Site Supervisor Qualifications
Fieldwork candidates must be assigned to a site supervisor who has the appropriate credentials as required by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and/or the Department of Counseling and Human Services.
Site supervisors are required to:
- Hold a valid Pupil Personnel Services: School Counseling credential and have a minimum of 2 years of PPS experience as appropriate to the fieldwork setting (for Pre-K-12 settings only)
- Hold a master's degree in counseling or a related field
- Have a minimum of 2 years post-master's experience as a counselor
- Have worked at least 1 year in the school/site where the supervision will be conducted
Site Supervisor Responsibilities
- To provide the fieldwork candidate with appropriate and qualified training opportunities and a range of professional counseling experiences where the fieldwork candidate will spend 50% of their time engaged in direct services. The fieldwork candidate should be provided with the adequate workspace and staff support to conduct professional activities appropriate to the placement.
- To properly select and screen counselees that are appropriate for the fieldwork candidate to work with. When working with counselees, the fieldwork candidate should be provided with emergency protocols and be assisted in cases of emergencies, possible dangers, and needed referrals.
- To be physically present whenever the fieldwork candidate is on site and to be available via video/phone for consultation when hours are conducted virtually. In rare instances when the assigned site supervisor is unavailable, an individual holding the same qualifications as the site supervisor may be designated as the substitute site supervisor. Should such an arrangement extend more than two weeks, the Office of Licensures and Credentialing (olc@redlands.edu) should be notified.
- To support the training objectives of the school counseling program, complete the University of Redlands' Site Supervisor Training once every 5 years, and maintain the skills and knowledge necessary for supervising and guiding the skill development of fieldwork candidates.
- To collaborate with the fieldwork candidate as they establish goals at the beginning of the term, complete formal evaluations of the fieldwork candidate twice per term using forms initiated by the fieldwork candidate, and ensure the fieldwork candidate is making adequate progress to complete and log their fieldwork hours appropriately.
- To provide the fieldwork candidate with the minimum required number of supervision hours per week (see supervision requirements section below). This involves the examination of the candidate's work via the use of audio/video recordings or self-report to review skill development, case records, observations, or collaborative service delivery.
- To provide the fieldwork candidate with training in policies, procedures, and safety precautions before conducting off-site (home) visits. The site is expected to assign experienced individuals to accompany the candidate (in pairs or a team) for off-site visits. Fieldwork candidates cannot conduct home visits alone.
- To notify the Office of Licensures and Credentialing (olc@redlands.edu) if the fieldwork candidate presents with any concerning behaviors, including ethical violations and unprofessional behavior. The OLC should also be notified if there are any changes to the candidate's fieldwork placement, such as a change in supervisor or start/end dates.
Supervision & Evaluation Requirements
The mentorship and supervision provided by site supervisors are essential for facilitating practical, relevant, and meaningful field experiences for fieldwork candidates.
As a site supervisor, you are required to meet with your fieldwork candidate for a minimum of one hour (1) of individual supervision per week.
However, if you are overseeing multiple candidates, you may opt for weekly small group supervision meetings. In this case, the small group must meet for a minimum of one and a half hours (1.5) per week. Each small group may not exceed a total of 8 candidates.
Each semester, fieldwork candidates will complete a Candidate Individualized Plan (CIP) for their fieldwork site(s). This involves collaborating with you to establish goals that align with both the candidate's individual needs and the needs of the fieldwork site. Together, you will identify activities that will aid the candidate in achieving those goals.
You will conduct formal evaluations of your fieldwork candidate's progress and performance twice per semester. The Midterm Evaluation occurs in week 7, and the Final Evaluation takes place in week 14 of the semester.
Fieldwork Hour Requirements
Students in our master's program have the option to pursue one of three program tracks: Pre-K-12, College, or Combo (Pre-K-12 + College). Those pursuing the Pre-K-12 and Combo tracks are working towards completing the California State requirements for a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS): School Counseling credential. In addition, we offer a PPS: School Counseling credential-only program for students who already have a master's degree.
All fieldwork candidates will be enrolled in a fieldwork course during the semesters they are completing fieldwork. By the conclusion of their program, they will have completed the following hour requirements based on their program track:
800 Total Hours of Fieldwork
- A minimum of 800 fieldwork hours must be completed in two of three school levels such as elementary, middle, high school with a minimum of 200 hours completed within each level.
- At least 600 of the 800 hours must be
completed in public school settings with Pre-K-12 pupils. - 200 of the 800 hours may be completed in other areas related to schools and/or counseling
- 50% of the total number of fieldwork hours completed must be direct contact hours. (see additional guidance below)
- At least 100 hours of experience must be completed in each of the following areas: Social/Emotional, College/Career, and Academic.
- A minimum of 150 fieldwork hours must be completed working with students of diverse backgrounds, including those with socioeconomic disadvantages, English learners, students who are housing insecure, students who are current or former foster youth; students with disabilities (including Section 504 plans), students experiencing suspension and expulsion from school, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and students who hold historically minoritized racial and ethnic identities; and understand information on school, district, State, and Federal policies and the impact of resulting practices.
800 Total Hours of Fieldwork
- A minimum of 800 fieldwork hours must be completed in two of three school levels such as elementary, middle, high school with a minimum of 200 hours completed within each level.
- 200 of the 800 hours must be completed in a college or high school-to-college transition setting.
- At least 600 of the 800 hours must be
completed in public school settings with Pre-K-12 pupils. - 50% of the total number of fieldwork hours completed must be direct contact hours. (see additional guidance below)
- At least 100 hours of experience must be completed in each of the following areas: Social/Emotional, College/Career, and Academic.
- A minimum of 150 fieldwork hours must be completed working with students of diverse backgrounds, including those with socioeconomic disadvantages, English learners, students who are housing insecure, students who are current or former foster youth; students with disabilities (including Section 504 plans), students experiencing suspension and expulsion from school, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and students who hold historically minoritized racial and ethnic identities; and understand information on school, district, State, and Federal policies and the impact of resulting practices.
600 Total Hours of Fieldwork
- A minimum of 600 fieldwork hours must be completed at a minimum of two different sites.
- 400 of the 600 hours must be completed in a college setting (community college or university).
- Students may conduct hours at the same
institution provided they are earned at two different offices or departments. - It is recommended that 200 hours are conducted in a high school or a high school-to-college transition setting.
- 50% of the total number of fieldwork hours completed must be direct contact hours. (see additional guidance below)
- At least 100 hours of experience must be completed in each of the following areas: Social/Emotional, College/Career, and Academic.
- A minimum of 150 fieldwork hours must be completed working with students of diverse backgrounds, including those with socioeconomic disadvantages, English learners, students who are housing insecure, students who are current or former foster youth; students with disabilities (including Section 504 plans), students experiencing suspension and expulsion from school, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and students who hold historically minoritized racial and ethnic identities; and understand information on school, district, State, and Federal policies and the impact of resulting practices.
Guidance on Direct & Indirect Hours
As 50% of a candidate's total fieldwork hours must be direct contact hours, the chart below provides examples of possible activities that qualify as direct and indirect contact hours. Since this is not an exhaustive list, candidates should consult with their site supervisor and fieldwork course instructor for clarification on what constitutes direct vs. indirect contact hours.
- Individual counseling
- Group counseling (co-facilitating or leading)
- Academic advising
- Conflict resolution
- Career counseling
- Classroom lessons
- Conducting and leading multidisciplinary meetings (e.g., parent conferences, community collaboration, cross-departmental collaboration, FAFSA information sessions)
- Discussing informed consent with counselees, caregivers, or families in-person, via video, or via telephone
- Providing referrals/resources in- person, via video, or via telephone directly to counselees, caregivers, or families
- Crisis intervention and/or assessment
- In-service presentations
- Conducting assessments/tests
- Leading webinars
- Consultations
- Research and preparation for sessions with counselees
- Group planning
- Observing multidisciplinary meetings (e.g., IEP/Disability Services meetings, 504, SST’s, parent/caregiver conferences, crossdepartmental collaboration, mediation)
- Writing case notes
- Professional development specific to school counseling (e.g., in-service trainings)
- Event planning for site-specific events (e.g., career fairs, college fairs, FAFSA information sessions, graduation, student engagement events)
- Supervision
- Attending faculty meetings
- Developing crisis protocol
- Planning in-service trainings
- Administrative tasks (e.g., e-mails, phone calls, clerical duties)