The purpose of the school guidance program is to promote and to enhance the learning process. School counselors work closely with administrators, teachers, parents, and the community to support the Plano ISD mission and accomplish goals with focus on three strands of guidance: academic success, college/career information, and personal/social development.

Comprehensive guidance and counseling is an integral part of each school’s educational program. A developmental school guidance program includes activities which are organized and implemented by certified school counselors and are based on identified student needs. Emphasis at the elementary level is on prevention of problems which might affect school work and providing classroom guidance on such topics as study skills, problem-solving, communication skills, and conflict management.

Secondary counselors assist students in educational planning, including planning for college and career, through individual academic conferences for students and parents. Middle school counselors work with students and parents in developing individual 4-year plans for high school. Programs dealing with teasing, criticism, bullying, and anger control help students deal with peer pressure and learn to make wise decisions. High school and senior high counselors monitor academic progress and work with students to achieve academic goals. The guidance program at the high schools includes the college admission process, college entrance exams, letters of recommendation, college financial planning nights, and other post secondary plans. All counselors assist students with difficulties that interfere with learning and guide them in developing effective decision-making skills.

Counselors will work with parents and teachers to assist students in developing plans for academic and behavioral success. In addition, counselors coordinate standardized testing, work with peer support groups, and provide information about community resources. Parents are welcome to consult with their school counselor about the counseling program and their child’s special needs by calling the school for an appointment.

Peer Support

Peer support groups at the three senior high schools are comprised of students who help new students feel welcome in Plano. Students within these groups work with school counselors to identify and contact students who are new to their schools. Activities for new students are organized by the counselors and peer support group members.

Personal Safety

Prevention programs such as the WHO (We Help Ourselves) and other related programs help children and teenagers learn how to avoid or cope with victimization. Classroom presentations at all levels are conducted by counselors and trained community volunteers to teach personal safety rules and help students respond appropriately in difficult situations. Drug Busters and programs dealing with teasing, criticism, bullying, and anger control help students deal with peer pressure and learn to make wise decisions.

Safe and Drug-Free Schools

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program focuses on the district goal of teaching positive citizenship and character and addressing emotional, social and health needs of students. This program was originally established to unite school and community efforts for the identification and prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among youth through education. Staff members conduct student/parent education programs, employee inservice training and special programs on individual campuses, drug pre-assessment interviews, work with community prevention efforts, and provide information and referral sources.

Conflict management and violence prevention programs provide education and training in appropriate ways of handling anger and conflicts. Peer mediation programs use students trained with specific skills in resolving disputes between peers under the supervision of trained staff

S.T.A.N.D. (Students Taking Action Not Drugs) is a prevention organization on secondary campuses. The group activities include Red Ribbon Week, campus drug education programs, and alcohol/drug-free social activities or events. Selected group members participate in a student speaker’s bureau for classroom presentations and other programs for parents, students and community groups. Several special projects are sponsored and coordinated by Plano ISD including Red Ribbon Week, Project Graduation and Project Prom alcohol/drug-free celebrations.

Student/Parent Awareness Line

The state-of-the-art telephone-based Student/Parent Awareness Line information and referral system is accessible from any touch-tone phone. It is an excellent tool to help parents and their children initiate family discussions. A list of topics may be found on the Plano ISD Web site. This is made available through the student services department and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools grant. Call (469) 752-5385 for information about a number of topics from drug abuse prevention to parenting issues to self-assessment and help. A list of topics is posted in English(15k) and Spanish (16k) on our Web site.

Peer Assistance and Leadership

Peer Assistance and Leadership (P.A.L.) is a state accredited, curriculum- based program offered at the secondary school level. Students selected to participate in P.A.L. are trained in communication and helping skills that are used to build an atmosphere of caring and understanding and to facilitate a safer and more positive school experience. Students are given opportunities to work in a helping role with peers on their own campus and in the feeder middle schools and elementary schools. Students are also encouraged to perform community service projects each semester. S.T.A.R.S. (Students Teaching About Risks of Smoking) is an educational curriculum taught by high school and senior high school students to fifth grade students. The purpose of the program is to teach refusal skills and to provide accurate information regarding the use of tobacco and marijuana. For more information about these programs, contact the Student Services Department at (469) 752-8100.

Police/School Liaison

The Police Liaison Program is an education and prevention program in which uniformed officers serve full time on most secondary school campuses. This program has been established in conjunction with the City of Plano to provide better communications and rapport between youth and the police department. Officers clarify policies for the police department, counsel students to resolve problems concerning the criminal justice system, refer to appropriate community agencies, organize student “crime stoppers” programs, and instruct periodically on topics of narcotics, safety and occupational training. See our Safety & Security site, for more information.

Special Programs Center

Students are referred to the Special Programs Center through a central intervention team that is composed of home campus representatives, the administrator or designee of the Special Programs Center, parents, the student and other appropriate people based upon a recommendation from the student's home campus administrative/intervention team. Special Programs Center teachers seek to rebuild academic confidence while teaching classroom and social skills. The center offers the following programs to students in grades K-12: discipline and non-discipline, transition, behavior management, accelerated credit for 12th graders and the Expectant Parent Program

Discipline Management

The discipline management program was created in an attempt to better understand students and the problems they face in today’s world. The focal point of the program is the students’ awareness that a school and parent partnership is formed to address student needs and problems. The root cause of unacceptable behavior must be dealt with through the program if a change is to be brought about. When the cause is determined, a positive plan can be drawn for students to bring about change in the way they relate to others.

School Health Services

Plano ISD employs registered nurses to work with students and staff throughout the district. The focus of the school health program is the prevention of illness and absenteeism. The school nurse provides assistance to students who become ill or injured at school and works with students with chronic disabilities to enable them to function in the school setting. The school nurse presents health related programs to students at various grade levels. These programs include topics such as growth and development, drug education, nutrition and hygiene. The school nurse also serves as a resource for teachers, students and parents regarding health matters.

Texas State Law requires immunizations for all students. School nurses interpret records and work with parents to insure compliance with state laws. Vision and hearing screening is required for kindergarten, first, third, fifth and seventh graders as well as all students new to Texas schools. Scoliosis (spinal) screening is required for all students in grades five and eight. Screenings for acanthosis nigricans, a skin marker, are required for all third, fifth and seventh graders. Referrals for all screenings are made as indicated.

The goal of the school nurse is to insure every student a healthy and productive life-style during their academic years thus enabling them to become healthy, productive adults.