ISKL HIGH SCHOOL

COUNSELING MISSION

Aligned with ISKL’s Guiding Statements, the mission of the High School counseling program is to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to support students in their academic achievement, postsecondary planning, personal and social growth, and development of a global perspective.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

As a result of engagement with the ISKL high school counseling curriculum, students will know and use their strengths, understand the importance of being engaged in their community, know how to improve and maintain their wellbeing, understand how cross cultural identity shapes who they are, and use goal setting and self reflection to plan for the future.

CORE BELIEFS

The counseling program at ISKL works to promote the objectives that are part of our school’s core beliefs, namely: 

• All people have intrinsic worth and the capacity to learn.  The counselors support our students as individuals with different strengths or weaknesses and different interests.

• Individuals are both responsible and accountable for their choices. Counselors encourage the self-confidence of each student and help each to an awareness of their potential.

• Open, honest and respectful communication is essential to mutual understanding.

• Diversity is a strength when people are committed to shared goals.

• Individual and cultural diversity enriches life.

• Learning is a life-long journey that is transformational.  We support students in their research of and application to universities throughout the world.

GRADE NINE

Starting high school presents a unique opportunity to define yourself on your own terms through active exploration in and out of the classroom. Every student will

• Take the VIA Character assessment and reflect on who they want to be when they are at their best.

• Identify two clubs or activities to join that will best feed their strengths and allow them to explore their interests and/or make a positive contribution to the community.

• Reflect on their past experiences and cultural heritage and how it informs them in making a caring community.

• Explore their unique talents through active reflection of the multiple intelligence profile

• Identify specific behavior/habits to grow their wellbeing.

• Set effective goals. 

• Begin mapping out a high school plan to help them achieve their goals.

Counselors will be asking students to reflect on questions such as:

• How can I leverage my strengths to thrive at ISKL, both in and out of the classroom?

• How can I contribute to the community and make a positive impact?

• What are two clubs, activities or organizations I could join that will feed my strengths?

• How have my experiences and background shaped who I am?

• What goals do I have for myself (this year and long term)?

• What unique intelligences can I leverage in future planning?

• What is one career I might wish to pursue?

• How can I better thrive in high school by taking active responsibility for my well-being?

GRADE TEN

Year two of high school gives the students great choices of academics while calling on them to strengthen their contribution to the community through active engagement in clubs and activities. Every student will

• Dig deeper into their signature VIA Character Strengths and reflect on how they are leveraging their strengths presently

• Identify two clubs or activities to join that will best feed their strengths and allow them to explore their interests and/or make a positive contribution to the community.

• Reflect on their past experiences and cultural heritage and how it informs them in making a caring community.

• Explore their unique personality traits through active reflection of the personality profile

• Identify specific behavior/habits to grow their wellbeing.

Counselors will be asking students to reflect on questions such as:

• How can I more effectively leverage my strengths to contribute to ISKL?

• How might I use my understanding of my personality to more effectively communicate, work with teams, and make decisions?

• What is another career I might wish to pursue? How does this career fit with my strengths and personality characteristics?

• What program of study for my final two years most effectively supports my goals for life after high school?

• How does my personality and career interests inform my educational goals?

• How can I better thrive in high school by taking active responsibility for my well being?

GRADE ELEVEN

As students emerge into their upper class years, their drive becomes more focused and purposeful. Hopefully they have found a few areas to direct their energies and focus on making a positive impact. At this point, planning for post secondary begins in earnest. Counselors will be asking students to reflect on questions such as:

• In what specific areas of high school do I wish to make the greatest impact? How can I leverage my strengths to effectively succeed?

• How do I want to make a positive contribution to the world in the future?

• What goals and needs do I have for further education and/or training?

• Which teachers are in the best position to advocate and champion me as a reference for life after high school?

• How can I effectively tell my story?

• How can I better thrive in high school by taking active responsibility for my well-being?

• How will these feed my strengths and allow me to flourish?

GRADE TWELVE

The final year has students not only preparing for their next steps after high school, but also leaving their legacies through the impact in their chosen areas of interest and impact. Counselors will be asking students to reflect on questions such as:

• How can we prepare for leaving well?

• Why is it important to consider identity in the transition from high school?

• Why is it important to acknowledge and respond to opportunities?

• Why is it important to ask for help and when do we know we need help?

• How can we communicate with those who are supporting us?

• How do we recognize and respond to stress?

• What are my next steps when it comes to my post-secondary options?

• How will these feed my strengths and allow me to flourish?

OUR TEAM

• The ISKL counseling program uses The International Model for School Counseling Program guidelines and domains.  The model uses the four domains laid out by the American School Counseling Association’s manual: the academic, career, personal/social, and global perspective domains. 

• The delivery system of school counseling includes a guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and system support.  This allows students to work individually and within the school curriculum, and allows the counselor to support the entire school, work collaboratively with families, faculty, and administration, to collect data to improve the program, and to receive regular professional development.

• The counseling program is supported by (and sometimes delivered through) the advisory program, the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, the health curriculum.

• Counselors provide academic, social-emotional, university, and transitions counseling.

• Our team collectively brings to ISKL over 80 years of experience.

• Our counselors are members of NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling), IACAC (International Association for College Admission Counseling), and ISCA (International School Counseling Association) and attend conferences yearly with IACAC, ISCA, and CIS (Council of International School).

TIPS FOR ENGAGING WITH OUR

COUNSELING PROGRAM

We encourage students to get as involved as possible in our programming. Some ways students can get the most out of our services are:

• Attending counseling seminars & workshops

• Responding  to counselor emails in a timely manner.

• Attending parent information sessions

• Reading our counseling website

• Meeting with your counselor regularly

• Engaging with Cialfo’s tasks, survey, and assessments