Carroll counseling programs to be recognized nationally

Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School and Carroll Elementary School are two of 36 Indiana schools that will receive national recognition for their Indiana Gold Star School Counseling programs, according to Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed.

The recognition comes from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), which deemed the Indiana Gold Star Counseling Program equivalent to its Recognized ASCA Model Programs (RAMP) national award program. The award recognizes rigorous and exceptional school counseling programs that enable students to 1) master defined guidance standards, 2) make choices that support high achievement and 3) reach standards of high achievement.

"Professional school counselors work hard every day, helping students to identify and eliminate barriers to learning," Dr. Reed said. "We are proud of this national recognition of our efforts."

The Indiana Gold Star School Counseling Initiative was formed by the Indiana Department of Education and the Indiana School Counselors Association in 1997. Six years later, IDOE began offering professional development opportunities for schools interested in aligning their counseling program with the Gold Star model. Schools that participate in the program choose a fourpart workshop series, an online video workshop series or an online course to help them make the transformation to the Indiana Gold Star School Counseling model.

The schools will receive an engraved plaque and the opportunity to present at the ASCA's national conference. The RAMP award will be presented to schools at the ASCA's annual conference in Denver, Colo. June 23-26.

In 2006, the Department of Education recognized 31 Indiana schools for changing their school counseling programs to align academics, career paths and citizenship. All current and future Indiana Gold Star schools are eligible for national recognition through RAMP, making Indiana schools more than half of the total RAMP schools in the country.

By summer 2007, Indiana will have the largest number of nationally recognized school counselor programs in the country. For more information on the Indiana Gold Star Counseling Initiative, visit www.doe.state.in.us/octe/goldstar.