The mission of the Dickerson High School counseling program is to empower students to succeed in academic, social, mental , emotional and career development. The school counseling program will collaborate with administration , teachers, and staff to encourage students to be responsible citizens in the global community by respecting authority, their peers, and themselves.

Our desire is to provide learning opportunities to students in a proactive and preventative way.  Through providing a comprehensive guidance program the counseling program is able to accomplish its goals. The Dickerson High School counseling program targets four main areas including :

1. Guidance Curriculum
2. Responsive Services
3. Individual Planning
4. System Support

The Dickerson High School Counseling Program Will:

1. Meet the needs of the students
2. Play a vital role in the education experience at Dickerson High School
3. Will continually evaluate student progress and counseling program and staff
4. Collaborate effectively with administration, staff and teachers
5. Attend professional develop programs to continue to learn and improve the Dickerson High School program
6. Be coordinated by licensed school counselors

Dickerson High School realizes that providing a comprehensive school guidance program benefits everyone involved .

The benefits to students include :

1. Student needs and concerns are met
2. Students are prepared for everyday life and to be responsible citizens
3. Students are prepared to pursue post secondary opportunities including college , military , trade school or workforce.
4. Students are not overlooked but each student receives equal access to the program

The benefits to parents include:

1. Helps to prepare children for the future
2. Helps to develop learning and planning skills for children
3. Increases the opportunity for parent student interaction
4. Provide support to parents in advocating for the student

The benefits to teachers include:

1. Academic success of the student is supported
2. Teachers are able to collaborate with counselors for the benefit of the student
3. Teachers are assisted in their guidance role to students

The benefits to administration include:

1. Helps to facilitate the mission of the entire school and enhance the lives of the students
2. Provides a structured approach to meet the needs of students
3. School counselors enhance the learning abilities a students and provide future planning and goals
4. School counselors evaluate the program habitually

The benefits to counselors include: 

1. Provide structured program and content to students
2. Able to advocate for the student better
3. Clearly defined role
4. Crucial counseling functions are targeted
5. Ensures the academic mission of the school

Before any program or initiative can be put into place Dickerson High School counselors will first advocate for their program to administration. Without the help of administration it will be difficult to get the needed resources whether it be tangible ( money ) or intangible (support) to have useful counseling program. Administration wants to not only know that the counselors are knowledge but how each item will be a benefit to the students and school. Although administration support is a plus, they cannot be the only people the counselors gain support from for an effective counseling program. Dickerson High School counselors will also market and advocate for their programs among teachers.  Since teachers spend more amounts of time with large groups of students than counselors, they are a great resource to use implementing programs and the overall process. Marketing programs among staff other than teachers because they are usually connected to other resources in the school like updating the website, writing checks , approving bus rentals and general supplies on campus. Finally, after speaking with each additional group it is good to market the program over all faculty and staff email, and in general meetings. To keep everyone up to date on campus I would provide a calendar at the beginning of the year  with important dates for the counseling program. The calendar could include college night, red ribbon week , shattered dreams presentation, and guidance schedule to name a few. However, it is important to note to still send reminders for the programs.

When marketing our counseling program , Dickerson High School seeks to keep the parents informed, as well as explain who the counselors are and how they can help their students. Without clarity on the counselors roles and how it will benefit their children, parents will see little need to be engaged with the program.  Since many high schoolers do not share information regarding the counseling program with their parents, it is necessary for the counselor to keep them up to date. Typically, there is not one sole marketing strategy that is effective in keeping parents informed. It is usually a combination of strategies. The strategies that Dickerson High School counseling program will use is mass text messages , mass phone calls, mass email and updating the school website. Counselors will market the program in person to parents at meet the teacher night, presenting before a school wide event like play or athletic event, and presenting the parent meeting for athletic programs. At these events and as a download on the website, Dickerson High School will provide a brochure explaining the counseling programs and what to expect this year.

When advocating for a counseling program among students, it is important that they feel engaged and have ownership in it. Thus, the marketing strategy must be different than the one used for the other groups. The marketing strategy at Dickerson high School will combine fun with how it will benefit the student. When thinking of titles for programs use something catchy that will get the students attention for example. As a play on the Hunger Games movie, Dickerson High School will do a Hunger Games themed college application event called the College Application Games. To further marketing program it is good to present in general assemblies, athletic event and use the texting app Remind101 to contact students.