Demystifying the Themes:

Leadership
Dr. Eva M. Gibson (she/her/hers)
Austin Peay State University
Learning Objectives:
After attending this session, you will be able to:
• Discuss the school counselor’s role as a transformational leader
• Integrate ASCA’s leadership framework in professional practice
• Demonstrate an increased awareness of leadership resources
School Counseling Leadership

Leadership is “enacting a vision

and motivating others to work
together to achieve that vision”
(Young & Dollarhide, 2018, p. 2).
School Counselor Role in School Leadership
• address systemic, equitable change in
education
• effectively work together with principals (and
other stakeholders), to have a positive impact
on educational outcomes
• professional standards note that leadership
should be reflected throughout comprehensive
school counseling programs (B-PF 7)
Let’s take a closer look
at those standards…
Let’s break those down…
A. Identify sources of power and authority and formal and informal
leadership
• Other than your administrators, who holds power in your
building?
• How can you find out who holds power?
• Who holds power in your district?
B. Identify and demonstrate professional and personal qualities and skills of
effective leaders
• How do you know what leadership qualities are important for a school
counselor?
• Find positive models
• Are there strong counselors in your district you can connect to?
• What about your state counseling association (SCA)?
• Do your own reflection and research
Nov/Dec 2019
Jul/Aug 2013
c. Apply a model of leadership to a school counseling program
• Did you learn about leadership models in your program? Probably
not, but no worries!
 School Counseling Leadership Models/Frameworks

PSC Special Edition, 21(1)

Transformative collaborative & promotes social justice
leadership model (Shields et al., 2018)
Social-emotional challenges SCs to extend SEL
leadership framework practices into leadership dispositions
& behaviors (Bowers et al., 2018)
A Culturally Affirming Shared Leadership (CASL) Framework
 Political
ASCA’s Leadership
Structural Symbolic
Framework
Human
Resource
Structural Frame
• Considers the arrangement of roles and
responsibilities and the impact on efficiency and
performance
• What can this look like?
• taking the time to gain an intimate
understanding of employee roles in the school
and district and how they interact within the
system
Human Resource Frame
• Focuses on employee empowerment
and support
• What can this look like?
• supporting faculty & staff (creating
a monthly newsletter which
includes resources for working
with students; providing short
breaks for teachers; birthday treats)
• Be intentional and consistent!!!!!!!
Political Frame
• Addresses the process of networking and
collaborating to gain resources
• What can this look like?
• working with other counselors/school social
worker/local university on a grant; developing
relationships with local businesses and soliciting
donations of time/talent/tangible resources;
completing annual administrative conference
• The use of data can significantly impact work in
this frame!
Symbolic Frame
• Bring attention to the importance of a shared
mission and vision
• What can this look like?
• promotion of program services and how
they support student success (effective
messaging on website, annual stakeholder
presentations, stakeholder newsletters,
distributing programs goals and data,
advisory councils)
Back to those standards…
d. Create the organizational structure and components of an effective
school counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model
e. Apply the results of a school counseling program assessment to
inform the design and implementation of the school counseling
program
• Check out these other sessions:
• How to Start the ASCA National Model Journey
• Data 101
• Data 201
f. Use leadership skills to facilitate positive change for the school
counseling program
g. Define the role of the school counselor and the school counseling
program in the school crisis plan
• Do you know how to access your school crisis plan?
• How familiar are you with your school crisis plan?
• Do you play a role in this plan?
• Are you a part of the committee that reviews this plan?
• Crises will happen…you need to be at the table in advance!
h. Serve as a leader in the school and community to promote and
support student success
• Foster partnerships to achieve this goal
• Don’t be afraid to call, email, stop in businesses that could contribute
to students opportunities and resources. You never know until you
ask!
i. Participate in the school improvement process to bring
the school counseling perspective to the development of
school goals
• Do you know how to access your school improvement
plan?
• How familiar are you with your school improvement
plan?
• Are you a part of the committee that reviews this plan?
• How can you contribute to this plan?
As you are fine- “Developing multicultural, social
tuning your justice, and anti-oppressive school
leadership counseling leaders is an immediate
practices, be need to ensure school counselors
mindful of the create systemic change through
need to integrate implementing a comprehensive school
culturally-affirming counseling program” (Li & Peters,
practices… 2022, pg. 1).
Culturally Affirming Leadership
As school counselors serve as leaders, they must focus on creating spaces of equity and justice
for historically marginalized students. School counselors are the “keepers of school culture”
and should engage in culturally-affirming practices (Atkins & Oglesby, 2019, p. 55). In practice,
this may look like:

• evaluating school policies to determine whether • dismantling systemic barriers

they create an inclusive environment
• implementing strategic planning which addresses
racial equity
• incorporating social justice, advocacy, and equity
language into department vision and mission
statements
• examining school data with a special focus on
disparities, then assess what practices may have
caused the disparities
• providing culturally-relevant professional
development opportunities for faculty
• promoting faculty external learning opportunities
that address equity
• fostering a brave school culture centered around
reflection and courageous conversations
• identifying and encourage the use of culturally
affirming curriculum and school activities
Additional
Resources
Session Take-Aways
It is my hope that you now:
• understand the school counselor’s role as a
transformational leader
• feel equipped to integrate ASCA’s leadership
framework in professional practice
• are more aware of resources to help you do this
work
 Don’t forget to join or view
the live Q&A for this session.
See you there!
 Reminder: Please
complete the session
evaluation. Thank you!
Dr. Eva M. Gibson
gibsone@apsu.edu
https://drevagibson.weebly.com/