Counselor Caseloads

The following is a post and comments I made on a separate counselor message board last month. Enjoy...

Caseload

How are your caseloads configured? Does each counselor have a specialty or do you utilize the generalist approach?

BIngram · 282 views · 7 comments

Comments

Comment from: jlcnslrw! [Member]

At our school each counselor had an extra area they were responsible for coordinating information. There were 2 college counselors, 1 scholarship, 1 AP testing, 1 Military, 2 Careers, 1 for pregnant teens, and 1 for ESL. We were also divided by teams so there were 3 freshman counselors and then the rest were sophomore-senior counselors. I felt the freshman counselors should follow their students through, however the students were then funneled into different teams after freshman year according to career choices.

2010-08-21 @ 09:53:48 am

Comment from: jfrederking [Member]

We have two counselors who split the school A-L and M-Z. We also have a part-time School Assistance Person who handles all of the Alcohol and Other Drug issues with students. This person is a social worker with extra training on substance concerns. She covers the entire building for these issues.

2010-08-22 @ 02:00:13 am

Comment from: charger13 [Member]

Caseloads are determined by alphabet and specialty at my school. Each counselor has part of the alphabet order with one or two specialty assignments as well. 320 is the max.

2010-08-25 @ 02:06:00 am

Comment from: jknip [Visitor]

In our middle schools, students stay with the same counselor through 6, 7 and 8. At our Freshman Center and high schools, students are divided alphabetically

2010-08-27 @ 03:42:09 am

Comment from: mnewswander [Member]

Our caseloads are broken down by alphabet. The caseload max starting next year will be 350. We also have a college counselor who carries a partial caseload.

2010-08-30 @ 09:26:45 am

Comment from: gymkoof7 [Member]

I work in three middle schools. Our district cut back middle schools counselors three years ago so we now have caseloads of 5 to 600.

2010-08-30 @ 10:23:13 am

A Better Way: Part 4

Build in One-on-One

We grow greatly from one-on-one relationships. Yet, because of the expense, colleges provide very little one-on-one. Students criticize advising (and lack of parking) more than any other aspect of undergraduate education. At most colleges, professors schedule office hours only 2-3 hours a week! Colleges that care must have well-trained academic, career, and personal advisors, available in person and online. To ensure ample availability without undue cost, peer counselors could be used for routine concerns.

The Latest and Greatest

Well I must have forgotten that we created this blog to document the growth of the Bing Foundation and our non-profit endeavors. Either that or I am just too busy trying to work 80 hours a week and get this business of the ground...

Since the last post in January the Foundation has become completely financially stable. We have officially earned back every cent that was invested to launch our company and then some. Thanks to the Sam's Club Foundation, and some smaller donors we are in the black! That made my wife happy, now we saw something for all my efforts.

We are now official registered as a non-profit on www.GuideStar.com (a leading registry and information provider for non-profits and prospective donors - essentially linking those who want to give with the cause they want to support). We have also started a cause on Facebook and have a Facebook group you can follow for more news and updates.

Aside from all the phone calls, email, letters, and visits to local businesses we have also submitted dozens of grant applications of various other charities, foundations, and companies who have supported education with donations and grants in the past. Most applications are still pending the final results. I am very hopeful for the local interest in our efforts to not only award scholarship funds, but reach out to high school students to prepare them for college as well.

The Foundation's latest endeavor involves sending volunteer counselors to the local high schools for career and college fairs, college workshops, as well as setting up in the Counselor's Office or Career Center (when I was in high school there was no such thing as a career center at each school...). All our counselors are thoroughly trained in college admissions, and have had extensive background checks. The idea is individual time with each student or small groups of students to get them ready for the college application process and walk them through step by step. Don't you wish you had a personal admissions counselor to help you when you went to college?

I know the kids really appreciate it a lot. The school districts like it too because it opens up time for their counselors to do more counseling for the struggling students and those that would not have been seen otherwise. And we get to work with thousands of students in the local districts - making a visible difference in a short amount of time!

For all the hard work, I really love my job! Speaking of jobs, we are seeking to hire donation representative (letter writers and phone warriors) to expand our list of potential donors, raise awareness, and earn money while helping change the future of education in this country. Call, email, text, or message me on facebook or linkedin. Be prepared for a short interview and have a resume handy!