It is now the responsibility of each school counselor to adopt the Summit model, implement their role, and begin collaborative efforts in their local school. A paradigm shift is needed in both school counselor role and school counselor function. To demonstrate their role change, school counselors must move out of the counseling offices into the community. As a human relations specialist, a facilitator of team building, a resource broker of services, an information processor, and a promoter of positive student outcomes, the school counselor as change agent develops and nurtures collaborative relationships by facilitating change through programs of prevention and intervention for all students. Developing a culture of collaboration at the local school will unite students, faculty, staff, and the community in a common vision and mission to prepare each student to be successful in school and to acquire the essential skills for successful employment, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning.
Many opportunities are available for school counselors to collaborate for student success.
Collaborative efforts may begin at the local school site as school counselors work with teachers, administrators, and other health care professionals. Local civic groups are seeking collaborations with effective education programs that make a difference. State and federal agencies, such as the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee, provide opportunities for collaborative efforts. Private organizations such as the Lilly Endowment, Inc. and the DeWitt Wallace Reader's Digest Fund have collaborated on school counseling projects. Businesses such as McDonald's Corporation sponsor collaborative efforts for students.