School Counselors: Supporters of Academic Rigor (SOAR)
University of North Florida
UNF SOAR School Counseling Program Portfolio
UNF Counselor Education Faculty:
Chris Janson, Associate Professor
904-620-1520
Sophie Maxis, Assistant Professor
904-620-1112
Rebecca Schumacher
Assistant Professor and Program Director
904-620-1546
Carolyn Stone, Professor
904-620-1826
INTRODUCTION TO SOAR AND UNF
School Counselors: Supporters Of Academic Rigor (SOAR) is a partnership between the University of North Florida (UNF) and the Duval County Public Schools with outreach efforts to St. Johns, Clay, Putnam and Nassau counties with the expected outcome of preparing counselors who will practice as advocates, leaders, and academic advisors helping to create the conditions necessary for academic achievement for all children.
The counselor education program at UNF is embedded in a college and university committed to K-12 school district partnerships for educational reform. The University of North Florida, located in Jacksonville, Florida (Duval County), has joined forces with the Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) to restructure the preparation program for urban teachers and school counselors. For the past 14 years the College of Education and Human Services and DCPS have worked in partnership to increase achievement for public school students in urban classrooms and redesign the preparation of urban teachers and school counselors. Supported by over $4,000,000 in grants, the UNF/DCPS partnership has become a national prototype for successful urban university/school district collaboration. In December 2011, The Education Trust named the UNF School Counseling Program a stand out program and an example of excellence in establishing “educational equity and academic success for every pre-K - 12 student” as part of our mission statement.
The University of North Florida was founded in 1972 and currently has a student body of over 16,000 students enrolled in over 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Students come from all over the United States and from over 90 foreign countries. UNF emphasizes quality undergraduate and graduate education while playing a vital role in the cultural, economic and civic fabric of the Jacksonville community.
Admissions to the UNF SOAR School Counseling Program is twofold:
1. Admission to the UNF Graduate School, and
2. Admission to the SOAR program through interview, public speech and a review of a portfolio containing information specific to 21st Century School Counseling.
SCHOOL COUNSELING:
School Counseling focuses on preparing counselors to meet the academic, career and personal/social needs of culturally and linguistically diverse student populations. The School Counseling Track will prepare school counselors to:
· serve as advocates, educational leaders, team members, counselors, and consultants to maximize opportunities for students to succeed academically;
· develop in students a commitment to achievement and provide conditions that enable students to accomplish their goals;
· help students recognize their potential and enhance their capacity to make academic and career decisions;
· serve as leaders and stewards of equity and achievement and be able to impact institutional and environmental barriers impeding students’ progress;
· provide all students with academic and career advising in order for them to form values, attitudes, and behaviors conducive to their educational and academic success: and,
· manage resources and build partnerships by enlisting the support of parents, agencies, and community members.
The SOAR School Counseling Program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Graduates of the SOAR program will have fulfilled the educational requirements for Florida certification as school counselors and for the English as a Second Language requirement for school counselors.
ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM:
1. Apply to the Graduate School
Applicants:
· must apply to the UNF Graduate School. The Graduate School requires 1) all official transcripts, 2) General Knowledge Test or GRE scores, 3) three letters of reference, one of which needs to be from your school principal and/or vice principal, or for non-educators a current or recent supervisor, 4) a letter of intent, and 5) an application fee.
· must have a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 hours of their undergraduate study. For students with a lower GPA please read the section below entitled “Exception.”
· must take and pass the General Knowledge Test (http://www.fl.nesinc.com/ ) or take the GRE and receive a combined verbal and quantitative score of 297 or higher.
2. Complete a portfolio and interview with a SOAR Selection Team
Applicants:
· must submit a completed portfolio to the SOAR Program in the Leadership, School Counseling and Sport Management Department. A complete SOAR Portfolio contains:
§ Applicant Statement of Understanding
§ unofficial copies of transcripts from all institutions previously attended**
§ copy of your General Knowledge Test score report or copy of GRE scores
§ Individualized School Experience Contract
§ written reaction to a journal article and a school scenario
§ a copy of your teaching certificate if you are certified by the Florida Department of Education
**OFFICIAL copies of transcripts and test scores must be sent to the UNF Graduate School as part of the Graduate admissions process. Applicants will interview with a selection committee comprised of program faculty and practicing school counselors and will deliver a brief public speech on the achievement gap (see page 10).
General Knowledge Test (GKT)
The GKT is recommended for entry to the School Counseling Program because it is one of the Florida Teacher Certification Exams and is a required test for the Practicum course in addition to being required by the Florida Department of Education for certification. You can get more information at http://www.fl.nesinc.com/ .
Please note: It takes approximately 6 weeks to receive all your GK test results. All test results must be received by the Graduate School admission deadline.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
You can take the GRE in lieu of the General Knowledge Test, but you must receive a combined verbal and quantitative score of 297 or higher (or 1000 on the old test).
Contact the UNF Testing Center (www.unf.edu/dept/testing/index.html) for more information.
Please note, once in the program you will still be required to take and pass the GKT for the Practicum course.
Exception
An exception may be awarded to an applicant who meets all the admission criteria except their GPA. An applicant with a GPA of less than 3.0 in their last 60 hours of undergraduate studies as calculated by the Graduate School is eligible for award consideration. Each program has a very limited number of exceptions, so awards are competitive. An applicant who has a GPA of lower than 3.0 may request a review of his/her application by submitting a letter detailing the reasons that an exception to the admission policy should be granted. This letter should be submitted to the School Counseling Program Director prior to the closing date for receipt of applications. The letter will become part of the application and be reviewed during the student selection process.
CONTINUANCE IN THE PROGRAM:
All candidates admitted are on a trial basis; during the second semester instructors will provide written feedback regarding each student’s progress. Final admission will occur at the end of the second semester. The SOAR program faculty is ethically obligated to monitor each student’s performance throughout his/her studies. Completion of the program is dependent not only upon academic performance but also on the demonstration of appropriate interpersonal skills, professional demeanor, and social and ethical judgment. Faculty will advise students in cases where they receive grades lower than a “B” and/or are not performing satisfactorily.
School Counselors: Supporters of Academic Rigor (SOAR) Application Checklist
University of North Florida
This page should be the first one in your portfolio.
Name______N #______
This is the identification number
Address______assigned to you once you apply
to UNF for admission. ______Zip code______
Telephone Numbers (H) ______(C)______
Preferred Email Address______
I am applying for which term (circle one) Summer Fall for the YEAR ______.
SOAR School Counseling Admissions Portfolio: Your portfolio should contain these items. Please check them off and place them in this order. Portfolio materials submitted become the property of the SOAR program. Please make sure that you keep copies of all your work.
***Portfolios should be mailed or hand-delivered to:
UNF/SOAR, Bldg. 57/Office 3200, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, Florida, USA 32224
_____Applicant Statement of Understanding
_____Unofficial Transcript from all institutions previously attended
_____Unofficial copy of GRE exam score (verbal and quantitative)
_____Unofficial copy of your GK scores or a copy of a FLDOE teaching certificate
*Needed if you have not taken the GRE or your combined verbal and quantitative score is less than 297 (1000 on the old version).
_____Individualized School Experience Contract
_____Journal Article Response
_____School Scenario Response
Graduate School Application: Your application should include the following. Please check each item that you have submitted to that office. All documentation should go to the following address:
UNF Graduate School, Bldg. 1/Office 2000, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224
_____ Official Transcript from all institutions previously attended
_____ Three references
_____Letter of Intent – detailing why you want to be a school counselor and a description of any
leadership activities in which you have been involved as a volunteer or
professional
_____ GKT Scores or a copy of a valid Florida Professional Educator’s Certificate, or
_____Official GRE scores
*If you have taken the above exams, but have not received your official scores yet, please write the date you took the exam next to the exam name.
School Counselors: Supporters of Academic Rigor (SOAR)
University of North Florida
APPLICANT STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING
We are delighted that you have chosen to pursue graduate study in the UNF SOAR School Counseling Program. It is our goal to identify outstanding students and to support them throughout their program of study.
SOAR candidates are given an opportunity through their portfolio to present their personal qualifications. The SOAR Selection Team will nominate those candidates for admission that are admitted to the UNF Graduate School and demonstrate the personal qualities needed to be an outstanding school counselor and who have the best opportunity for success. All nominated students will be admitted on a trial basis with final admissions coming at the close of the second semester with written feedback on the student’s progress during the second semester. Beyond the second semester, the SOAR Faculty is ethically obligated to safeguard the school counseling profession by continuously monitoring student performance. Completion of the program is dependent not only upon academic performance, but the demonstration of appropriate interpersonal skills, professional demeanor, and social and ethical judgment. Grades are only part of what is needed for a student to be successful in the SOAR Program. If concerns arise, students will be directed to do one of the following: participate in a writing and/or speech course, drop temporarily from the program, perform voluntary or paid work in a school, repeat a course, seek personal counseling, or withdraw from the program permanently. As a student, you have the right to appeal any grade or decision about your standing in the program.
***The SOAR Program is designed to accommodate working students who have busy lives. However, a challenging, demanding two years/ 6 semesters will be required from each of you. This program cannot be completed in less than 6 semesters. Please carefully weigh the commitment against your personal and professional demands. Attendance in each class is paramount and high quality work is a given. Employed students are asked to save 6 personal/vacation days a year for school/course related activities. Because of the need for quality school counselors we MUST graduate every student who begins the program. The SOAR program relies on a continuation of skill building rather than discreet courses. It will be difficult for you to sit out a semester or to take only a portion of the semester’s course work. Students who have emergencies will be accommodated to the extent possible with a new sequence of courses. Each situation will be addressed individually.
*** Initial that you have read the above statement. ______
Active class participation is needed. Courses are designed for self-reflection and self-evaluation. Also, class discussion will be frank and open to help you become comfortable dealing with uncomfortable subjects such as the examination of “isms”, e.g., racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. Confidentiality, professionalism, willingness to be open and forthrightness are necessary.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I have carefully read the above statement and I agree to the terms as outlined.
______
Student’s Signature Date
School Counselors: Supporters of Academic Rigor (SOAR)
University of North Florida
INDIVIDUALIZED SCHOOL EXPERIENCE CONTRACT
To the Applicant: As an applicant for the school counseling program it would be desirable for you to have some sort of experience, either voluntary or paid employment, within a school setting. Applicants who do not have such experience may be asked to contract with us to gain a specified number of hours of experience in a school. If you are admitted into the program and need school experience your program sponsor will discuss the details with you. You will have until the end of the first year of your graduate studies to fulfill your school experience requirement. Please note however, that the terms of your individualized learning contract may be subject to revision during the first semester of graduate studies depending upon your needs and performance in the program.
Name______
Please indicate all school experience to date:
Volunteer (ie. PTA Board Member, room mother, tutor).
Please specify your role, your function/duties, the location(s) and the date(s)
Employment (list current and previous school employment)
Please specify your role, your function/duties, the location(s) and the date(s)
If you hold a Florida Professional Educators/Teaching Certificate, please include a copy.
Have you been fingerprinted by Duval County Public Schools in the last 5 years? _____YES _____ NO
If yes, which year? ______
Print your full name at the time you were fingerprinted: ______
PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
School experience to be gained by the applicant:
Date to be completed by:
Student’s Signature: