were “The Robloxians”
 Students self-reported that they enjoy coming to the group
 SMART Goals are a good way to track student progress and involvement in the
group (weekly check-ins)
 Relevant group content: What is Motivation, Setting Goals (SMART Goals), How
to Stay Motivated (Locus of Control), Getting Motivated (Again), Growth
Mindset
 The Growth Mindset lesson was very fun and engaging for students.

Areas of Improvement
 Keeping students on task as they eat lunch and participate in group
 Time-management while conducting group (staying on task)
 Tracking student attendance
 Students were not screened prior to being put in the groups (screen them next
time)
 Having students self-report their motivation levels each week of the group instead
of sporadically throughout the group
 Printing out and laminating students’ SMART Goals
o They wrote them down but lost them.
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 Communicating better with teachers to help monitor student progress in relation

to their personal SMART goals.

Systemic Changes Made

 Recognition that students struggle with motivation to complete work in school
 Potential for more students to be part of motivational groups
STEP SIX: EDUCATE
MEASURE
Virginia Beach Public
School Counseling Program Accountability Report Card

School: Arrowhead Elementary School

Enrollment: 510
Principal: Kimani Vaughn
Assistant Principal: Dr. Voshell
Counselors: Ms. Cordero, Ms. West, and Ms. McGovern

Principal’s Comments: Results:

Motivational Small Groups for Unmotivated Boys
Before Action Plan  After Action Plan
The Principal has yet to
comment on this Group 1: 3rd Grade Boys’ Self-Reported Motivation
MEASURE. Levels
“The Ironmen”
Initials Motivatio Motivatio Motivation Motivation
n Level n Level Level Level
School Improvement Issues:
(Scale: 1- (1-10) (1-10) (1-10)
The School Improvement
10) Mar. 24 Apr. 16 Apr. 23
Team has identified students
Feb. 24
who are struggling
1. DW 2 7 6 6
academically and/or
socially/emotionally and 2. CM 2 6 10 6
could benefit from small
group sessions. The school 3. EH 1 5 7 5 (out
counselors and school loud)
counseling intern are 7 (on
particularly concerned about posttest)
setting these students up for Group 2: 5th Grader Boys’ Self-Reported Motivation
academic, social, and Levels
emotional success. Thus, the “The Robloxians”
school counseling intern has Initials Motivatio Motivatio Motivation Motivation
agreed to provide extra n Level n Level Level Level
support for the three 3rd (Scale: 1- (1-10) (1-10) (1-10)
graders and the three 5th 10) Mar. 24 Apr. 16 Apr. 23
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graders through small group Feb. 24

sessions geared towards 4. JB 2 8 Absent 9
motivation.
5. TF 2 6 Absent Absent

6. RD 1 2 4.5 6

Participation in Small Group:

 100% of students participated in the group.
o The Ironmen had better attendance as a group
than the Robloxians.
 100% of the students reported an increase in
motivation compared to the first week (SMART
Goal #1).
o 50% of the students’ motivation fluctuated (the
3rd graders)
o 50% of the students’ motivation increased with
each week (the 5th graders)
 Based on the posttest (excluding TF due to an
absence), 40% of students were able to provide a
suitable definition for motivation and 90% of
students were able to identify what motivates them
(SMART Goal #2).
o 100% of students said that the group helped
motivate them to do well in school.
 Based on the posttest (excluding TF due to an
absence), 90% of students know that an internal
control is better than an external control while only
60% could differentiate between the two (SMART
Goal #3)
 100% of students created SMART Goals with
objectives (SMART Goal #4).
 0% of teachers reported any data regarding an
increase or decrease in student motivation in time
for this report (SMART Goal #5).

Critical Data Element(s):

The assistant principal and school counselors identified these critical data elements to try to
impact:
1. 22 students (10 female, 12 male) are struggling academically after coming back to
school or due to virtual learning (2 virtual students).
2. These students are not turning in their work on time, if at all.
3. Based on prior knowledge about these students, most of them struggle in one or more
of the following areas:
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a. Personal self-confidence
b. Academic self-confidence
c. Motivation
d. Social skills
4. The school counseling team will meet with these students either individually or in
small groups.

Stakeholders:
Jaclyn Cordero (School Counseling Intern)- Created a small group permission slip to send
to each student’s parent(s)/guardian(s); created small group lessons for 8 weeks geared
towards motivating 3rd and 5th grade boys to academically succeed in school; met with both
groups every Wednesday during lunch through April 21st ; helped motivate students with
encouragement, support, motivational content, and goal setting; consulted with supervisor on a
weekly (often daily) basis.

Brittney West (School Counselor/Supervisor)- Helped identify students who could benefit
from a small group; helped group students together; provided intern support and materials as
needed; supervised intern and provided feedback to intern when requested and/or needed; met
with her own small group of students.

Danielle McGovern (Part-Time School Counselor)- Helped identify students who could
benefit from a small group; helped group students together; met with her own small group of
students.

Dr. Voshell (Assistant Principal)- Helped identify students who needed extra support due to
academic concerns; asked school counselors to find a way to meet with these students either
individually or in small group settings.

Teachers- Responded to intern’s emails; allowed intern to meet with students during lunch
and sometimes past lunch time; provided feedback and/or concerns about students to the
intern.

Parents- All 6 of the students’ parents consented to allowing the intern to lead a small group
for their children.

Human Faces Behind the Data

Anecdotal Outcomes:
When asked what the most important thing he learned from the group was, one 3rd grader
(CM) responded “to be motivated.” He also said that his favorite part of the group was “being
motivated.”

Two students (one from each group) both said that their favorite part of being in the group was
simply being part of a group (DW and JB).

“I would recommend this group [to other kids who struggle with motivation], because it helps
you with motivation and keeping an internal locus of control.” -RD (5th grader/group
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spokesperson)

Email Sent to All Parents/Guardians of Students

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Hello, Arrowhead parents/guardians,

The School Counseling Department here at Arrowhead is reaching out to you because your
child has been selected to participate in a four-week long small group geared towards
social/emotional health and academic success. 

Please provide your consent by signing this form. We look forward to helping your child do even
better! Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

You can give Ms. West a call at 757-648-2052. 

Sincerely,

Ms. Brittney West (Full-time school counselor)

Ms. Danielle McGovern (Part-time school counselor),

and Ms. Jaclyn Cordero (Intern)

My child, ________________________,  may / may not   participate in small group counseling.

(Student Name) (Circle One)

________________________________ X_________________________________

      Parent/Guardian Printed Name Parent/Guardian Signature

Motivational Group Posttest Questions (Survey)

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1. What is motivation? 2 out of 5 students who took this posttest were able to sufficiently
define motivation (EH and RD)

2. What motivates you? 4 out of 5 students were able to identify what motivates them (all
except for JB)

3. What is an example of an internal locus of control? 3 out of 5 students identified a

sufficient example (CM, JB, RD)

4. What is an example of an external locus of control? The same 3 students identified a

sufficient example.

5. Is it better to have an internal locus of control? Why or why not? The same 3 students
answered this question correctly AND in its entirety (EH said yes but did not elaborate).

6. What was your SMART goal and how do you think you did with your SMART goal? 3
out of 5 students remembered their SMART goals and all 3 think they did well (same 3
students).

7. On a scale of 1-10, rate your current motivation to do well in school: The final average
self-score was a 6.8 (or 7). The 3rd graders rated themselves lower and the 5th graders
rated themselves higher.

8. What is the most important thing you learned from this group?
1. DW- “about superheroes”
2. CM- “to be motivated.”
3. EH- “motivation makes you do something.”
4. JB- “how to stay motivated.”
5. TF -
6. RD- “about how to stay motivated… don’t give up and have an internal locus of
control.”

9. Did this group help increase your motivation to do well in school?

Circle one:

a. Yes (5/5 said yes) No

10. What was your favorite part of this group?

1. DW- “the superheroes because they have awesome powers.”
2. CM- “being motivated”
3. EH- “the bubblegum contest” (this student did not win)
4. JB- “getting motivated and being part of the group”
5. TF -
6. RD- “maybe when we got to do that blow the biggest gum [activity], because it also let
me taste gum after years of not, and seeing JB on a day besides running day.”
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