Let’s talk about goals. My goal for this year centers around one acronym, RAMP. Recognized ASCA Model Program. I covet that plaque and that distinguishing honor. I am so pleased that in one year, my district has been able to move so far on our continuum to achieving RAMP status. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the big picture. I have to chunk and chew. Chunk the over all goal into smaller more manageable ones and process through it – set goals, network, research, and move one step at a time.
Fortunately, ASCA breaks RAMP goals up for us into a three year process. Today’s countdown is all about program evaluation. Maybe your goal is not to be a RAMP school (I say school because it can be just a school status if it is not a district wide goal). But you must have some direction and some aspirations for your counseling program, so define your overall aspirations, chunk them and set some goals to reach them.
Maybe you start out by asking yourself “What went well” and “What could be better”. Perhaps your goals for next year will be more specific like “I want to start a book club” or “I want to do a Red Ribbon Week”. Maybe your goal is program promotion or finding a better system for data collection and analysis.
For myself, I am looking at what I need to do to move my school and my district through the second year of RAMP certification. That is my big picture focus. For the 29 page pdf to view RAMP, it’s requirements, examples, and a rubric – click below.
For examples of our first year working towards RAMP, check out the School Counseling in the Mitten from the menu above. Watch for posts on our second year as we “ramp” up for this coming school year!
No matter what your goals are – aim high, plan well, be specific, measureable and realistic.
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