The Capitol Hill Counseling Program offered 15 different small-group counseling opportunities during the 16-17 school year. The small-group topics and age groups were chosen by the counselors based upon needs of those referred to counselors for support. The small group action plan reflects the specific students needs of students referred for anxiety, experiencing loss or family change, low academic performance, perceived apathy, work avoidance behaviors, social difficulties and delayed executive functioning skills. Group referrals were received from teachers, parents and students but many participants were also identified by counselors for additional group support after exploring behavior, attendance or academic data.



The Small Group Action Plan reflects the vision of the Capitol Hill CCP by providing additional instruction and support needed for targeted, struggling students to become well equipped high-achieving scholars who are prepared for rigorous high school courses and future challenges. Our school began teaching Mindfulness, the CASEL domains, and work by Carol Dweck on Growth Mindset in 2014-15 school wide. Social Emotional Learning Objectives are taught school wide and are a part of our School Comprehensive Improvement Plan. We are a Gifted/Talented Magnet and have many “twice exceptional” concrete thinkers who struggle with deep perfectionism which makes it hard for them to take risks or try in areas in which they are not already proficient. These struggles present in many ways which may look like apathy, defiance, low or under performance, or focus difficulties. The small group action plan reflects the need for additional support in these areas.



One of the groups facilitated by the elementary counselor was designed to address some of these difficulties. The SOAR Mindset Small curriculum was created to be developmentally appropriate for Grades 2-4. Lessons were gathered from various resources which are listed in the resource section of the attached SOAR Mindset Curriculum Overview. This group curriculum was designed to target our goals of developing the ASCA Mindsets of self-confidence in ability to succeed (M: 2) and growing a positive attitude toward work and learning (M: 6). We also chose activities that would help develop effective coping skills when faced with a problem (B: SMS 7), and foster the ability to overcome barriers to learning (B: SMS 6). Perception data for this group was gathered using a nine question pre/post survey, scored on a 5 point Likert scale. The Student Self Assessment Survey responses were totaled and averaged per student. We collected perception data from teacher surveys to reflect on group participants’ behavior changes in the classroom and that data was discussed with the teachers. Seven of the eight participants improved their perception of their abilities in school. The one student, who digressed throughout the 8 weeks, was clinically diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety shortly after the conclusion of the group.



Outcome data was taken from Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 SRI Lexile assessment scores with a yearly growth target of 100 Lexile points. Seven of the eight participants exceeded or far exceeded the growth target with an average growth of 297 points. One specific 2nd grade student moved 608 points through, as she states, persistence, “heavy lifting” and “growing her brain muscle”. The one group participant who did not meet the growth target, will be evaluated this fall for a learning disability in reading.



Our SOAR Mindset Group successfully met desired outcomes and will be offered again with some changes. I will add two more sessions to the curriculum to focus on activities building resiliency, positive self concept, and identification of current strengths and activities that require less writing. We hit the concepts of “Power of Yet” and “persistence” pretty hard but need to build the belief that they can overcome barriers, this will take some additional targeted learning and practiced strategies such as flexible thinking and organizational skills. The co-ed and multi grade groupings of participants will remain because of the positive unintended outcome of building previously unexplored friendships that have continued into this fall.

Group Name: SOAR

Goal: 60% of participants will meet a yearly growth target of 100 Lexile scores as measured by Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 SRI Lexile assessment scores. SRI is the Scholastic Reading Inventory, a criterion-referenced test intended to measure reading comprehension and match students to text so they can read with confidence and control. The Lexile scores measure students’ achievement in reading abilities and growth over a year.

Target Group: Underperforming 2-4 grade students

Data Used to Identify Students: Self Assessment Survey results, Teacher Survey results, low work completion rates and support referrals to counselor

School Counselor(s): Lori Sundelius

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): Mindset Standards: M 2 - Self-confidence in ability to succeed M 6 - Positive attitude toward work and learning Behavior: SMS 6 - Ability to overcome barriers to learning. SMS 7 - Effective coping skills when faced with a problem

Outline of Group Sessions Delivered: SESSION 1: Secret About Your Brain! Student will be able to share what they already know about the brain by drawing a brain and be able to explain how the brain is a muscle and grows stronger with hard work. Watch Mojo movie and discuss the science behind brain growth. SESSION 2. Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset? Watch Mojo video #2, visual activity using a sponge and water to make it get bigger. Students are able to define fixed mindset and growth mindset and explain how the brain needs to be filled up with learning to get stronger and what that means for our time in class. SESSION 3. The World of Neurons. Watch Mojo video #3, students will do an activity with neurons and yarn to show how “learning” happens when neurons connect. We will talk about how learning about neurons helps them be more positive when faced with a challenge. SESSION 4. Power of Your Words. Watch Mojo video #4 and the “Power of Yet” music video from Sesame Street. Read sentences from handout and discuss ‘Instead Of’ vs. ‘Try Thinking’. Students will be able to rephrase fixed mindsets into growth mindsets statements. SESSION 5. Positive or Negative Statements? Do role play activity with some students as LEARNERS and some are BRAINS. Students will recognize growth and fixed mindsets in different scenarios and will act out strategies and positive self talk in mind set role plays situations. SESSION 6. Making Mistakes and Bouncing Back. Watch clip from Meet the Robinsons to discuss how different characters react to failure. Students will be able to explain how failing is an important part of learning and give an example of self talk to use when a mistake or failure happens. SESSION 7. Putting it All Together and Goal Setting. Watch Mojo video #5. Students will demonstrate growth mindset knowledge to set a goal and make a plan for how to meet a challenging goal and overcome barriers.

Process Data (Number of students affected): Number of Students: 8 students, Number of sessions: 7 sessions, Time: ~30 minute/session

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Perception data for this group was gathered using a nine question pre/post survey. Surveys were completed by students were scored on a 5 point Likert scale, the average of all 9 questions was recorded. The counselor used the perception data from teacher surveys to reflect group participants’ behavior changes in the classroom. Here are the specific students pre and post percentages: Student #1 58%-82%, #2 53%-71%, #3 62%-82%, #4 56%-69%, #5 20%-27% #6 33%-58%, #7 47%-33%, #8 56%-71%. Seven of eight participants showed growth.

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Taken from Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 SRI Lexile assessment scores with a yearly growth target of 100 Lexile points. Seven of the eight participants (88%) exceeded or far exceeded the 100-point growth target with an average growth of 297 points. Here are the specific students and data gathered: Student #1 =207 points growth, #2 =608 points growth, #3 =263 points growth, #4 =166 points growth, #5 =56 points growth, #6 =467 points growth, #7 =297 points growth, #8 =177 points growth.

Implications: I started this group as a professional learning community (PLC) project with several other counselors in our district. Many of the students who I was supporting, struggled with starting work and trying to stick with work that was not easy or fun. They are students who were spending time outside of the classroom, avoiding work, and “shutting down”. During the months that the group was meeting, many students increased their time on task and decreased time out of the classroom as reported by their teachers. We do many interventions for reading support and teaching social emotional learning strategies in classrooms so all the changes in these students may not be 100% because of the group, but there are strong indicators that it definitely made a positive impact. I will be offering this group again with a few changes. For example, I will add more activities that are intended to have learning transfer more effectively to the classroom and to home, such as having students create physical reminders for themselves and sending more information home as the group happens. Another change I would make is regarding how the perception data is analyzed. It would provide more accurate implications if each question was averaged by all students rather than taking the average of all questions per student.

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