Being Prepared for Your School Counselor Evaluation

Evaluations, yep we all have them but when you meet with your principal/administration team what does your evaluation entail?  Well in NC, this year our school counselor evaluation instrument was changed.  Our standards work directly with the ASCA National Model (but of course) meaning we are to have artifacts/evidence that we're meeting our standards and we have to be observed by someone from administration. If you're interested in seeing our evaluation in NC rubric click here.   So that made me think "how can I prepare myself for this new evaluation"?  So I thought of a way to keep myself (somewhat) organized for this.  Here's what I'm doing to prepare for my evaluation:

-My principal and I met to discuss the new evaluation instrument and how we would work together on artifacts/evidence and the observation (this is also great school counselor PR and lets your principal know all that we do).

-I bought accordion folders from the Target $1 Spot (just got them last week and they have new spring colors, whoot, whoot).  For each tab, I made a label (using a Brother label maker) for each standard (there are 5 standards but some standard objectives overlap).  I keep samples of activities, lessons, bulletin boards, groups, etc that I do by standard.

Accordion file folders from Target ($1 each!)

-I try to take pictures of what I do as a school counselor:  Bulletin boards, (nice) parent emails/notes,  class visit lessons, newsletters, thank you notes from organizations that you may have worked with, school projects that you may have done, professional development certificates, the list is endless.  It's better to have too much than too little to show much you do (although I'm positive that your work speaks for itself, this speaks even louder).   If you have a school Twitter account, that could also serve as an artifact (parent/community communication/collaboration/resource sharing).

Here are a few examples of things I'm using as artifacts (luckily I have this blog to refer to from time to time to remind me of things I do).  I'll also list the standard that it covers (this is for NC but I'm sure you can adjust it to fit your state/school district evaluation).  If you click on the links below each picture, they will take you directly to my original post. 

Your 3 Words Lesson/Bulletin Board:  Embrace diversity in the school community (Standard 2b) & Plan programs for the academic, career & personal/social development of all students (Standard 4b). 

Joyner Gives Back:  Develop, enhance and promote global awareness (Standard 3c). 

ASCA Conference:  Participates in high quality professional development (Standard 5b).

Smore (newsletters):  Work collaboratively with the families & significant adults in the lives of students (Standard 2)

Student & Staff pick me ups:  Establishing a positive school climate (Standard 1b)

Supervising an (awesome) intern:  Demonstrate leadership at school (Standard 1a)

RAK:  Foster a school environment in which each child has a positive nurturing relationship with caring adults (Standard 2)

Are you required to keep artifacts for your school counselor evaluation?  How do you keep track of all that you do, please share.