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MEASURE
Mission, Element, Analyze, Stakeholders-Unite, Results, Educate
A Six-Step Accountability Process for School Counselors
Name of School: Skyview Elementary School
Principal: Jennifer A. Cox
School Counselor: Matthew B. Tolliver, MA, LPC
School Counseling Interns: Alex Eddy, West Virginia University
Paris Holmes, West Virginia University
Number of Targeted Students: 39 (Grades 2nd-5th)
Group Demographics:
Caucasian/Non-Hispanic: 31- 79.4%
African American/Black: 3- 7%
Multiracial/Bi-racial
5- 12%
Exceptional Student/Special Education 10- 25.6%
STEP ONE: MISSION
Mission
The Skyview Elementary School Counseling Program strives to provide a
comprehensive, developmental program that will foster successful academic,
vocational and personal/social development for all students and families. The
program promotes the creation of highly productive, emotionally adjusted,
contributing members of society who are invested in being life-long learners. The
comprehensive program works to advocate for equitable access to vital resources by
cultivating a collaborative and student centered environment. At Skyview
Elementary, all staff strives to provide a nurturing, orderly, safe, drug-free,
violence-free and bully-free learning environment where all students can learn.
STEP TWO: ELEMENT
Element
Element: Delivery of Stress Busters: A Small Group for Students to Learn Coping
Skills to Fight Against Stress by Ashley Neels, 2014, curriculum to students who
scored within the high range on the school counseling risk/needs assessment.
Baseline: Pre-test results (of 39) Mean Average- 8.69
Baseline Scores and number of pre-tests with that score:
(13s-3; 12s-2; 11s-3;10s-6; 9s-5; 8s-8; 7s-5; 6s-3; 5s-4)
Goal: Show a statistically significant improvement between pre and post

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assessments. Significant degree is operationalized as a single-tailed t-test for
significance at or greater than a value of P<.05 confidence level in accordance with
established statistical procedures and methodology.

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STEP THREE: ANALYZE

Analyze the data element.

The baseline data revealed:
A total of 39 students took the pre-test, with a mean score of 8.69.
Overall the students scored:
(13s-3; 12s-2; 11s-3; 10s-6; 9s-5; 8s-8; 7s-5; 6s-3; 5s-4)

STEP FOUR: STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE

STAKEHOLDERS-UNITE to develop strategies to impact the data element
Beginning Date: 2-29-16
Ending Date: 4-8-16
Stakeholders
School counselor(s)

Strategies

Administrator(s)

Teachers

Students

Parents

Obtain appropriate curriculum

Considering group dynamics
Gathering materials needed for
groups
Delivery of the group curriculum
Creating pre/post-tests
Analysis of data
Consult with Classroom Teachers
and Related Arts Teachers to plan a
time to get students from class.
Sending information
letter/communicating with parents
Provide support for the school
counselor to schedule and run the
groups.
Meet during PLC time to give input
on what students should be in the
groups.
Work with the Related Arts
Teachers to provide time to take
students from class.
Participate in weekly groups.
Completing pre/post-tests.
Being able to demonstrate skills
Being available to discuss the
group with the counselors
Send information letter about
groups home
Communicate with school

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Colleges and universities

Other support staff (front office,

custodial, cafeteria, playground)

Resources (grants, technology, etc.)

STEP FIVE: RESULTS

counselor if needed
West Virginia University-School
Counseling Interns to deliver group
lessons.
Custodial-Helping with clean up
after the group lessons.
Cafeteria- Materials and supplies
for group
Faculty Senate money to buy
curriculum
Laptop and projector to show clips.

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Results
Restate your baseline data. State where your data are now. Did you meet your
goal?
Pre-test results (of 39):
Mean Average- 8.69
13s-3; 12s-2; 11s-3;10s-6; 9s-5; 8s-8; 7s-4; 6s-4; 5s-4

Post-test results (of 39):

Mean Average- 11.02
15s-2, 14s-2, 13s-6, 12s-9, 11s-8, 10s-4. 9s-2, 8s-4, 7s-1, 6s-1

Met goal: Yes__X__ No ____

Questions to consider as you examine results and revise your MEASURE:

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Which strategies had a positive impact on the data?
Delivery of the Stress Busters: A Small Group for Students to Learn Coping Skills
to Fight Against Stress (by Ashley Neels, 2014) curriculum has shown a
statistically significant increase between pre and post-test scores.
Which strategies should be replaced, changed, or added?
While students were initially screened based on the school counselor risk survey,
and secondly through the pre-test for content need, an initial ice breaker activity for
each group should have been conducted to assess group cohesion. According to
Yalom (2005) It is important that the therapist screen out clients who are likely to
become marked deviants in the group for which they are being considered (pp.
244).
Pre and Post tests should be administered to all participants in the groups. Three
students scored high on the post-test, but were not given a pre-test for various
reasons (i.e. absence, added after group creation per teacher recommendation). This
data was not included since there was no way to show significant change between
pre and post-tests.
When structuring the pre/post-tests, a student had a difficult time with the
questions as to whether they should be relevant to home or school. Those
administering the pre and post-tests should make sure students understand they
should base their responses as an overall rating.
On the pre/post survey question three (I know how to get along with friends and
others at school) should be removed, or it could be changed to I know how to work
out my conflicts with others peacefully.

Based on what you have learned, how will you revise Step Four, Stakeholders-Unite?
School Counselor:
- Consider behavior/group cohesion in addition to competency need when screening
students
-Consider using tempera paint with paintbrushes rather than puff/glitter sticks.
There was considerable waste and high expense with the puff/glitter sticks.
-School Counselor also incorporated the Student Workshop: Handling Your Anger
created by Sunburst Visual Media (1997).
-Try to meet with students individually to teach skills if they were absent during a

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group session.
-Change question three on the pre/post-test to be related to stress/coping skills.
Administrators:
-Administration was fully supportive of the groups and scheduling. No noted
changes at this time.
Teachers:
-Group leaders also provided a workshop for teachers/school staff after school. The
goal was to teach the group techniques in order for participants to use personally
and in the classroom with all students. Unfortunately, only approximately 10% of
school staff attended. A lack of notice to staff probably played into this. In the
future, if a similar workshop is presented, a two week notice should be sufficient.
Students:
-Twelve students were given the initial group pre-test based on the school counselor
risk survey. However, they were screened out for the group intervention due to two
or less negative responses on that pre-test screener.
-One student refused to participate.
-Three students moved
-Four students who displayed inappropriate behaviors that affected group cohesion
and group leader ability to lead, were removed after discussion with the other group
leaders. As previously mentioned, an initial activity to judge participant behavior
may help prevent this in the future. Those students, however could meet
individually with a group leader.
Parents:
-West Virginia Department of Education Policy 2315 dictates that parent
permission is not required for students to participate in any service related to a
comprehensive school counseling program. However, it is a suggested best practice
to send home an informational letter to parents/guardians.
-One parent declined their child participating in a group.
- Two parents contacted the school counselor simply for more information.
Colleges and universities:
-Skyview Elementary School will continue to work with West Virginia Universitys
school counselor preparation program by accepting practicum and internship
students.
Other Support Staff:
-Maintaining a collaborative relationship with the service personnel; specifically
cafeteria and custodial staff.

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Resources (grants, technology, etc.)
-Maintaining a collaborative relationship with the Technology Integration Specialist
of Skyview Elementary School for use of a media projector and laptop.
-School Counselor Faculty Senate funds could be used for materials if available.

How did your MEASURE contribute to systemic change(s) in your school and/or in
your community?
The students who were selected for the groups were done so through the use of the
school counselor risk survey. That data highlighted students with high risk
factors for potential violence and/or drug use/abuse. The post-test data shows that
those who participated in the groups have learned strategies to calm themselves
down when they are feeling angry and/or stress. This will help them to become
emotionally adjusted students, and improve their ability to function when
confronted with stressful situations.

STEP SIX:

EDUCATE

Educate others as to your efforts to move data. Develop a report card that shows
how the work of the school counselor(s) is connected to the mission of the schools
and to student success.
-This MEASURE will be presented to Skyview Elementary School administration.
-This MEASURE will also be presented to Classroom Teachers during their
Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings.
-The School Counselor of Skyview Elementary School will present this MEASURE to
the Director of Assessment, Accountability, and School Counseling for Monongalia
County Schools.
-West Virginia University school counseling interns will also use this MEASURE to
fulfill their degree requirements required by the university and CACREP.

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References

Neels, A. (2014). Stress Busters: A Small Group for Students to Learn Coping Skills to
Fight Against Stress. Reading.
Student Workshop: Handling Your Anger [Worksheet]. (1997). Sunburst Visual Media.
Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy.
New York: Basic Books, pp. 244.