The school counseling program's primary goal is to assist all students in reaching their academic potential by removing barriers to learning and preventatively assisting students in acquiring life success skills.

As an integral component in the education system, school counselors provide a developmental, comprehensive and continuous program of services from pre-kindergarten through high school targeting the academic, career and personal / social development of all students.  Counseling, consultation, coordination, collaboration, guidance curriculum, and program evaluation are the main delivery methods in a successful school counseling program. School counseling achieves maximum effectiveness through the support and collaboration of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.

The Harford County Public School Counselor Program:

• Integrates the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model for School Counseling Pre-K through 12.
• Adheres to Ethical code developed by the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) and  American Counseling Association (ACA).
• Uses data to drive the program to determine that critical school needs are met.
• Incorporates the Harford County Public School Master Plan, the Annotated Code of Maryland, and the local School Improvement Plan, to develop a plan of implementation for services.

 

School Counselors: Deliver a prevention-focused comprehensive and developmental guidance and counseling program in grades Pre-kindergarten through Grade 12.

Overview of the Model

• Intervention- What multi-agency teams must be created to deliver programs and services for the highest "at-risk" student populations?
• Early Intervention - What data is needed to identify selected populations?
• Prevention - What prerequisite knowledge, skills, and competencies do all students need in the academic, personal-social, and career domains?

Program Brochures

Elementary School Counseling Program Middle School Counseling Program High School Counseling Program

Contact Us


Dr. Kevin L. Ensor
Supervisor of School Counseling
(410) 588-5251


Laura L. Wade
Professional Support
(410) 588-5245

State Mandated Testing

• HSA-High School Assessment
• MD Report Card -Yearly statistics for individual schools encompassing AYP, Assessments, Graduation Rate and Demographics
• MSA - MD School Assessment -Allows users to search for post-secondary programs based on a variety of parameters including geography, size, program, and type of institution
• Parents Guide to School Improvement
• Sample Parent Notification Letters
• TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language

PSAT

• Free Practice Test -Peterson's Guide
• National Merit Scholarship -Information on how to enter
• PSAT Preparation -Practice items, tips, and tools - College Board
• PSAT Practice -Study Guide Zone

SAT

• Free SAT Test Preparation
• SAT Center -From College Board: practice, register, get scores
• SAT Preparation Center -Practice questions, tips, skills and online courses

ACT

• ACT -Information about the test as well as tools for college searching and application, and financial aid
• ACT Study Guide -Study Guide Zone
• ACT Test Preparation -Princeton Review

AP

• AP Preparation -Practice questions, tips, subjects, and courses
• AP Practice Test -Princeton Review (for purchase)
• AP Practice -TestFrenzy - free

CLEP

• CLEP -Information on taking the tests and getting college credit
• CLEP Exam Practice Questions -Practice questions for each test free, studyguides for purchase

Strategies

• College Board Test Taking Tips
• Top Ten Test Taking Strategies

Harford Community College Resources

• HCC Transfer and Articulation Agreement for Harford County Public High School Students

Choosing a College

• America's Best Colleges 2011 -US News & World Report article on college comparisons
• College Atlas -Community and Technical Colleges
• Campus Tours -Search by college for general information, virtual tours, campus maps, and college websites
• College Opportunities Online -Allows users to search for post-secondary programs based on a variety of parameters including geography, size, program, and type of institution
• College Fairs -Find a college fair, pre-attendance preparation, what to do at the college fair from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling
• Community College Search -Users can search for 2-year post-secondary institutions geographically, alphabetically, or by keyword
• MD Community Colleges -A listing of the MD Community Colleges with links
• Peterson's College Bound Home -Search for colleges, information on testing, admissions essay help, and financial aid
• Plan for College -Website sponsored by the College Board gives advice, tips and information for high school students interested in attending college
• Princeton Review -Resources for schools and careers, improving testing skills, scholarships and financial aid, and resources for K-12 Educators
• U.S. Two-Year Colleges -Search by state for list of colleges and links to their websites

College Board

• Find a College -Search the College Board's database of colleges
• Apply to College -Tips and skills for completing applications, essays, and letters

Financial Aid

• College Savings Plans of Maryland
• FAFSA on the Web -U.S. Department of Education site providing assistance in filling out the form and following up.
• Federal Pell Grant Program -Overview of the federal program to provide need-based grants for low-income undergraduates - includes application procedure and eligibility
• FinAid -Information on scholarships, loans, savings, military aid, and more
• Financial Aid Finder -A collection of FAQs, and resources including state sponsored financial aid and scholoarship finder
• Financial Aid -From US Department of Education includes tools and information for parents, students, teachers, and administrators.
• Maryland State Scholarship Administration
• Pay for College -From the College Board - conduct a free scholarship search use the financial aid calculator, and apply for loans
• Paying for School
• Paying for College -From US News and World Reports - includes news, planning tools and a student loan finder
• Sallie Mae -Resources for student loans

Scholarship Name	Amout	Deadline
Big Sun Scholarship	$500.00	6/21/2013
New York Penn Scholarship	$2,500	6/28/2013

Scholarship Searches

• College Answer Scholarship Search -Free scholarship search from Sallie Mae
• FastWeb -Conduct a scholarship search
• Finding Scholarships -Advice and background from the College Board

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children -Mayo Clinic
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) -MedlinePlus
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What is ADHD? -WebMD
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder -Booklet in pdf from the National Institute of Mental Health
• CHADD Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• National Resource Center on ADHD

Harford County Public Schools Harassment Report Forms

• Bullying Harassment Report Form (English)
• Bullying Harassment Report Form (Spanish)

Cyberbulling

• Cyberbully411 -Resources and information aimed at teens.
• Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age -Information and resoruces aimed at parents
• Cyberbullying -From the National Crime Prevention Center - McGruff presents information and tips
• Cyberbulling Info -Interactive site aimed at elementary students - includes multimedia
• Cyberbullying.org -Facts and news, examples, and suggestions for confronting cyberbullying
• Cyberbullying Research Center -News, blogs, publications, and resources
• Stop Cyberbullying Now -What it is, how it works, and what you can do - from WiredKids.org

Bully Prevention

• Bullies: What is Bullying -Series of pages on what bullying is, how to handle it and how to tell if you are a bully - from PBS Kids It's My Life
• Bullying -A collection of articles, fact sheets and links from Medline Plus a service of the National Institutes of Health
• Bullying: Facts for Families -Fact sheet from the America Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Bullying Intervention Strategies that Work -Article and resources from Education World
• Bullying Prevention -Information, links, tips, and resources for parents, students and schools
• Bullying Publications and Resources -A collection of resoruces from the California Department of Education
• Bullying: Where Does It End? -PowerPoint presentation from MSDE Student Services and Alternative Programs Division
• Dealing with Bullying -Signs and suggestions from TeensHealth
• Early Intervention and Prevention - Bullying Prevention -Article from Safe and Responsibe Schools
• Helping Kids Deal with Bullying -Advice for parents from KidsHealth
• KidPower -Library of articles on personal safety for children, personal safety for teens and adults, foundation of safety, harassers and predators
• Operation Respect -educational resources that are designed to establish a climate that reduces the emotional and physical cruelty some children inflict upon each other by behaviors such as ridicule, bullying and-in extreme cases-violence
• Stop Bullying Now -Information and strategies from a professional counselor and social worker

• Character Counts -Information for implementing the program on which it is based - teaches Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship
• CharacterEd.net -Site to support character education with reosurces for parents, teachers and communities
• Character Education Partnership -Online discussion and resources from the nonprofit dedicated to developing moral character and civic virtue in our nation's youth as one means of creating a more compassionate and responsible society
• Good Character.com -Lesson plans and resources
• Maryland Center for Character Education -Provides resources to schools, businesses, and community organizations involved in and concerned with character education

Information by Harford County Public Schools

• Harford County Public Schools Resources for Parents
• Harford County Public Schools Student Resources
• Harford County Public Schools Resources for the Community

Additional Information

• Harford County Public Library
• Harford County Resource Guide -Website offers contacts for a wide variety of services available to children and families in Harford County
• Maryland Department of Education -Portal for MSDE including the state guidelines for testing, curriculum, and instruction
• U.S. Department of Education Publications -Search keyword publication id
• Harford County Department of Social Services -Contact information and services available

• American Association of Suicidology -Research, resources, publications, and links
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention -Information and resources for the public and professionals
• National Strategy for Suicide Prevention -Resource center, publications, newsletters, and programs
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -Resources and organizational information
• Self Inflicted Injury / Suicide -Statistics and information from the CDC
• Speak for Them -Resources, facts, news for youth and parents from the Baltimore Affiliate of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Stop Suicide Today -Information, resources, and publications from Screening for Mental Health
• Suicide Prevention -Resources and publications from the National Institute of Mental Health
• Yellow Ribbon International Suicide Prevention Program -Information, resources and link
• Youth Lifesavers -Created by secondary students to help inform and support their peers

• Personal Body Safety Curriculum

We are pleased to be able to offer Family Connection by Naviance, a web-based college and career research tool that allows students and parents/guardians to:

• Research college and career options
• Assess personality traits and compare them with potential career choice characteristics
• Determine individual learning styles

In addition, this innovative program offers assistance with the college application process and allows counselors and parents to securely access important student information in helping students with their long-term plans.

Through self-discovery and collaboration with parents, teachers and school sounselors, Family Connection helps students be better prepared for attending college and planning for their future career.

Both parents and students are able to access Family Connection. Students will have a registration code given to them by their counselor. Note that you and your child will each receive different registration codes, and that each code may be used only once. Parents can obtain their registration code by contacting their school counseling office. Once you have your registration code, visit the Family Connection site, select the school your student attends and login.

• Family Connection Parent Quick Guide - Getting Started

• College Planning:
  Based on the historical results from each student, Naviance delivers a wealth of data that allows schools and districts to determine how many of their students are applying to specific colleges and universities, where they are accepted, rejected or waitlisted, and what it took for their students to meet their goals. School counselors can then leverage that data to help guide students and families through the college planning process, and make decisions that meet their needs.



• Naviance eDocs:
  It's never been easier for schools to track and manage electronic documents, and submit letters of recommendation and supporting college application documents such as transcripts, mid-year and final applications. Naviance eDocs is an electronic document delivery system that helps schools save time and money by eliminating manual processes and paperwork. It allows counselors to submit electronic transcripts and documents to more than 1,700 colleges and universities, including every Common Application member institution.



• Research Colleges & SuperMatch College Search:
  Naviance makes college research easy. Whether it's matching colleges to a student's career interests, or comparing admissions rates at a student's top college choices, the college planning tools allow students and families to make informed decisions about their options by comparing colleges and universities, exploring scholarship opportunities, tracking college applications, and accessing a variety of other college research materials.



• Organize Your College Application Process:
  Build a resume, complete on-line surveys, and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers.



• Sign-up for College Visits:
  Find out which colleges are visiting your school and sign up to attend those sessions.



• Scattergram:
  Students can review academic and admission data for colleges across the United States; they can gauge their chances for acceptance by comparing GPA/ACT/SAT. Since HCPS implemented Naviance in 2012, limited data is available at this time. Therefore, if a school has had very few, or zero applicants from HCPS, there will not be a Scattergram available at this time. You should use the advertised average GPA and standardized scores that the college reports as general numbers.



• Research Careers & Career Assessments:
  The career assessments in Family Connection provide students with insight into their career interests and strengths. Explore different careers you are interested in learning more about. If you are undecided, you have the opportunity to take series of career assessments that help students discover multiple career options, and plan their career paths based on general areas of interest, and the level of education and training required to achieve their individual goals and objectives.
  
  
  • Do What You Are Naviance Personality Test:
    Students can explore career options by doing the Do What You Are personality test that matches interests with careers. The assessment uses the Myers-Briggs personality types to suggest careers and clusters that might be a good match for a student. The results of the assessment provide students with a four-part personality type. Each of the four parts represents a personality trait that contributes to the student’s overall personality type. The results page has detailed information about the student’s personality type and potential careers and majors for the student to consider.
  
  
  
  • Career Interest Profiler:
    The Career Interest Profiler is an online career interest assessment for students based on Holland’s interest codes. The results of the assessment include the student’s strongest interests in green with definitions of all the Holland interest codes. Students can view matching careers and career clusters organized by the amount of preparation each needs.
  
  
  


• Research Scholarships:
  Get details on available scholarships, including qualifications, deadlines and application information.

• Family Connection Parent Quick Guide - College and Career
• Partnering With Your Student

We hope that you will find this resource helpful. If you have further questions about Naviance Family Connection, please contact your school counseling office.