Homestead Elementary
Lewisville ISD 2018-19
CREST-Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas
Counseling Staff and Contact Information
Email: rodgerss@lisd.net
Phone: 972-350-8716
https://www.lisd.net/homestead
Twitter: @MrsrodgersHES
Homestead Elementary School
1830 E. Branch Hollow
Carrollton, TX 75007
K-5th grade-625 students
Category 1: Principal's Comments
Mrs. Rodgers does an excellent job of implementing the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) model and the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs which are the foundation of our counseling program at Homestead Elementary. She successfully implements the guidance curriculum, provides responsive services, engages in individual planning and structured system support. Mrs. Rodgers builds relationships with students so that they have a safe place where they can come to be successful. She also works with the teachers and administrative team to meet the needs of the school and ensure the safety and well being of all. Mrs. Rodgers provides opportunities for students to build social skills and provides access to resources and guidance for students. She meets with all students on campus to help guide development. Mrs. Rodgers maintains an open door policy for all students, staff and parents. Mrs. Rodgers is also a part of the Campus Design Team which helps with the development and implementation of the Campus Improvement Plan. She helps with all aspects of the plan: attendance, campus culture, parent/community partnerships, student success and discipline.
Category 2: School Counseling Advisory Council
The purpose of the School Counseling Advisory Council (SCAC) at Homestead Elementary is to support, advise and review aspects of the guidance curriculum and current programs as they relate to campus and district wide initiatives. The SCAC meets four times a year in conjunction with our Campus Design Team and Prevention and Wellness Systemic (PAWS) committee. The SCAC is comprised of representatives from each grade level, special education, the specials team, administration, a parent/community liaison, and district level leadership. All committee members are selected and appointed by the principal.
2018-19 Committee Members:
- Sean Perry, Principal
- Lynn Ford, Assistant Principal
- Sally Rodgers, Counselor
- Tamela Foley, Kindergarten teacher
- Charlene Gohl, 1st grade teacher
- Gary Rutledge, 2nd grade teacher
- Angela Ray, 3rd grade teacher
- Kathy Haas, 4th grade teacher
- Robin Thacker, 5th grade teacher
- Susan Restuccia, Gifted & Talented teacher
- Lindsey Lovett, Special Education teacher
- Lisa Cyr, Specials (Science) teacher
- Shanu Sharma, parent representative
- Trisha Ryherd, district level representative
One agenda item during the 2017-18 SCAC meetings was the topic of building effective community partnerships. The SCAC explored how recruiting and engaging our community members could increase meaningful experiences for both our students/staff and community. All input received at the SCAC meetings was processed and considered for implementation by the school counselor. As a result of our collaboration, the very first school-wide career day was held in February 2018. This event was a huge success due to the community partnerships that were established as a result of the careful collaboration and planning from the SCAC. In addition to the development of community partnerships, the committee also reviewed the campus wide needs assessment that was completed by Homestead stake holders and plans were developed for campus wide programs based upon indications from the needs assessment.
Category 3: School Climate and Safety
One of the four cornerstones of LISD and Homestead Elementary is "Student Experience. The counselor strives to support a safe and healthy school climate in a variety of ways. Two particular ways the counselor supported a safe and healthy climate at Homestead during the 2018-18 school year were as follows:
1. Child Protection Unit (CPU) by Second Step
The counselor implemented the Child Protection Unit by Second Step during guidance lessons. The CPU addressed personal safety in relation to abuse and neglect. A total of 6 lessons were taught to all grade levels (K-5) over a 6 week period during the 2017-18 school year. During these lessons, students learned about the following topics:
Ways to Stay Safe
The Always Ask First rule
Safe and Unsafe Touches
The Touching Rule
There were opportunities for students to practice and review the staying safe rules through role play activities during the guidance lessons. The counselor provided “Home Links” and information to parents and families for engagement at home. Staff was also trained in the basic components of the CPU. The implementation of this program was based upon the passage Erin’s Law in the State of Texas:
“Erin’s Law” requires that all public schools in each state implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program which teaches:
Students in grades preK – 12th grade, age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult
School personnel all about child sexual abuse
- Parents & guardians the warning signs of child sexual abuse, plus needed assistance, referral or resource information to support sexually abused children and their families.
2. Red Ribbon Week
The Counselor implemented Red Ribbon Week curriculum that was provided by LISD for in depth teaching and education of drug and alcohol awareness. The LISD Red Ribbon Week Elementary curriculum covered the following topics:
Goal Setting
Respect for Self
Problem Solving Skills
Refusal Skills
Mindfulness
In addition to the in depth curriculum, Homestead students participated in a school wide assembly on 10/26/17 by Team Big Air. Team Big Air presented a positive message regarding staying healthy and drug free with an acrobatics and slam dunk show. Students also had the opportunity to fill out daily questions to measure comprehension and understanding of healthy choices. The daily questions were entered into a drawing for prizes each day. A graph below shows the level o a comparison of Red Ribbon Week questionnaire participation by grade level and school year. In 2017-18 we saw an increase in the number of students who participated in the voluntary questionnaire activity.
Additional interventions by the counseling department that foster a positive and safe climate:
- Mustangs with Character- Student of the month program where students in each grade level are recognized for demonstrating good character.
- Homestead High Fives- Students and staff fill out "high five" forms when they observe good character in others. Students turn the forms into a box and are entered into a weekly drawing for prizes.
- Sunshine Awards- Homestead staff members have the opportunity to fill out words of encouragement for others and post on the staff bulletin board.
Category 4: Student Results
GOAL #1:
Reduce student tardies by 5% during the 2017-18 school year. We chose this goal, because tardies were becoming a more frequent problem on our campus. Chronic tardiness was addressed by the counselor, the administration, and the attendance clerk. Several strategies that the counselor utilized in working towards this goal were: student conferences, parent conferences, referrals to the LISD ADAPT family center, and referrals to Love and Logic parenting classes. We are happy to report that Goal #1 was met. See chart for reference.
Increase the overall performance of our 3rd and 4th grade at-risk student population on the STAAR reading test by 3% during the 2017-18 school year administration. We chose this goal because our at risk population is not passing the STAAR test at the same rates as the non-at risk population. We compared the STAAR test scores from 2016-17 to 2017-18 to evaluate the effectiveness of our goal. The school counselor served on the RTI team and the PLC planning teams to help identify and strategize about the at risk population and the correlating test scores. The counselor was also involved in interventions to support scholastic development including assigning academic support volunteers and Hebron PALS. Counseling sessions were also implemented for our struggling at risk students as needed to provide support for academic achievement. Both 3rd and 4th grade STAAR scores showed an increased passing rate among our at-risk population on the 2018 test.
Category 5: Major Achievements
2017-18 CREST Award Winner
2017-18 PTA National School of Excellence
2017-18 Kindness Certified School
Lead Faculty Advisor for National Elementary Honor Society
Member of the LISD district level crisis response team (CARE team)
Gifted and Talented Certified
Lewisville ISD finalist for Counselor of the Year
Campus Coordinator for Circle of Friends
Counselor for LISD ADAPT program (Alternative Discipline and Parent Training Program)
Active member of Texas Counseling Association and the Texas School Counseling Association
Category 6: Community Partnerships
In LISD and at Homestead Elementary, one of the four cornerstone goals is community engagement. Partnerships with our community are vital to the health and effectiveness of our school community. We value our community partnerships at Homestead and are always seeking ways to expand and maximize our local resources. The counseling programs supports and encourages community engagement and partnerships in the following ways:
Academic:
Academic Support Volunteers- Adults (retired teachers, parent volunteers, community members) in our Homestead network that volunteer to work with students who have been identified as below grade level in reading or math and are in the RTI process. The volunteers are trained by Homestead administrators on duties and expectations. Students are paired with ASVs with whom they work with once a week.
Hebron PALS-Hebron High students visit the Homestead campus once a week for 1 ½ hours to mentor and work with students who need extra support.
Career:
Parent volunteers came to Homestead and shared about their profession on our school wide career day January 29, 2018.
Community volunteers participated in the school wide career day January 29, 2018.
Carrollton Police Department and Fire Department come to visit kindergarten and first grade students in the fall of 2017.
Personal/Social:
St. Ann’s Thanksgiving Baskets- available for those in need during Thanksgiving season.
Hebron PALS-work to build relationships with students in need.
Metrocrest Social Services- served students in need within Carrollton and Denton County and also provided Christmas Support and Sack Summer Hunger Program for Homestead Students
The NTX Community Food Pantry- Provided Christmas support and food pantry assistance to those in need.
Journey to Dream-Christmas assistance for needy families.
Denton County Friends of the Family provided educational programing for students in grades K-5 regarding safety, wellness, socialization, and leadership development.
Category 7: Parent Collaboration
The school counseling program partners with the Homestead PTA (Parent Teacher Association) to foster student success and a positive school climate while supporting the goals established by the SCA council and the PAWS committee. The PTA generously funds Red Ribbon Week, Mustangs with Character, guest speakers for PTA meetings, and school wide assemblies that focus on social/emotional wellness. In addition to the favorable PTA partnership, the counselor works to collaborate with parents in the following ways:
Guidance Curriculum:
Home Links to guidance curriculum are sent home throughout the year for follow up at home. A link to online resources for guidance curriculum are also provided so that parents can follow through at home with lessons taught at school.
An example of such is as follows: http://www.secondstep.org/Kindergarten/Families/Second-Step-Kit
Preview times for guidance curriculum during back to school day and open house.
Responsive Services:
Parent conferences
Parent Phone Calls
Parent Emails
Individual Planning:
Conferences with parent, teacher, student, counselor
RTI
System Support:
School Webpage
Twitter
Home LInks for Curriculum
Parent Resource Self that is located in front entry of school