August School Counselor Spotlight:
Denise Massey
Norman Public Schools
Our August School Counselor Spotlight is Denise Massey from Truman Primary School. Denise works with pre-K through second grade students in Norman, Oklahoma. Thank you, Denise, for the wonderful support you offer our Oklahoma students and their families!
What led you to become a school counselor?
I wanted to become a school counselor because a special person I look up to the most is an educator, and I continually learn so much from watching her in action advocating for students. That person is my sister, Stephanie Parker. She has been in education for over 13 years and hearing her passion for education and her students has always been inspiring. My own elementary school counselor, Mrs. Pinkerton, was the inspiration for the type of counselor I wanted to be. Her kind and genuine demeanor with each student in our school made a big impression on me. I knew I wanted to help Oklahoma students with the same love, care, and attention that she did.
What is your favorite part of being a school counselor or the most rewarding aspect of your position?
This is the best job ever! I love getting to know every single student, working as a team with teachers and staff, and helping to create a positive school climate. The most rewarding part of being a school counselor is hearing students speak kindly to themselves and begin using their healthy coping skills. When I hear a student say "I can be brave," "I can do hard things," or "Mistakes are okay," I know they are choosing to believe in themselves, and that is one of the biggest things I want them to take away from their time with me as their school counselor.
Why is creating a comprehensive school counseling program important to you?
I want to provide the best possible services and supports that benefit ALL students in my building. Using a data-driven counseling program allows me to examine the needs of my school. In other words, it is essential for the profession and the for the benefit of our students!
What quote inspires you?
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind."- Taylor Swift
Anyone that knows me knows that I am the biggest Swiftie! I truly love this quote because I believe that kindness and respect should be shown to each family that walks through our door. I want people to remember how they felt being around me. I hope they always feel cared for and seen.
What do you do when you need inspiration to tackle another day working on behalf of students?
I think of previous students I have worked with and how much I care for them. I think of how proud I am of them and their progress. Whether I had a student for a week, a month, or a few years, I want them to know that Mrs. Massey is still rooting for them to succeed wherever they land.
What do you do to decompress and refuel for the next day?
I love spending quality time with my family and working in my garden. I also love listening to Taylor Swift and crocheting!
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Changes to AP Course Requirements
Beginning with the 2024–2025 school year, all public high schools in Oklahoma shall make a minimum of four AP courses available to students (70 O.S. § 1210.704). To help with your planning, here are some resources:
If you need guidance and support on what to offer and how to begin, please contact Willette Guinhawa-Ho, Oklahoma's College Board partner, at wguinhawaho@collegeboard.org.or Sharon Morgan, Program Director for Standards and Learning at sharon.morgan@sde.ok.gov.
If your district/school is offering AP courses for the first time, College Board invites you to attend an Oklahoma New AP Coordinator Webinar. During this session, we will review resources and supports for new AP Coordinators.
If you need guidance and support on what to offer and how to begin, please contact Willette Guinhawa-Ho.
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OKcollegestart Webinar for New Users
Whether you're new to OKcollegestart or you're a returning user looking for a refresher, join us to review the basics of the OKcollegestart website. This webinar will introduce the various features available to students and educators on OKcollegestart and review how to meet Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP) requirements using the website. There will also be time to ask any questions you have! This webinar will be recorded and shared with anyone who registers.
Thursday, August 8
9-10 a.m.
Click here to register
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NEW! FAFSA GRADUATION REQUIREMENT BEGINS 2024 – 2025
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, in order to graduate from a public high school in Oklahoma, students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
OCAP FAFSA Webinar: New FAFSA Graduation Requirement
We invite you to join us for the first of our new monthly FAFSA webinars. The OCAP team will share valuable information and provide resources on improving FAFSA completion with your students. As the new FAFSA graduation requirement goes into effect for your 2024-25 seniors, we hope you’ll find these monthly events to be beneficial.
The first webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14 at 10:00 am. Topics of discussion will include the new FAFSA graduation requirement, the Oklahoma FAFSA Data Portal, and FAFSA FastTrack, which will encompass a series of events across the state aimed at helping seniors successfully complete their FAFSA applications.
Register here to attend: OCAP FAFSA Webinar
Oklahoma FAFSA Data Portal
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and Oklahoma College Assistance Program offer the Oklahoma FAFSA Data Portal (OK-FDP), a free online tool to help counselors, principals and mentors provide more targeted assistance to high school seniors as they complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Get started tracking FAFSA progress for your seniors today!
OK-FDP Flyer | OK-FDP Video
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  Don’t forget to use Connect2Business for your work-based learning needs! Reach out to Meredith Dennis (contact information below) for questions and assistance regarding the site.
Download our flyer
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.
Have questions for Meredith?
Connect with her HERE to schedule a meeting or send a message to Meredith.Dennis@sde.ok.gov .
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 Functional Family Therapy
The Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs is offering the Functional Family Therapy (FFT) program for highly at-risk youth and adjudicated youth in specific Oklahoma counties. FFT is an evidence-based treatment program designed to reduce at-risk behavior in adolescents with an 70%-80% effectiveness rate. FFT is the leading treatment to address adolescent substance use, delinquency, and family system change. FFT targets youth aged 11-18, younger siblings, and their parents/caregivers. Intervention ranges from, on average, 8 -12 one-hour sessions for mild cases and up to 30 sessions for more difficult situations. FFT is conducted over an approximate three-month period and is largely an in-home intervention that is provided at no cost to the family.
FFT is appropriate for youth ages 11-17 exhibiting frequent and high degrees of the following problematic behaviors: defiance of authority figures (home and school), aggressiveness toward other people, extreme sibling rivalry, running away, truancy, vandalism, negative peer association, poor academic performance, chronic absenteeism from school, frequent school suspensions/expulsions, current/history of arrest, bullying issues, gang affiliation, and or substance abuse.
Is FFT available to students in my county?
To learn if FFT is available in your county please click below. Counties are where FFT is available are highlighted in blue: Functional Family Therapy (FFT) (oklahoma.gov)
How to do I make a referral?
To make a referral, please reach out to your local county Office of Juvenile Affairs. FFT can be provided as a preventative intervention. You will have to make a referral to OJA services and request FFT if the student does not have OJA involvement.
For the Juvenile Bureau counties of Comanche, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Canadian, please reach out your local Juvenile Bureau Office.
Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) for Educators
SMART offers an innovative, modern, uplifting, and highly scalable approach to enhance individual resilience. Developed by Dr. Amit Sood at the Mayo Clinic, SMART is offered as a four-module structured program. SMART has been tested and found efficacious in over 30 clinical trials for decreasing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and burnout, and increasing resilience, wellbeing, mindfulness, happiness, and positive health behaviors.
Register for SMART training here
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