The Ball Junior High School counseling program offers equitable access to a comprehensive, data-driven framework focused on academic, career, and social/emotional development. This program empowers students to fully participate in their education and prepares them for college and career success. We provide a safe, welcoming, and rigorous environment that fosters essential 21st Century skills through core curriculum lessons, small group, and individual counseling. In collaboration with educators and stakeholders, our counselors advocate for equity and access, ensuring all students experience engaging and supportive learning opportunities.

Classroom lessons (Tier 1)

Small groups (Tier 2)

Individual support (Tier 3)

Academic planning (6-year plans, GPA, etc.)

Crisis response & student support

How the counseling program is aligned to the SPSA

The counseling program is strongly aligned to all three active SPSA goals because the lessons and small groups directly address the same student needs, target populations, and measurable outcomes named in the plan.

1. Alignment to Goal 1: Academic Goal

The SPSA academic goal focuses on improving ELA and math outcomes, reducing D/F rates, increasing college/career/life readiness, building student voice, and supporting ELs and students with disabilities through evidence-based practices and the 5 Cs. The SPSA names underperformance in ELA and math, especially for English Learners, Long-Term English Learners, and Students with Disabilities, and calls for targeted interventions, progress monitoring, and college/career readiness supports.

The counseling curriculum aligns well because it includes:

• beginning-of-year check-ins/universal screening to identify students needing Tier 2 or Tier 3 support
• lessons on learning styles, self-advocacy, organization, study skills, and SMART goals
• 6-year planning, graduation requirements, A-G awareness, transcript awareness, and course selection
• career cluster, personality, and financial literacy/career earnings lessons
• outcome data tied to GPA, missing assignments, D/F grades, attendance, behavior, and course planning

That matches the SPSA’s focus on:

• improving academic performance and engagement
• early identification and intervention
• student goal setting and progress monitoring
• college/career readiness and 5C development
• helping students understand how present choices affect future opportunities
• The curriculum’s academic lessons support SPSA Goal 1 metrics such as ELA/Math D/F reduction and increased student readiness.
• The 6-year plan, A-G, transcript, and course selection lessons directly support the SPSA language around college, career, and life readiness and postsecondary planning.
• The small group “Academic Success Lab” directly supports students with low GPA or multiple D/F grades, which is exactly the type of intervention the SPSA calls for.

2. Alignment to Goal 2: Family Engagement Goal

The SPSA family engagement goal aims to increase parent involvement, especially for families of English Learners, through meaningful opportunities, communication, workshops, and advocacy.

The counseling program supports this goal indirectly and meaningfully because several curriculum elements invite family partnership:

• 6-year planning and course selection work can be shared with families
• postsecondary and graduation pathway awareness strengthens family understanding of future planning
• reflection activities can extend to home conversations
• counseling work helps students communicate their goals and needs more clearly to caregivers
• small groups and individual supports can improve family-school connection when students are referred and followed up with

Counseling program contributes to Goal 2 by:

• increasing student-family conversations about academic planning
• helping families better understand graduation, A-G, and postsecondary pathways
• supporting student goal-setting that can be reviewed with caregivers
• connecting identified students and families to school supports

3. Alignment to Goal 3: Positive School Culture Goal

The SPSA positive school culture goal focuses on reducing chronic absenteeism and suspension, especially for ELs and students with disabilities, through restorative practices, attendance monitoring, culturally responsive supports, counseling, and student wellness.

The counseling curriculum and small group plan directly support:

• belonging and connection
• confidence and identity development
• stress and anxiety management
• peer relationships and self-esteem
• attendance and behavior goal setting
• early support for students with emotional, behavioral, or academic needs
• increased help-seeking and connection to trusted adults

Counseling documents that align directly:

• “Beginning-of-Year 7th Grade Check-In” identifies emotional, academic, and attendance concerns early
• “Discover & Build” targets belonging, mindset, relationships, and engagement
• “Blueprint for Achievement” explicitly addresses attendance, behavior, and SMART goals
• “Calm in the Chaos” small group targets anxiety/stress and tracks attendance and emotional regulation
• “Identity & Confidence Boosters” and “Becoming Me” support confidence, belonging, peer relationships, and safe help-seeking

That fits the SPSA’s emphasis on:

• counseling services
• small groups
• at-promise support
• MTSS
• reducing barriers to attendance and engagement
• improving school connectedness and student voice

1. Counseling is a direct intervention arm of the SPSA

The school counseling program is one of the systems used to implement Ball Junior High’s SPSA. Through core classroom lessons, universal screening, individual student check-ins, and targeted small groups, counseling directly supports the school’s academic, family engagement, and positive school culture goals.

2. Counseling addresses the same student needs identified in the SPSA

Counselors supports the exact areas named in the needs assessment:

• low academic performance in ELA and math
• chronic absenteeism
• need for stronger student belonging and engagement
• college/career readiness
• support for ELs, LTELs, SWDs, and other identified student groups

3. Counseling uses measurable data, not just “support”

Our program collects:

• process data: number of students served
• perception data: pre/post surveys, self-ratings, reflections
• outcome data: GPA, D/F rates, missing assignments, attendance, behavior, referrals, course planning completion

4. Counseling supports both Tier 1 and targeted intervention

Our program includes:

• Tier 1 classroom lessons for all students
• universal screening and early identification
• targeted small groups for academic, emotional, and college/career needs
• follow-up for students needing more support

This aligns well with MTSS and the SPSA’s focus on evidence-based intervention and progress monitoring.

5. Counseling promotes student voice, readiness, and belonging

Our lessons build:

• self-awareness
• self-advocacy
• goal setting
• identity development
• future planning
• belonging and connectedness

26-27 Calendar

7th Curriculum Action Plan

8th Curriculum Action Plan

7th Action Plan

8th Action Plan