Utilize Music in All Tiers to Provide Healing and Hope
Music is a universal language that can bring people together. School counselors can use music in tiers 1 and 2 to introduce a topic or theme or in tier 3 based on an individual's circumstances and needs.
Listen to "Unbreakable" by Janelle Monae and Kelly Clarkson from the film Ugly Dolls. This is a reminder to you and your students that you have what it takes to overcome the obstacles that come your way. You are unbreakable!
Free Trauma-Informed Practices to Prevent ACEs in Schools Breakthrough Series Collaborative Beginning in January 2024
University of Kentucky's Center for Trauma and Children (CTAC) will be launching the Trauma-Informed Practices to Prevent ACEs in Schools Breakthrough Series Collaborative beginning in January 2024. There is no charge for participation in the Breakthrough Series Collaborative and electronic materials are included.
We ask that you register and participate in this collaborative along with your school’s Trauma-Informed Team which includes personnel who are trauma champions invested in learning and implementing trauma-informed practices. Teams in this collaborative will participate in three learning sessions, consultation calls, assessments and will receive ongoing support.
If you or your team members have already attended a Project AWARE Trauma-Informed Practices for Educators and School Personnel Learning Collaborative (TIPE), you should not sign up for this collaborative as there will be repetition in the content received. Please contact Tracy.Clemans@uky.edu or Joshua.Fisherkeller@uky.edu if you have questions.
 2023-2024 Suicide Prevention Training for Students in Grades 6-12 Due Sept. 15
Recommendations for School Suicide Prevention Training Toolkit by the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities are here. The last few years have been tough on students, faculty, staff, families and the entire nation. Now is the time to recover and prepare to support our young people through intensifying
mental health challenges.
When a child starts kindergarten, they learn the safety plans and practice drills that help them prepare for fires, tornadoes and other natural disasters. Schools are proactive, so everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency. Later in life, many people become certified to provide Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR) in the event they encounter someone experiencing a heart attack. It is something individuals hope to never use, but a safety training skill that can be used in an emergency. Most people never need to use CPR, but they know what to do just in case.
Mental health and suicide must be treated similarly to save lives and help communities thrive. Addressing the risk of mental health concerns and suicide in a similar way is important. Becoming prepared before we need the skill can support community members to remain safe and thrive.
For more information or assistance, please contact:
brittany.young@ky.gov or call her at 502-564-2740.
 New Video Series Available: Living with Suicide Loss
When it comes to suicide loss, every individual’s experience of grief is uniquely their own – yet hope and understanding can be found by connecting with others who have lost a loved one, and learning about the path they have taken toward healing.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is proud to launch a new series of videos, “Living with Suicide Loss,” that spotlights survivors of suicide loss and their stories of hope and healing. The videos each tell one person's story of losing a loved one to suicide, navigating the pain of their loss and what they have learned about how influences like culture, religion, background and community can all affect the healing journey.
"The video series is a powerful addition to the existing resources AFSP offers suicide loss survivors," said Erika Barber, chair of AFSP's Loss and Healing Council. "We know that connection is a fundamental component to healing after a loss, and these videos offer suicide loss survivors opportunities to connect with featured speakers who are also loss survivors, and who may share similar experiences, questions, challenges and emotions."
Kentucky Minimum Requirements for High School Graduation FAQ Updated for the 2023-2024 Academic Year
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has released its FAQ on the minimum requirements for high School graduation to reflect updates for the 2023-2024 academic year.
The Kentucky Minimum High School Graduation Requirements can be accessed directly or on the KDE’s minimum high school graduation requirements webpage. Questions can be directed to Damien.sweeney@education.ky.gov.
Planning Guidance for Schools in Implementing the 2024-2025 Early Graduation Program Performance-Based Requirement Is Now Available
The Kentucky Department of Education has released the Early Graduation Program Performance-Based Requirement Implementation Guidance for Schools as a planning resource for school-based leaders, counselors and other staff responsible for determining performance descriptors and evaluation procedures for the performance-based project, portfolio or capstone required of all students who wish to complete the program beginning in 2024-2025.
For information on the requirements for the 2023-2024 academic year, visit the Early Graduation Program webpage or check out the FAQ here.
New Attendance-Based Online Virtual Type Now Available for Course Set-Up in Infinite Campus
The new Type, "Attendance-Based Online/Virtual," is now available in Infinite Campus. We have also published a Virtual and Attendance-Based Course Set-Up Guidance Document to help schools and districts understand when and how to use this new type. This will be used for tracking attendance-based online/virtual courses through 704 KAR 3:535.
If you have questions about whether this Type is appropriate for your program design, please reach out to ben.maynard@education.ky.gov.
Kentucky School-Based Mental Health Provider Overview
To promote advocacy for the roles of school-based mental health providers, a Kentucky School-Based Mental Health Provider overview document has been created to include all four types of providers (school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists and school-based therapists).
The overview provides recommendations based on state and national associations, including appropriate roles, student-to-provider ratio, professional certificates and helpful websites.
Statewide School Counselor Use of Time Templates
The School Safety and Resilience Act requires superintendents to submit school-based mental health provider use of time annually by Nov. 1.
To help make this process more efficient, statewide use of time templates are available for school counselors. These templates offer different platforms that take no more than two to three minutes daily to document the use of time spent with students and other activities that may be assigned for their role.
Keeping your use of time also helps with advocating for your role and assigned activities to allow students more access.
KDE Legislative Guidance for Non-Emergent Bills
These bills passed during the 2023 legislative session and may be of interest for school counseling professionals to ensure you are up-to-date on the latest legislative changes.
The 2023 regular session of the Kentucky General Assembly adjourned March 30. Per Attorney General opinion 23-03, the effective date of legislation, other than general appropriation bills and acts containing emergency or delayed effective date provisions, passed during this session was June 29, 2023.
 Shout Outs!
The Kentucky Department of Education wants to celebrate you! Please send any celebrations that can be shared statewide to Damien.Sweeney@education.ky.gov.
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