 Seneca High School (Jefferson County) counselors wanted to have a full table at lunch that was accessible to every student, every day, in every lunch.Pictured, from left, are counselors Strauzie Collins, Ryan Hite, Carlos Rul-lan, Tracy Fussnecker, Jennifer Rul-lan.
Self-Care
Dear Counselors,
As I met with the Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council last week, I asked students about their experiences with their school counselors. Some students discussed how they benefited greatly from the school counselor/student relationship. Others explained that while they appreciated having a school counselor, they felt like genuine relationships weren’t possible because of the many hats that school counselors wear. I spoke about one solution that was implemented last year at Seneca High School (Jefferson County).
Prior to last year, each school counselor at Seneca was asked to stand in one corner of the lunch room for safety purposes. Prior to the start of last school year, Seneca’s counseling team advocated for more lunch duty, but there was a catch. Instead of standing in one corner, the counselors wanted to have a full table that was accessible to every student, every day, in every lunch.
The benefits were immediate! The counselors’ visibility in that cafeteria daily made it predictable for students to know where they could find their school counselor and when. They also were able to see so many more students in every lunch than they used to in the past. As a result, when students looked down, the counselors noticed. When students were sitting by themselves, the counselors noticed. When kids were extraordinarily happy, the counselors noticed.
There is no doubt that the Seneca High School Counselor Corner has saved lives and helped many students. Steal the idea! The Commissioner’s Student Advisory Council genuinely wanted this at their schools.
Listen to W.E.B. Dubois Middle School (Jefferson) counselor Calvin Brooks in this Counselor Connection series video. Brooks talks about what it takes to build a counseling program from the ground up. He speaks about getting principal buy-in and starting intentional small groups. Brooks is a gem and we are lucky to have him in Kentucky.
Nyree Clayton-Taylor is the 2019 Kentucky Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She is on sabbatical at the Kentucky Department of Education this semester and doing great work. Take a look at her recent article on Kentucky Teacher about how she got her students excited about learning. She allowed them to use their passion for learning to create a Black History cypher and video.
Get excited about the 2019 CTE Summer Conference. Along with a week full of great presentations and opportunities to learn and grow, we will have a special counselor day on June 26. These are the sessions you can look forward to that are geared just for you:
- Session 1: Kentucky’s ILP, Scheduling Dual Credit Classes, The State of Education in Kentucky
- Session 2: Advanced Placement and CTE
- Session 3: Kentucky Community and Technical College System and You
- Session 4: Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
- Session 5: Exemplar of Personalizing CTE for Students by Russell High School Counselors
- Session 6: Hear from Industry Partners about the Current Workforce and Industry Needs and Learn How You Can Help!
Registration is now open for the 2019 Career and Technical Education Summer Program. The conference will be held at the Galt House Hotel and Suites, Louisville, July 23-26.
Based on a first-come, first-served basis, school counselors who register will get reimbursed. The Office of Career and Technical Education and Student Transition will reimburse the districts (please do not pay as individuals) for counselors who are eligible for this free registration. You can register online on the Kentucky ACTE website.
CTE: Agriculture
The Western Kentucky University Agriculture Students Striving for Effective Tomorrows (ASSET) Conference is designed for students who have just completed their junior year of high school, excel in academics, extracurricular activities and are leaders in their community.
The five-day conference consists of:
- Leadership, communication and social development strengthened through events such as a team ropes course challenge, scavenger hunts and water olympics;
- An understanding of the importance of postsecondary education by simulating college life, and interacting with professors and successful college students;
- Tips for applying, entering and making the most of a college experience; and
- An awareness of the opportunities in the ever-changing agriculture industry through agricultural tours and discussions led by prominent Western Kentucky University alumni.
Lead2Feed is a leadership program that nurtures a new generation of leaders – the ones sitting in your classroom and school – while working to meet a community need through project management, decision-making and teamwork.
Lead2Feed is helping to fill a gap in middle and high school education by giving students the opportunity to lead, create and implement team projects designed to meet a need in their school, local or global community. Students complete their projects and enter in the Lead2Feed Challenge to win money for their school or charity.
Register at: www.lead2feed.org/register
Short Video:
What Is Lead2Feed?
Global Game Changers (GGC) is a free leadership program for elementary students. Learn how you and your students can become superheroes in your community.
To be a superhero educator, check out this video. To register or check out the GGC online curriculum, visit the GGC website.
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