Program Overview
BISD's Guidance & Counseling program provides services to fully develop each student’s academic, career, personal and social abilities.
The Professional School Counselor:
- Is a certified, specially trained, professional educator.
- Has at least two to three years of successful teaching experience.
- Has a Masters Degree and counseling certification.
- Is committed to providing a comprehensive, developmental guidance program for all students.
- Is a motivator, facilitator, teacher, guide, coordinator, resource, liaison, advocate, coach, encourager, and a person who assists students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
The Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program provides a systematic approach to helping students acquire and apply basic life skills by through the special knowledge and skills of school counselors. The four components that comprise this Model are:
- Guidance Curriculum to develop awareness, skill development, and application of the skills needed in everyday life.
- Responsive Services addresses the immediate concerns of students.
- Individual Planning assists students in monitoring and understanding their own development in areas of education, career, and personal/social, usually through the development of academic and career plans.
- System Support includes program and staff support activities and services.
Counselors provide services in the areas of character education, bullying prevention, anger management, self-esteem, substance abuse prevention, violence prevention, graduation planning, and postsecondary readiness including higher education and financial aid.
Students see their counselor by referral from:
- Themselves
- Teachers
- Parents
- Administrators
- Friends
College Readiness Coordinators at Burleson High School and Centennial High School provide additional resources and advising for students. They are available for information about Advanced Placement, dual credit/dual enrollment, college admissions, financial aid/scholarships, and all other activities related to preparing for students' postsecondary goals. Additionally, they coordinate the campus GoCenters. GoCenters operate through a partnership with the University of Texas at Arlington to provide college mentors who help high school students navigate the college exploration and admissions process.
