Start your conference networking with other school counselors at your level in an informal environment.

Kick off the conference by networking with other school counseling district directors.

Education Equity 

The word “equity” is often bandied about in education circles, but what does it really mean? Let’s delve into equity in education – what it is, why all students deserve it and how school counselors can set their schools and districts on a path toward true equity. Rodney Robinson, 2019 Teacher of the Year, shares practical solutions to help end education inequities and energizes and empowers school counselors to make a lasting difference in their schools.

Rodney Robinson is a senior advisor with Richmond (Va.) Public Schools in charge of teacher and leader pathways. In 2015, he started teaching at Virgie Binford Education Center, a school inside Richmond Juvenile Jail, in an effort to better understand the school-to-prison pipeline. He was named the 2019 National Teacher of the Year and used his time as Teacher of the Year to advocate for cultural equity to make sure students have teachers and administrators who look like them and value their culture. Robinson was named 2019 HBCU male alumnus of the year by HBCUdigest.com. He was named #8 on the Root magazine’s Top 100 influential African Americans of 2019. His passion is helping the underprivileged and underrepresented populations in America.

Sponsored by Discover® Student Loans 

As an educator concerned with the advancement of today’s youth, you understand the importance of providing young men and women with the knowledge they need to succeed, the discipline to apply what they have learned and the desire to achieve more. Just as you make every effort to help young Americans succeed, the Marine Corps strives to help all Marines reach their potential. Get an overview of the United States Marine Corps Influencer Program and the resources available to you as school counselors and educators. Learn how we can work together to ensure the success of our nation’s youth and the security of our nation.

Students graduating from high school are grappling with questions previous generations faced as well as some unique ones: What does the future look like? Is college an affordable option for me? Can I achieve my personal goals while doing good for others? How can I get the kinds of experience and certifications that can help me have the civilian career and lifestyle I want?  Explore what the Army National Guard is, its unique mission and how serving part-time in the National Guard can accelerate career progression after high school graduation through professional training and educational benefits that can pay for college, technical training and professional certifications. The National Guard has much to offer school counselors, including activities and presentations on topics such as bullying, leadership, conflict resolution and fitness. Army National Guard recruiters want to partner with school counselors and will work to bring value to those relationships. The Army National Guard is pleased to share the ways in which the Guard can support school counselors’ important efforts to prepare students for life after high school.        

Is there such a thing as starting too early? When it comes to preparing for the future, it’s never too early to start. In fact, the earlier educators introduce children to concepts around career development, the better. Discover valuable strategies for starting early and how to create a culture of career-curious elementary students to future-ready high schoolers in your district.

 

Too few of the general public know what Guardians do in the Space Force and too many may associate the branch of service with television depictions or through a polarized political lens. Discover why the Space Force is imperative to our nation and its future. Learn about the ideal candidate  the U.S. Space Force is recruiting as well as the benefits for joining.  

Learn about a districtwide Parents as Education Partners (PEP) program to provide school staff continual opportunities to engage and cultivate meaningful relationships with the families of English learners throughout the school year. Hear how this ultimately strengthened crucially important home/school partnerships between school staff and the families of English learners. 

Exploring childhood grief through antiracist, culturally and racially sensitive lenses allows us to ask questions and listen. Then we can design tools and strategies that may work better for students and families. While there is no course that can teach us exactly what the families in our specific school communities need, we can explore possibilities proactively. Learn about an inclusive approach where we seek to understand the many ways in which people experience and cope with grief. Look at ways to engage the community's grief perspectives and provide racial and culturally aware resources. 

The last year of school closures and social distancing has seen a major shift in how school counselors address college and career readiness in middle school. Discover ways school counselors modified traditionally in-person events to be delivered virtually. Learn to create any Career Café or College Cruising for your middle school students.

Learn how to ensure your mission statement reflects and supports your school's mission and that your vision describes a vibrant picture of the skills, knowledge and attitudes your students will have. 

Are you looking for new and engaging programs and ideas for your elementary students? Learn about one school's comprehensive elementary school counseling program and plan for the entire school year. Discover new lesson plans and ideas for everything from welcoming new students to transitioning your oldest students to middle school, and everything in between. Leave with lesson plans, ideas and resources for working with students individually, in small groups and in classrooms throughout the year. Learn about schoolwide programs for supporting students, families and the community. 

Today's school counselors are leaders, advocates and change agents. They function within those roles as they examine data to reveal student needs. School counselors disaggregate data to uncover racial inequities, implement evidence-based interventions to address those inequities and analyze data to assess the effectiveness of their interventions. Walk through the process of exploring, disaggregating and analyzing data, and learn about the remarkable results of a quantitative study that examined the impact of school-based mentoring on the academic achievement gap between Black and white students. Learn how to use these findings to reduce the achievement gap in your school. 

Have you ever had a difficult time advocating for a comprehensive school counseling program? Learn to advocate as a collaborator rather than a challenger to provide comprehensive services for your students. 

On Feb. 14, 2018, a gunman entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., killing 17 people and injuring 17 more. In the aftermath, the school district responded with recovery services for the entire school zone, including hiring additional school counselors. Learn how the team of school counselors worked to aid in recovery efforts following this large-scale traumatic event, including collaborations with trauma experts, classroom lessons, suicide prevention and support for the entire community. 

When working with immigrant and refugee students, it is important to use a culturally sensitive and evidence-based school counseling approach. This approach must engage students in the counseling process; reduce the likelihood of retraumatizing students who have experienced past traumas; help students identify their personal strengths and coping strategies; and help build students' resiliency, sense of hope and pride. The solution-focused approach meets these criteria and is a great fit for use with both immigrant and refugee students. Hear a case example illustrating the application of the solution-focused approach with this population, and walk away with resources designed to enhance the solution-building process. 

Do your classroom lessons sometimes fall flat or aren't as impactful as planned? Discover activities, creative techniques and theory to keep students engaged and teach essential ASCA Student Standards. Incorporating creative techniques can increasing lesson effectiveness; create a common understanding among stakeholders of healthy student mindsets and behaviors; improve communication among students, parents and staff; and add energy to your program. Experience the use of props, chairs, movement, writing/drawings and analogies in classroom lessons. 

Now, more than ever, school counselors must integrate and implement culturally sustaining and antiracist practices into their work. The first step in creating anti-racist systems is self-reflection to increase awareness, identify biases and build cultural proficiency. Learn about a culturally sustaining, anti-racist model in which critical reflection serves as the basis of school counseling programs and a multitiered system of supports (MTSS). Walk away with activities and reflections that facilitate growth and promote anti-racist work for practicing school counselors engaged in anti-racist work. 

Learn how to teach executive-functioning skills in a variety of settings, such as classroom mini-lessons, psychoeducational small groups and parent educational workshops. Using the latest research and advice from psychologists, researchers and the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, hear about innovative strategies and activities to use with all students, with an emphasis on grades 5–8. These lessons can be used by teachers and school counselors in-person as well as online. 

Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's law is wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Many Black boys and young men are roses tasked with emerging from concrete. They must endure challenges and stressors that are universal for all plants. They must also work through unique harm that comes with navigating social environments often designed in opposition to their well-being. To increase hope, we must empower our roses and transform concrete into fertile soil. Explore strategies to enhance agency and combat adversity by inspiring, relating and leveraging the power of comprehensive school counseling programming.

The ASCA National Model is in its 4th edition, and it's better than ever. But do you wonder what it is and why it exists? Learn the ins and outs of the ASCA National Model, and build a strong foundation to elevate your school counseling program. 

School counselors need to use effective activities and interventions to facilitate the best possible results. Therefore, it’s imperative to access appropriate resources, understand and interpret those resources and be discerning in selections. Explore methods for finding and using the best program delivery activities and interventions. 

Get an overview of recently revised position statements addressing the school counselor and character education, college access professionals, LGBTQ youth, students with disabilities, trauma-informed practice, and more. Walk away with recommendations for using ASCA position statements to advocate for appropriate school counseling roles and to inform your school counseling practice.

Are you interested in implementing small groups but not sure where to start? Learn how to hold small groups on a variety of topics with this comprehensive overview, from collecting referrals, to obtaining consent, scheduling with staff and collecting data. Walk away with introductory and curriculum resources leaving you prepared to begin small-group implementation in your school. 

School counselors must know and understand the detrimental impact microaggressions have on students, families and even staff of color. Many are subjected to these harmful messages daily, be it intentional or unintentional, and they must be interrupted. Learn how to navigate the harm of microaggressions and advocate for those in your school community by using the 3 R's: recognize, respond, and repair. Discover strategies to empower all to recognize, respond and repair the harm when microaggressions occur. 

French Middle School has become more inclusive each year. What started as a class project and turned into a gay-straight alliance has now led to systemic change. Hear how this started, the progress made and the areas still to address. 

With increasing concerns about students’ social/emotional wellness, schools are using surveys more than ever to gauge students’ needs. Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), school counselors cannot ask students certain categories of information without parental notice and consent.  Explore your legal obligations when asking students about protected areas.              

You're busy. We get it. You need to access your school counseling program details wherever you are during the school day – at your desk, in the hallway or during a faculty meeting. Learn how to organize your program on your phone, tablet or desktop computer using the ASCA National Model app (MApp). 

Are you ready to move toward equity in action? From inequitable discipline practices to access to rigor, explore policies and practices to identify inequities. Dive into your school's policies and procedures, and create an action plan for the upcoming school year. Beginning with everyday scenarios for practice and concluding with actionable steps for interruption, leave with ideas to implement at the school level to increase inclusion and equity for students of color. Take the next step past interrupting racism to create systemic change. 

Learn how one elementary school with a budget of only $500 combined PBIS, SEL and school counseling into a comprehensive character program that resulted in 99% of students reporting a positive school experience and zero students reporting feeling bullied. Leave with practical strategies to create and implement your own unique program based on your school's data aligned with ASCA Student Standards and SEL goals. Discover ways to encourage teacher and administrator buy-in and involvement in SEL, and learn how to create a positive school environment for every child and staff member. 

Learn about 2022 children's books suitable for use in classroom, small-group and individual elementary school counseling settings. Discuss the topics covered as well as ways to best use these books in elementary school counseling. 

Studies have shown professional advocacy can help school counselors establish a clear identity and avoid role ambiguity. Role ambiguity can lead to the assignment of inappropriate duties, negative self-efficacy and burnout. Start your career as a school counselor off right. Learn about the importance of a strong professional identity for beginning school counselors' and practical tips for advocacy work and overcoming barriers when engaging in advocacy. 

As we continue to deal with the ever-changing world, having resilience and navigating uncertain times through a growth mindset roadmap is more important in school communities than ever. Discuss the concepts of a growth mindset, such as understanding basic neuroscience, having grit, embracing the power of yet, and discover how these mindsets help with being flexible, looking for silver linings and dealing with being uncomfortable as part of the learning process. Leave with practical ideas for classroom lessons, schoolwide programs, small-group ideas and parent/family engagement. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6.1 million children have been diagnosed with ADHD, and 64% of those children have a comorbid emotional or behavioral disorder. Learn practical strategies for helping these students improve their executive-functioning skills. These strategies will help students with activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory and action. These tips are ideal for work with students but also also helpful during consultation and collaboration. 

Learn about how middle and high schools in one county collaborated with local business partners to create connections and valuable programs for secondary students. Discuss new ways to have career conversations with students and examine how to partner with employers in your community to have ongoing, equitable career exploration opportunities. 

We all experience grief, loss and death, yet we shy away from talking about it, even as school counselors. We ask questions such as, “What do I do now?” or “Am I supposed to be over it by now?” Imagine being a child and having to process these same questions. Dive deeper into understanding grief in today's world. Walk away with resources and tools to help your students on their grief journeys. 

ASCA's Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation identifies school counseling programs that achieve exemplary comprehensive outcomes and schoolwide systemic change. District-level directors/coordinators/supervisors play an important role in supporting school counselors applying for RAMP status. Hear recent research findings that identify the most-beneficial types of supports for RAMP-seeking school counselors. Learn best practice recommendations for helping school counselors in your district with comprehensive school counseling program implementation and RAMP attainment. 

A transition to a new school can be a stressful event for a student, but it doesn't have to be. School counselors are in a prime position to reduce new student concerns; support students through the transition process; reduce negative effects on student achievement; and foster academic success, social/emotional health and overall wellness. Learn about practices that foster new-student connections to the school community and programming that empowers new students to feel informed and more confident navigating their new school. 

Exposing grad students to the current research and practices around adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma helps them understand how ACEs affect K–12 students' development, health and well-being. Integrating trauma-informed practices in school counseling courses provides a consistent continuum of learning that expands grad students' knowledge and helps them be more effective in addressing trauma and improving student well-being and academic success as a school counselor. 

School counselors can be powerful strategists when applying legal muscle to problems affecting the educational environment. Federal and case law can protect marginalized youth, yet there are still laws that can hinder school counselors' advocacy efforts. Intervening on behalf of students is infinitely easier if there is a law that provides leverage. Focus on the rights of students who are gay or transgender; in foster care; or victims of dating violence, sexual harassment or bullying. Legal understanding coupled with our ethical imperative to advocate is a formidable combination and increases the odds that school counselors will have sway in systemic change and individual support. 

Often school districts have a designated person or team to address media inquiries; however, in some cases, it may be necessary for you as a school counselor to be comfortable speaking to the media or press. Learn best practices so you feel comfortable and confident in your ability to interact and work with the media. 

School counselors need to use effective activities and interventions to facilitate the best possible results. Therefore, it’s imperative to access appropriate resources, understand and interpret those resources and be discerning in selections. Join us for Part 2 as we continue to explore methods for finding and using the best program delivery activities and interventions. 

There is a dire need for skilled workers, and labor shortages are abundant. Learn about career opportunities in the fire sprinkler industry from the National Fire Sprinkler Association. Additionally, hear from Build Your Future to learn about career options in the construction industry. Help your students attain careers to set them on the path to a lifetime of success and upward mobility through these two industries. 

Attend the first in-person Postsecondary Affinity Group meeting to network with like-minded peers, connect with colleagues with shared challenges and discuss solutions and resources. The Postsecondary Affinity Group is dedicated to facilitating connections among school counselors committed to equitable access by preparing students for all facets and pathways of life after high school. Learn more, sign up and receive updates about the group here.

Grab your cowboy boots and help ASCA celebrate its 70th year at this special event.

Start your day off with a light yoga session and get energized for a day of learning.

We all know the importance of classroom school counseling instruction. However, there are many school counselors who aren't able to get the classroom time they need due to misguided perceptions about school counselors' teaching abilities, school counseling curricula, etc. Consequently, it is vital for school counselors to “speak the language” regarding classroom teaching and to demonstrate to faculty members that they are capable of delivering highly effective classroom lessons that incorporate that enhance students' academic and social/emotional learning. 

The principal/school counselor relationship is one of the most important relationships in the school building. Hear how one district director worked to create a positive principal/school counselor relationship districtwide, fostering positive student outcomes, transforming school culture and climate, increasing cohesive practices and effectively using school counselors throughout the district. 

Educating students in the 21st century is about more than preparing them for work in the digital age; it's also about connecting with the whole student and transcending barriers. Learn how you can use digital tools daily, either virtually or in-person, to not only enrich intervention and instruction but also guide decision-making, streamline work, enhance communication and promote happier students. Like a favorite app or device, you can upgrade your daily practice with only a few modifications. Discover how to improve time-efficiency, productivity and add additional style, just by plugging in with the right tools. Learn some of the best educational technology tools to transform your practice. 

Learn about the importance of using data to intentionally create groups that support students through an equity lens and address achievement, behavior and discipline gaps in our buildings. Explore ways to develop groups with confidence, hear fun ways to build group connection, discover engaging activities and games to use, and implement meaningful closing activities. 

Learn how you can support your students who are transgender and gender expansive in grades PK–12. Address important terms, schoolwide inclusive practices, legal issues and how to examine your school's policies. Leave with the tools needed to start thinking about how you can best ensure all of your students feel safe, supported and accepted at school. 

Maximize what student services can do by implementing a robust Tier 1 social/emotional learning (SEL) program. The world has significantly changed since March 2020. Students need social/emotional support now more than ever. Follow one high school's journey of developing an SEL curriculum and implementing a student support initiative. Hear about the process from day one, including planning, curriculum writing, staff buy-in, roadblocks and eventual implementation. Leave with a variety of resources to begin the implementation of your own Tier 1 SEL model that can be tailored to meet all students' needs. 

Data demonstrates that students who participate in career and technical education (CTE) programs score higher on state and national achievement tests, graduate from high school and successfully transition into postsecondary pathways. Hear from experts in the school counseling and CTE fields on how to leverage career and college readiness best practices and platforms, identify postsecondary success indicators, examine your own programs, implement new ideas and strategies and identify key stakeholders within your district or site to create new pathways for your students. 

A sense of belonging and feeling connected to one's campus has always been important to student success. After two years of a pandemic fraught with isolation, loss and grief, an intentional focus on student mental health is vital. Connectedness, the ability to create positive and supportive relationships with other students, plays a key role in this effort. Learn how school counselors at three different campuses responded to their diverse student needs by anchoring them to their respective schools. Explore fresh and fun ways to get students anchored to your school campus and see their mental health improve. 

Family engagement in education is critical to student success, and school counselors are often called to be leaders in building these partnerships. Unfortunately, there is a common narrative in schools that some families are unreachable or that they don't care. Reframe the narrative of the disengaged family and discover different ways to conceptualize effective partnerships. Learn about the importance of school-family-community partnerships and the distinct roles adults have in supporting their children's education. Hear models of effective, equity-focused family engagement and the opportunities for school counselors to be leaders in their schools. 

For centuries, book clubs have offered people a way to connect, reflect and grow together. For students, conversations about books tend to turn into conversations about being human where feelings, reactions, choices and motivation are all examined. Book clubs offer a safe environment for students to have in-depth discussions examining their own lives, exploring their identities and learning from various perspectives. They can have an indelible influence on students as they develop as critical thinkers, lifelong readers and change-makers in the world. Discover how one school counselor used book clubs to bolster social/emotional learning, how the energy and enthusiasm spread from the students to the entire community and how you can implement a similar book club in your school. 

Learn how school counselors can empower students to care and change their school climate. The B.I.O.N.I.C. Team (Believe It Or Not I Care), an international award-winning school club, has empowered students (K–16) around the world for 17 years. B.I.O.N.I.C. teaches students how to reach out to peers who are new, sick, hospitalized, bullied or have lost a loved one and help prevent them from falling through the cracks or spiraling into more serious issues such as suicide ideation. Learn how schools at all levels nationally and internationally have implemented the program as a natural extension of the school counseling department. 

School counselors must negotiate the competing interests of the overregulated school environment, students' need for confidentiality and parents' legal right to be the guiding voice in their children's lives. Address these competing interests by discussing court rulings and the new 2022 ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Focus on legal rulings and ethical practice in areas such as sexually active students, bullying, academic advising, child abuse, educational records, sexual harassment, First Amendment rights and transgender youth. Learn about recent changes in federal, case and state laws to improve your legal literacy and gain guiding principles to support best ethical practice. 

School counselors typically don’t receive specific training on teaching strategies or lesson plan development. Using the ASCA lesson plan template ensures you include essential components and carefully consider strategies to promote the best possible results from your lessons. This tool facilitates quality work, and having plans on file adds another layer of credibility and excellence to the services you deliver to students. 

Despite local, district and state level pushback, as well as recent political attacks on the school counseling profession, DEI work in school counseling remains necessary and relevant in education. Focus on the role of DEI in the school counseling profession, including school counselor preparation programs on through practicing school counselors’ work. Come prepared to interact, learn about and/or share your best practices. 

There is a dire need for skilled workers, and labor shortages are abundant. Learn about career opportunities in the collision industry from Collision Repair Education Foundation, which supports collision repair educational programs, schools and students to create qualified, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities. Additionally hear from TechOps Pipeline Development, which supports people, development and culture strategies through: workforce planning, staffing and resourcing, and apprenticeship programs in Delta Air Lines TechOps department. Pipeline has a passion for matching great students with a great career, guiding and connecting students on a fast track to a field of interest in the world of TechOps.

College/university school counselor preparation programs may seek national program recognition through the ASCA Specialized Professional Association under the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Learn about the results of an ASCA task force working to develop an curriculum aligned with the ASCA Standards for School Counselor Preparation. 

 

Do you have students who are project-based, hands-on learners?  Is college just not in their future?  Learn to reach those students who want a great career but don’t want to be in school another four, five or six years. Focus on ways to get more of your female students into STEM careers. Discover ways to get industry involved in your school, along with how to get better parental support. 

Let’s pull back the curtain on some practical approaches that helped a college counselor and his students. Unpack what it means to “go beyond Z” in your counseling to increase on-time college completion outcomes at your school and district. Learn to lead with data and insights without allowing data to rule the conversation with students. Focus on what blended college counseling means to your school counseling practices, and use student stories to break down a simple framework that captures the art and science of college fit and match. If you’re looking for specific ways to improve your college counseling department’s student outcomes, go beyond Z with a veteran school counselor from an inner-city Houston school.    

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian sentiments and discrimination are rising, both in person and online. Asian Americans have experienced race-based stigma and potentially traumatic effects due to these anti-Asian sentiments. Asian American teenagers are especially vulnerable because they may not have appropriate supports from caregivers. This is especially true for the first-generation Asian Americans, whose caregivers may not have experienced racism or racial-based discrimination in their childhood. Learn about qualitative research results discussing the Asian caregivers' perceptions of online racism and how they work with their teens. 

Hear from a middle school counselor/principal team about their partnership journey to transform their school counseling program. Through the lens of Tuckman & Jensen's stages of small-group development, this team will discuss milestone opportunities at each stage of their journey that strengthened their partnership, improved school counseling practices and set the stage for continued growth. 

Research suggests that rural school counselors may face an array of hurdles that challenge their ability to develop a comprehensive school counseling program and eventually pursue ASCA's Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation. Hear the narratives and stories of rural school counselors who were successful in navigating these barriers to earn RAMP, along with strategies school counselors, school districts, school counselor education programs and state-level school counseling associations can employ to support rural school counselors' RAMP pursuit. 

As the number of students in schools receiving special education services and 504 accommodations continues to rise, the need for advocacy for these students increases​. Although school counselors advocate for students requiring special education services and 504 accommodations, they shouldn’t be providing intensive services to students with IEPs. These added responsibilities negatively affect the school counselor's ability to deliver a comprehensive school counseling program to all students.

Current trends focusing on equity and antiracism training require school counselors to lead such efforts. A chance meeting via social media brought together a Black male school counselor and a white male mathematics teacher. Their encounter led to an in-person meeting where substantive dialogue on the topic of antiracism in education took place. Hear their perspectives and experiences in integrating antiracism in education and school counseling. Learn the story of their unique backgrounds and unlikely pairing and how it can be used as a model for antiracism collaboration. Learn about factors that inhibit antiracism efforts in education and solutions for bringing about systemic change.