Underappreciated and Underutilized

An Ode to School Counselors

When organizing my innovation plan, my mind initially went straight to teachers as the facilitators of the information and resources I am trying to make available to students. After all, students see them everyday and (hopefully) have developed a good relationship with their teachers. On the other side of things, I explored the idea of an agency like TEA or an education service center running the show. However, the more I researched and created my plan, the clearer it became who I needed to get on board and run the ePortfolios: school counselors.

Unfortunately, school counselors usually are bogged down with their caseloads and a great number of responsibilities. While they are the correct connection for students and families to become better versed on colleges and how to apply for admission and financial aid, the program needs to be designed to run as smoothly and efficient as possible.

If done correctly, my program, though it would need a lot of setting up and training initially, can provide school counselors with an easier way to connect with and educate their students and even tie in the students’ family to ensure everyone is on board.