Small group responsive services have played a key role in the Burke School Counseling Program for a long time and it is important that I build a curriculum supporting student’s mental and emotional needs so they can access academic curriculum. I led five small group sessions that ran at least four sessions long. The topics were diversified and aligned with the ASCA Mindsets, Behaviors, and Competencies, with many of them focusing on developing the whole self, self-motivation, and demonstrating self-discipline and coping skills.



I met with the clinical team at the beginning of the year and I decided my small groups should target 8th graders to create opportunities for them to build skills to transition to high school, although some 7th graders on Tier II for behavioral referrals did receive RI behavioral intervention on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 7th graders would continue to have weekly homeroom groups with their assigned clinicians, large group counseling groups, and one-on-one support as needed. 8th grade student needs were identified through a social emotional learning survey, and by analyzing grades, teacher reports, and behavioral referrals at the end of the 2016 year with administration. The data showed overwhelming evidence that 8th graders grades tended to go down and behavioral referrals go up due to anxiety over end of the year testing, and high school transition meetings. All group topics were selected based on the social emotional survey given at the beginning of the year and from numerous meetings with the Responsive Instruction team, administration, and clinical team at Burke School. The small group topics selected were Anger Management, Coping Skills, Resiliency and Goal Setting, Social Skills, and Study Skills. Students who were identified as behaviorally at risk for being on Tier II for behavioral referrals were invited to participate in the Anger Management, Coping Skills, and Goal Setting/Resiliency Group. Some 8th graders who struggle with reading and received a D or F in a core subject at the end of the year last year participated in the Study Skills Group (Closing the Gap Group).



I led the Coping Skills group with one of our social workers and I developed the lessons based on the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors that focused on self-discipline, effective coping strategies, and building positive relationships with peers and adults. The group met every Thursday morning during 1st period for about eight weeks. The perception data results for the Coping Skills Group were particularly strong. After the group, the post-test revealed that 100 % of group participants increased their knowledge of what the C-O-P-E formula is and what each letter means. One student even reported “this is an easy formula to remember and can help me when I feel like I want to blow up.” I decided to focus on the results for questions three and five since questions two and four were just prep questions to three and five. Questions three and five on the Coping Skills Group pre and post-test focused on identifying strengths and coping skills. On the pre-test, students identifed an average of one strength and 1.5 coping skills. After the group, all students in the group identifed at least two or more strengths and coping skills which shows a change in attitude towards what they believe about themeselves. The outcome data shows that the Coping Skills Group did help two students significantly reduce their behavioral referrals 2nd semester by over 20 %. The other two students increased their behavioral referrals, one student significantly by 135 %.



Again, this behavioral referral increase speaks to the significant stress our 8th graders experience through high school transition meetings, tests, and upcoming change. Data shows that I need to offer more coping skills groups at the end of the year and I need to create a small group focusing on what 8th graders can expect in their transition meetings to high school and offer this group at the beginning, middle and end of the yeart to front load student expectations. For our more at-risk students, there needs to be more clinical support available to them individually and even in the home. I will meet with our clinical team and administration mid-year to start identifying students who are showing signs of needing more clinical support to address their mental health needs at school, and even at home before their behavior referrals increase significantly at the end of the year.

Group Name: Coping Skills Group

Goal: During the 2016-2017 school year, Burke School students identified on Tier II for behavioral referrals 1st semester will reduce the number of behavioral referrals they earn 2nd semester by 15%.

Target Group: 8th grade students identified on Tier II for Behavioral Referrals

Data Used to Identify Students: Behavioral referrals for each Tier as of 1st semester 2017

School Counselor(s): Janene Pack

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): M 1, M 6, B-LS 4, B-LS 9, B-SMS 1, B-SMS 2, B-SMS 7, B-SMS 10, B-SS 2, B-SS 3, B-SS 4, B-SS 5, B-SS 6, B-SS 8, B-SS 9

Outline of Group Sessions Delivered: 8th grade students who are on Tier II for behavioral referrals 1st semester and have been identified as struggling with managing their frustrations, disappointments, and or anger. Students will learn techniques and strategies that will assist them in calming themselves down and managing their emotions. Session1: Purpose of the group, group norms and Coping Skills pre-test. Session 2: Process situations can’t control, introduce C-O-P-E formula in dealing with stressful situations. C-Care of self and others O-open up and communicate P-Positive Thinking E-Express emotions Session 3: How can we care for ourselves and others? Session 4: “I” messages vs. blaming. Session 5: Assertive communication Session 6: Positive Thoughts Session 7: Expressing feelings Session 8: People who Support me. End with post-test

Process Data (Number of students affected): 4 students (8th grade) 4 students attended all sessions. Sessions lasted 30 mins.

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): 100% of group participants increased their knowledge of coping skills they can use to manage their emotions and behavior. Specifically, 100 % of group participants could identify on the post-test the letters of the C-O-P-E formula: C-Care of self and others, O-Open up and communicate, P-Positive Thinking E-Express Emotions Students reported on the post-test that they either agreed or strongly agreed that they could identify personal strengths and coping skills. Students identified an average of two or more strengths and coping skills after the group.

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): As previously stated throughout the RAMP narratives, Burke School is a special education center where students are placed into our school at any time of the year, and can mainstream back to their base schools when ready at various times of the year. Two students out of the four students identified on Tier II 1st semester for behavioral referrals who participated in the Coping Skills group reduced their behavioral referrals 2nd semester by 20 % or more, student A reduced their referrals by 26.5% and student I reduced their referrals by 21.7%. The other two students identified on Tier II for behavioral referrals 1st semester and who participated in the Coping Skills group increased their behavioral referrals 2nd semester. Student D increased their behavioral referrals by 15 % and student F increased their behavioral referrals significantly by 135.2%.

Implications: This is the first year the Coping Skills group was offered more towards the end of the year and was met with success. 100 % of students came willingly to the group and participated. All group members exhibited perception growth and reported an increase of knowledge of personal strengths and specific coping skills that can be used to manage their emotions and behavior. I speculate that student’s attitude to participate in the group tended to be positive because the end of the year is a particularly stressful time for our 8th graders because they are leaving Burke School and don’t always know which high school they will be placed into. Many students mistakenly expect they will be going back to their base school when their behavior is still showing they need a higher level of support in school. Behavioral referrals tend to increase for our individual 8th grade students after their high school transition meetings and during state-wide testing and finals. The outcome data shows this to be the case with two students showing an increase in behavioral referrals, with one student showing a significant increase in behavioral referrals at the end of the year due to stress and mental health. Through their behavior, 8th grade students are expressing a need for more behavioral support at the end of the year. Next year I will offer the coping skill group again at the end of the year, but possibly do more than one group to help more 8th graders with managing standardized testing and finals. I also think it would be beneficial to create a small group for 8th graders focusing on their various expectations about their individual transitions to high school. Some concerns, such as an increase in mental health concerns, will require that I do more proactive planning with our clinical team on how to best put services in place for these students and their families before a student’s behavior referrals increases significantly.

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