New Year - New Updates

OK State Dept of Ed sent this bulletin at 01/03/2024 01:01 PM CST

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Counselor Spotlight: Dani Mann

Woodward Public Schools

Our January School Counselor Spotlight is Dani Mann, a 5-6th grade counselor at Woodward Public Schools. This is Dani's 15th year serving Oklahoma students!

What is your favorite part of being a school counselor or the most rewarding aspect of your position?
Watching the students grow and mature and overcome obstacles that used to hold them back.

Why is creating a comprehensive school counseling program important to you?
A comprehensive school counseling program is important in order to support student achievement academically, as well as in personal and social areas.

What is a quote that inspires you?
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. Maya Angelou. This quote inspires me because life is a continuous learning experience for all of us."

What do you do when you need inspiration to tackle another day working on behalf of students?
Thinking of my students and how they are depending on me to be source of strength, courage, comfort and support for them throughout their school day.

What do you do to decompress and refuel for the next day?
I decompress by spending time with my husband, children and grandchildren, with my pets and by gardening.

The Oklahoma Department of Career Technology is proud to announce the 20^th Annual For Counselors Only Conference!

Join them in Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence in School Counseling and prepare for an exhilarating experience at the 2024 For Counselors Only Conference! This years conference will take place at the Tulsa Technology Center – Owasso Campus on Thursday, March 14, 2024 from 8:30am - 3:00pm.

Key Conference Features:

Energizing Atmosphere: Experience a day filled with positivity and motivation, ensuring you leave recharged and ready to make a difference.
Leading Experts: Engage with industry-leading experts who will share their knowledge and insights.
Peer Networking: Connect with counselors and exhibitors from across the state
Exhibitors: Explore exhibits featuring the latest resources, tools, and services for counseling professionals.
Empowering Insights: Walk away from the conference with a wealth of new knowledge that can be immediately applied to your work
Advocacy for the Counseling Profession: Learn new ways to advocate for the counseling profession and contribute to its growth.

Reserve your seat today! Click on the Registration Link to secure your spot an ensure you don’t miss out on this exceptional opportunity for professional development.

Coffee with Counselors

Please join us for "Coffee with Counselors!" This is an informal time for school counselors from across our great state to come together for celebration, collaboration, and continued growth. We look forward to you joining us!

Register for the January 9th session

Each session will be held 9am - 10am

Schedule a CCR Listening Session

Are you interested in discussing College and Career Readiness? Jennifer Peters, Program Manager of CCR, is keeping aside some time in the day for listening, sharing, and problem-solving with Local Education Agencies.

Schedule a meeting or send a message to Jennifer.Peters@sde.ok.gov

School Voice: ICAP Conversations

Join your colleagues for a monthly gathering to collaborate on ICAP best practices, challenges, and solutions. This is an informal time to build relationships and share ideas with other professionals building & leading ICAP programs across the state. We look forward to learning from you!

School Voice: ICAP Conversations Among 1A & 2A Schools

School Voice: ICAP Conversations Among 3A & 4A Schools

School Voice: ICAP Conversations Among 5A & 6A Schools

Work Based Learning Opportunity

deadCenter’s award-winning education program would love to bring the fundamentals of filmmaking and film festival culture to YOUR classroom. Presentations generally take 40-50 minutes and include exciting activities such as, Fundamental Film Literacy, Career Opportunities in the Oklahoma Film Industry, 3 Minute Movie Competition, and more!

Scan the QR code to learn more or contact Victor Caballero at victor@deadcenterfilm.org to schedule a tour

Is Work-Based Learning getting you down?

Fear not! Our College and Career Readiness Specialist, Meredith Dennis, will be heading efforts to support schools with developing and connecting students to quality Work-Based Learning experiences.

Already have questions for Meredith?
Connect with her HERE to schedule a meeting or send a message to Meredith.Dennis@sde.ok.gov

FAFSA Resources

Senate Bill 93 requires students, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, to complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to graduate from a public high school. The Bill, as well as FAQs for this legislation and the Opt Out forms, can be found at https://sde.ok.gov/college-career.

Prevention Playbook

We feel a merry cheer while celebrating Christmas and welcoming the new year. However, for many people, these events are an indicator of the struggles about to come. The rates of seasonal depression, loneliness, and post-celebration blues are at an all-time high following New Year’s Eve.

Mental Wellness Month serves as a reminder to maintain and sustain your mental health, despite the ups and downs in life.

Download the January Playbook

Crisis Response Network

We are sending out a request for our local school staff/counselors/administrators to begin the conversation of taking the next step in Crisis Management in Oklahoma schools. With many of the grants that funded the SDE training and staff to help develop a network of District Crisis Teams coming to an end, it is time to reach out and bring all of these resources together. The goal is to develop a network of trained individuals who understand the steps and actions required for an effective Crisis Response to assist their own Districts as well as other local District partners. Please note: this is NOT required. This is simply a coordinated effort by SDE to help connect resources.

The letter attached HERE was sent out to District Superintendents to solicit feedback and willingness to partner with SDE to maintain regional response team lists of counselors and other trained school staff to respond regionally to crisis. At this time, we have had a limited response and are asking for some additional voices to help start the conversation. Please feel free to forward the linked document to your superintendent or district counseling coordinators to discuss your level of participation in this project and to use the form to identify your district’s decision in this partnership.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions to:

Christi Sturgeon – christi.sturgeon@sde.ok.gov
Sheri Fleming – sheri.fleming@sde.ok.gov
Rachel Hernandez – rachael.hernandez@sde.ok.gov

PREPaRE Crisis Response Training

SDE will continue to offer PREPaRE Crisis Response training to Oklahoma School Districts upon request. School districts will need to provide the funding for the curriculum to NASP. $45/person for Workshop 1 and $55/person for Workshop 2. SDE will continue to provide certified PREPaRE trainers to facilitate the curriculum for free.

Download Workshop Descriptions

Questions: Jackie Lindley - jackie.lindley@sde.ok.gov

^{**Inclusion of upcoming events in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement by OSDE. The information provided is for general awareness purposes only. OSDE does not assume any responsibility for the content or outcomes of these events.}

2024 Student Preparation Overnight Conferences

Attention, PK-12 counselors, coordinators and administrators! This is a time to come together and share best practices and ideas. We will discuss new and relevant information regarding college/career readiness, PreACT, OK Promise, ICAP and more. You will have the opportunity to develop your school’s ICAP on OKcollegestart.

Early-bird registration is $170, and regular registration is $175. Registration fee for this two-day conference includes meals and lodging. We accept POs, personal checks or credit cards.

For more information, contact Sabrina Wood, swood@osrhe.edu.

ProtectOK

The State of Oklahoma and Oklahoma School Security Institute has launched their brand-new safety app, ProtectOK! This free app allows you to anonymously report any suspicious activity you see directly to law enforcement.

Learn more about the app here: https://oklahoma.gov/dps/protect-ok-app.html

Botvin LifeSkills® Training

The ODMHSAS Prevention Division is currently accepting application to provide Botvin LST curriculum and training to schools/districts at no cost. Botvin LifeSkills® Training (LST) is an evidence-based substance use and violence prevention program that has been proven to reduce the risk of alcohol, tobacco, drug use, and violence among children and teens. Botvin LST provides skills in drug resistance, personal self-management, healthy alternatives to risky behaviors, and general social interactions. If your school or district is interested in implementing Botvin LifeSkills, please submit an application to get started: Botvin LifeSkills Training Application Form (office.com)

If you have any questions, please contact Katelyn Wilson at katelyn.wilson@odmhsas.org.

3rd Millennium Classrooms

The ODMHSAS Prevention Division is partnering with 3^rd Millennium Classrooms to offer a select number of secondary schools access to a variety of online substance use prevention and intervention courses. These evidence-based online prevention and early intervention courses address several topics including alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. The courses aim to prevent substance use by teaching students a range of positive behaviors including refusal skills and educating students on the dangers associated with alcohol and drug use. Courses include interactive exercises that use motivational interviewing strategies to engage students in a powerful learning experience that has shown to positively impact behavior and reduce alcohol and substance use.

If interested, please contact Katelyn Wilson at katelyn.wilson@odmhsas.org.

Contact Student Development

Marissa Lightsey, Program Director; Student Development

Dr. Sheri Fleming, Program Manager; Prevention & Intervention Services

Christi Sturgeon, Program Manager; Comprehensive School Counseling

Jennifer Peters, Program Manager; College & Career Readiness

Rachael Hernandez, Program Manager; School Based Mental Health

Emily Hicks, Administrative Assistant; Student Development

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