Shannon Zirpoli interviews Ginny Barrett, a guidance coordinator at Central Bucks South in Pennsylvania, who has a caseload of 300 students. She emphasizes a student-centered approach, focusing on counseling, college preparations, and career exploration while adhering to ASCA competencies and managing crises as they arise. Ginny values flexibility, strong organizational and listening skills, and enjoys supporting students' growth into capable adults.

1. My School Counselor Interview
Created By: Shannon Zirpoli

2. I had the opportunity to interview Ginny Barrett
Ginny is The Guidance Coordinator at Central Bucks South in Warrington, Pa. 18976
She is currently working with Juniors the class of 2016 and will be with them until graduation.
Her caseload is 300 students. Some she will see only 4 times a year others she will see more depending
on their needs. She feels bad she cannot spend more times with the other students that need her less.
She likes this system because it allows her to see her students grow, evolve and mature. Ginny is
celebrating her 20th year as a School Counselor.

3. Ginny does not believe in the importance
theoretical orientation
Ginny “She realizes that theoretical orientation is stressed in Graduate
School but that’s not really how it works in the field.” If she had to pick
one she considers herself a behaviorist like Bandura. She asks her
students what they want? She says okay this is how you are acting Then
she asks them How can you change your behavior to get what you want?
Albert Bandura--------------------

4. Ginny’s primary roles and responsibilities
include:
Meeting with Students for course selection
Holding SAT Seminars for Students and Parents
Helping students with college entrance requirement and applications
Organizing and hosting College Fairs
Organizing and hosting Career Exploration Opportunities
Counseling Students both Individually and in Small Groups
Dealing with any situation that may arise
Working as a team with parents, teachers and administrators to make school all it can
be.

5. How the ASCA School Counselor
Competencies influence the role and
responsibilities of counselors
Ginny does feel that the ASCA School Counselor Competencies do influence
her role as a counselor. They are something that must be followed. It is
important to remember to be culturally competent and as to remember that
family dynamics have also changed. Some administrators say that are main
client is the parent. Ginny believes the main client is the students who she
works with. She is very student-centered. When she closes her door she tells
her students that they can tell her anything. She also tells them that she can
saying anything to them as well.

6. What a typical day entail
Ginny shared that her schedule varies depending on the time of year it is.
Currently she is working on organizing College Fairs and Career Exploration
opportunities. She is also running small informative groups with her students
regarding SAT Testing. She is also counseling individually dealing with various
issues and in small groups about drug prevention. Ginny is also working on a
program to help teachers to understand the new Pennsylvainia procedures that
if they suspect Child Abuse they must now report themselves instead of the
counseling department She also said that there are meetings and lots of
paperwork to complete.

7. How Ginny handles emergency crisis situations as they arise while
still meeting his or her daily responsibilities
At times it is a juggling act. If an emergency crisis situation does take
place with one of her students that is her first priority. For that moment
other tasks do get put on hold.

8. What the counselor sees as the essential skills
for a school counselor
Flexibility
Good organizational skills
Good Listening skills
Resourceful and Helpful
Able to multitask
Empathy
Like to talk
Love students and school

9. Ginny feels fortunate and loves her job!
Every day is different and she enjoys being a part of the school team. She loves
to talk and help her students to thrive to hopefully grow into strong capable
adults!