Br. Aloysius Myers, F.S.C., Director of Guidance, Grades 11 & 12
Mr. David Doemel '71, Guidance, Grades 9 & 10
Marty McGraw '77 Guidance Grades 6, 7 & 8
Ms. Margaret M. Sickles, Guidance Administrator
PHILOSOPHY OF THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
The focus of the guidance process is to further individual development and meet the requirements of society. The individual must find ways to relate himself most effectively to present and future situations. The outcome of this combined process may be stated as: the attainment by each pupil of a more mature educational vocational outlook.
The work of the counselor differs from that of the teacher. Verbal, intellectual and skill requirements are the teacher’s primary focus. The counselor is more concerned with the cumulative growth of self-understanding and control and of relating these to life situations. In dealing with momentary problems of behavioral or academic adjustment, counselors remove obstructions that interfere with a normal developmental progress and thus also contribute to pupil progress. The counselor also helps the student in making a decision as to what the student will do upon graduation. The student must be aware that decision-making is his responsibility and the counselor will help him to make a good decision.
ORGANIZATION OF GUIDANCE
Guidance activities and services are present at all educational levels, and are essential to the development of the pupil. In the middle school and senior high school, the parents, teachers, school administrators, counselors and special service members work as a team to handle this responsibility to serve our youth.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
In the middle school, the teachers occupy the key position in the life of the child. They observe and evaluate personal growth and intellectual development so to best meet his specific needs. At the middle school level, the school principal gives overall supervision to the guidance program. He is the guidance specialist. He assumes responsibilities in the areas of testing, test interpretation, cumulative records, parent-teacher conferences, and counseling of individual students. He helps teachers understand, interpret and use the resources of the guidance services.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
At the middle school and senior high school level, guidance services involve a more complex organization and method of operation. The student encounters departmentalization, greater variety of curricular offerings, more teachers and more regulations. Because of his age, he is experiencing new problems in the areas of physical, emotional and social growth. He finds he has many choices and decisions to make relative to school subjects, friends, family relationships, activities and life goals.
The administrators of both levels have overall supervision of the program and their leadership and support are essential elements of an effective program. At the senior high school level, responsibility for guidance services is delegated to the Director of Guidance and Guidance Counselors. The counselors have a background in teaching and vocational experiences as well as special training in helping pupils, parents, and teachers. They have time to spend on individual conferences and to keep up-to-date on the changing information relative to vocations, colleges, curriculum and community resources.
GUIDANCE SERVICES
Guidance services are organized differently at the middle school and senior high school levels. To serve the special needs of each age group, guidance services are planned and carried out as an interrelated, integrated program designed to meet these age group needs. These services include: counseling, testing, cumulative record keeping, orientation, vocational information, and educational information.
COUNSELING
The major guidance service is counseling, the face-to-face relationship between a pupil and a guidance counselor. This individual relationship, in which the counselor makes use of all of his skills, experience and knowledge of the individual is the backbone of the guidance program. Counseling is based on the assumption that individuals have a capacity for self-understanding and self-direction. Counseling interviews provide the student with an opportunity to explore his thoughts, abilities and plans with a person trained in helping others gain insight. Counseling is a continuing process and its goals are not accomplished in a short time. If a student’s problems call for special assistance, with the cooperation of the parents, he is referred to specially trained personnel.
TESTING PROGRAM
Two general types of tests are administered by the school. The first in importance and frequency of administration is the teacher-made test, designed to evaluate immediate teaching outcome in the classroom. These tests are tailor-made by the teacher to meet his/her own classroom requirements. In addition, there are department-designated exams and State examinations. The second type of test is called a standardized test. It is designed to measure general aspects of a student’s development. It is given to a large number of students throughout the nation. These characteristics account for widespread use of standardized tests, since they allow measurement of the overall aspects of pupil growth, and they allow comparisons to be made. Guidance assumes responsibility for the choice and administration of standardized tests, as well as for the collection and interpretation of test results. The testing program at CBA is administered at regular intervals from the 6th to the 12th year. These tests include: IOWA, National Educational Development Test, Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Qualifying Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test. Students with special testing needs are referred to our school psychologists, with parental permission, for further testing, if it is found necessary.
CUMULATIVE RECORDS
A cumulative record is a folder that contains all the pertinent data on each student in the school. It is started when a youngster enters school, and provides for a continuous record of his growth, development and significant experiences throughout his school career. The folder reveals a development pattern for a youngster and is used by counselors and teachers to gain a better understanding of him.
ORIENTATION
This term refers to activities specifically designed to help students make transitions from one situation to another easily and successfully. Assemblies are held at the school for parents of new students for this purpose. Guidance Counselors meet with each section of new students at the beginning of the school year discussing such topics as work and study habits, marking and promotion policies, and programs of studies offered, and meet regularly thereafter during the school year.
VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION
At every level of the school, the Guidance Department strives to keep the students and the parents aware of vocational and educational opportunities. Through the use of individual interviews, group sessions, bulletin boards, catalogs and files, this information is readily available. The importance of selecting a post-high school education appropriate to the ability, aptitudes, interests, and personality of the college-bound student cannot be overestimated. Selection of a school, therefore, should be made on an individual basis only after careful planning and deliberation.
Common Application
Colleges with the most acceptance 2007
College and University acceptances 2003-2007
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