The school counseling class lesson on academic and high school planning resulted in positive outcomes for 7th grade students at Mission Middle School. Following the lesson, there was a 7% increase in students' average GPA. Students' knowledge about promotion requirements and high school options doubled or tripled based on post-lesson tests. For example, more students knew they need a 2.0 GPA to promote and that there are 4 high school options, with one being lottery only. Additionally, 79% of students were able to identify their academic data and create SMART goals. The counselors concluded the lesson was effective but could be improved by having academic reviews more frequently and monitoring goal progress.

1. School Counseling Classroom Lesson
Results Presentation (7th Grade)
Academic & High School Planning
Mission Middle School Counseling Program
Anahi Amador & Gloria Torres
School Counseling Interns

2. School Counseling Program Overview
The Mission Middle School School Counseling Program mission is to offer a
comprehensive data-driven American School Counselor Association (ASCA) school
counseling program that supports ALL students to reach their academic,
social/emotional, and college/career potential & success.
ASCA Domains:
Academic Development
College/Career Readiness
Social/Emotional Development

3. Rationale - Why Did We Teach This Lesson?
The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA, 2018) states that middle school
counselors create opportunities to explore and deepen college and career knowledge
and skills necessary for academic planning and goal setting to support students’
college and career readiness by:
● Identify their strengths, build resiliency skills, make personal commitments to learning
● Help students use good learning habits
● Look and evaluate data on promotion and GPA
Our pre-test confirmed that many students did not know about the GPA requirement for
promotion, how many choices they had for high school, or which high school was
lottery only. This pre-test will serve as a great jumping off point for future lessons for our
7th and 8th graders.

4. Lesson Objectives, ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors
Student Objectives:
▪ Students will understand basic information about eighth grade promotion and
the high school transition by participating in a counselor-led class discussion.
▪ Students will identify their own GPA and test scores, and develop an academic
SMART goal by working on the student data tracker worksheet.
ASCA Domain:
▪ Academic Development
Mindsets & Behaviors:
▪ M 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are
necessary for long-term career success.
▪ B-LS 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals

5. Process Data
▪ Who: 328 students (all 7th graders)
▪ Where: Social Studies classes (Mr. Martinez & Mr. Bunker)
▪ When: Thursday, April 5 and Monday, April 9, 2018
▪ What: School counselor generated lesson on:
▪ 8th grade promotion requirements
▪ High school transition in EUHSD
▪ Academic review
▪ Academic SMART goal setting

6. I believe I can be successful in 8th grade.
Strongly agree:
28% → 39%
Perception Data.
91% of students
believe that they
can be successful in
8th grade

7. Strongly agree:
33% → 43%
I believe I can promote to high school.Perception Data.
93% of students
believe that they
can promote to
high school

8. What GPA do I need to promote to high
school?
Perception Data.
More than
tripled! 84% of students
know that they
need a GPA of 2.0
or higher to
participate in 8th
grade promotion
celebrations

9. How many choices do I have for high
school in the EUHSD?
Perception Data.
More than
doubled! 97% of students
know that they
have 4 high school
options to choose
from in the EUHSD

10. Which high school selects students by
lottery only?
Perception Data.
37% Increase!
92% of students
know that Del Lago
Academy is the
only high school
that selects student
by lottery only

11. S.M.A.R.T. Goals worksheet
79% of students can identify
and evaluate their GPA and
test scores (MAPS and
CAASPP) to develop an
academic SMART goal.
% of Students that were able to create an
academic SMART goal.
Perception Data.

12. Examples of students’ academic SMART
goals.
Perception Data.

13. GPA changes between PR 2 and PR 3Outcome Data.
PR 2 Average GPA: 2.28
PR 3 Average GPA: 2.44
7% average GPA increase
between PR 2 and PR 3

14. Limitations, Implications, Lessons Learned
▪ Attitudes, Knowledge & Skills
▪ Post-test showed increases in all areas, particularly in knowledge
▪ Presentation was effective in teaching students content on
promotion requirements and the high school transition
▪ Attitudes did not vary significantly
▪ Achievement Data
▪ A slight increase in average GPA for all 7th graders occured
▪ It might be a good idea to have academic reviews before every progress
report (trimester), develop academic SMART goals earlier, provide
support, and monitor attainment
▪ We do not have standardized test scores for the last trimester, but will
continue to monitor data to analyze impact

15. Limitations, Implications, Lessons Learned + Next Steps
▪ Kahoot
▪ Post-test showed increase in % of students who “strongly disagree”
▪ Likely due to responses being public and students wanting a reaction from their
peers, who often looked around the room at the reveal of the answers and asked
out loud, “Who put strongly disagree?”
▪ SMART Goals
▪ We found that in the class periods where we had more time
(Monday, compared to shortened periods on Thursday), more
students were able to successfully create an academic SMART goal
Next Steps:
▪ Continue to monitor student GPAs and Standardized Test Scores
▪ 8th grade core curriculum lessons on promotion and high school planning

16. Thank you
to all Mission Middle School staff, and in
particular Mr. Martinez and Mr. Bunker, for
your contributions to these efforts and your
support of the school counseling program.
We could not do this without you!
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact Nicole Pablo
at npablo@eusd.org or 760.432.221821860