Starting the Year Off Right
Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! I hope this summer brought you moments of rest, laughter and well-earned peace. Summer always seems to fly by so quickly, but here we are welcoming students and setting the pace for this school year.
As we begin this new year, I want to offer a reminder: this is a marathon, not a sprint. The work you do is powerful, but it can also be heavy, so how you pace yourself matters more than ever.
There’s a moment in the movie "Rocky Balboa" when he says, “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” (Key Rocky music in your head. You're welcome!) That’s not just boxing advice, it’s life advice. And for school counselors, it hits home.
You’re navigating big challenges, juggling responsibilities and constantly showing up for others. You don’t need to solve everything by September. What you do need is a steady rhythm, a strong community, and the belief that forward is forward, even on the days when it doesn’t feel fast or flashy.
So this year, give yourself grace. Focus on consistency, not perfection. Find other school counselors that lift you up; energy matters! And lastly, remember: your persistence is what changes lives.
Let’s lace up, breathe deep and take it one round at a time.
In Service,
Michelle Sircy
School Counselor Summit for 2025-2026
We are pleased to announce the dates for the upcoming 2025–2026 School Counselor Summits, designed intentionally with school counselors in mind.
The dates for the Summits are Oct. 2, Dec. 4, Feb. 5 and June 4. All sessions are virtual, held from 9 a.m.-noon ET, and provide three Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) hours for each Summit you attend (following the completion of an evaluation).
This Year’s Theme: Living in the 60’s
In Kentucky, legislation requires school counselors to spend 60% of their time on direct student services. But what does that look like in daily practice, especially for school counselors with high caseloads? How can you effectively achieve this benchmark and advocate for the time you need to meet student needs and the legislative requirement?
This year’s Summits will focus on:
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Defining what qualifies as direct services
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Practical strategies to meet the 60% requirement
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Tools and approaches for advocating for your role and time
Mark your calendars and register now to ensure you don’t miss this valuable and timely professional development opportunity.
 KHEAA 2025-2026 Kentucky Goes to College Campaign
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) continues its commitment to helping every student plan for life after high school through the Kentucky Goes to College initiative.
This statewide effort includes College Application Month, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion Drive, and Decision Day, providing schools with free resources to create a college-going culture and celebrate students' postsecondary plans—whether that’s a four-year university, two-year college, technical training, military service or entering the workforce.
Register your school to participate and access planning guides, banners and communication templates. Please reach out to your outreach counselor to begin planning for the 2025–2026 year.
 Transcript Reminders
Please remember to watch for final 2024-2025 transcripts requests through Parchment and release these as soon as possible for your students. Most universities don’t schedule students into classes until there is a final transcript. Your help makes a difference as your students’ transition to the next phase of their education. Final transcripts must include both graduation status and date for universities to accept as final.
Transcripts are free to 2024-2025 graduates through Aug, 30; after that date, students are considered “alumni” and must pay to receive their transcripts.
Please ensure your school(s) send all transcripts in both .xml and .pdf formats through Parchment. One university reported that only a third of transcripts arrive in .xml, and some schools send inconsistent formats. Many Kentucky universities now use Parchment Premium, which matches records and automates processing — speeding up admission decisions and dual credit enrollment. PDFs must be loaded manually, causing delays. Help students receive faster decisions by releasing transcripts in the .xml format. The Release XML eTranscript to Parchment process is outlined in the eTranscript Data Standard.
The End-of-Year eTranscripts training was recorded and is available on-demand. We’ve heard from universities that it has made a difference. We send thanks to each of you for all you do to help your students have a smooth transition to the next chapter of their life.
For more information on eTranscripts visit the KDE eTranscript page.
Join the Kentucky United We Learn Council
As Kentucky moves closer to launching its Reimagined Assessment and Accountability system, the focus is expanding to Reimagining High School. In partnership with the Kentucky Board of Education and as part of the National Association of State Boards of Education High School Transformation State Network, we are inviting new voices to join the Kentucky United We Learn Council.
Council members will help champion the work already underway and offer valuable input on bold, innovative next steps to shape the future of high school in Kentucky.
If you are passionate about creating vibrant learning experiences and driving meaningful change, we encourage you to apply.
The Kentucky United We Learn Council 2025 application will close Sept. 26.
For additional information, please visit the Kentucky United We Learn Council website or contact Karen Dodd at karen.dodd@education.ky.govkaren.dodd@education.ky.gov.
School Counselor Feedback – KACTE Counselor Sessions and CTE Pathway Strengths Guidance Document
Dear School Counselors,
We would appreciate your insights on the KACTE School Counselor session presented on Thursday, July 31 at the Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Education (KACTE) Summer Conference and your insights on the CTE Pathway strengths guidance document.
Please let us know what you found helpful and how we can improve future sessions and resources.
Thank you for your time.
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