Bell’s Crossing Elementary Earns School Counseling Award
The Bell’s Crossing Elementary School Guidance Department is honored to receive the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) award from the American School Counselors Association (ASCA). Bell’s Crossing Elementary joins Woodland Elementary School as one of only two schools in Upstate South Carolina to receive the award.
The RAMP designation, awarded to schools whose counseling programs align with the criteria set in the ASCA National Model, recognizes schools that are committed to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program and creating an exemplary educational environment. More than 450 schools have received the RAMP designation since the program’s inception.
School Counselors Kim Groome and Joy Hawkins have made significant strides in their school counseling program to address the academic, career, personal, and social development of students. In addition to working closely with students in small groups and learning labs, counselors pair students with peer tutors and mentors that assist them in academic coursework.
The school has implemented Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies (PBIS) to assist students with improved behavior throughout the school day. In addressing the issue of bullying, counselors work with school leadership teams to implement SOAR Student Expectation Training. Assemblies are conducted for third through fifth graders to offer bullying prevention training, and a “Bully Box” was created for confidential reporting. Conflict resolution is practiced in the classroom with Peace Tool Kits.
Bell’s Crossing Elementary uses the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People principles to reinforce fairness, respect, responsibility, and problem solving. Working closely with parents and teachers, the program initiatives assist in closing the gap between student achievement and success.
Each month one of the Seven Habits is also highlighted school-wide. It is announced on the school wide morning news show and highlighted in the Counselor’s Corner Newsletter to parents. Special event counseling programs such as Disability Awareness, Friendship Week, and the Bullying Awareness Program, are scheduled monthly.
A “begin with the end in mind” attitude helps steer students toward and encourage them to develop goals that will take them into the future. Counseling programs offered at Bell’s Crossing, such as Disability Awareness and Manners Café, provide an understanding of the importance of treating others as they would like to be treated.
In the past year, The Bell’s Crossing Counseling Advisory Committee added the responsibility of collaborating with the PTA to combine and streamline efforts to communicate with parents and the community about the counseling program. This has resulted in an increase in referrals to school counseling programs and more students receiving support.