Let’s celebrate Oregon’s amazing school counselors! National School Counseling Week 2024, "School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused," is celebrated February 5-9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in supporting students' mental health and well-being, academic achievement and career planning for their future.

Celebrate this week by accessing the American School Counselor Association's promotional toolkit and downloads. Be sure to use #NSCW24 for social media communication. Check out the Events Calendar for a week of activities and resources.

National School Counseling Week is a great time to share about the school counselor's role and the comprehensive school counseling program. Allison Silbernagel, Elementary School Counseling Program Associate, from Salem-Keizer shares their list of items that they consider ordering when celebrating school counselors for NSCW. Below are some additional ideas for various ways to celebrate.

District-Level Activities:

• Make an official proclamation recognizing school counselors.
• Send an email to administrators reminding them of the dates of National School Counseling Week.
• Write an article to spotlight the contributions of a particular school counselor or the work of school counselors in general.
• Create a spotlight page on your district or school website, as well as your social media, to highlight your school counselors during the week.
• Submit information about National School Counseling Week on a district, school, or community calendar.
• Provide an in-person or virtual school counselor lunch/celebration from the supervisor of all district school counselors or at the building level.

School-Level Activities: 

• Participate in ASCA's Photo Challenges, Webinars and Events. 
• Share resources with others about the work of school counselors at each level: Role of the School Counselor.
• Update your virtual background to proudly celebrate comprehensive school counseling programs.
• Promote the counseling program through your social media accounts and include the National School Counseling Week hashtag: #NSCW24.
• Share about the counseling program with students and staff during daily announcements, advisories and assemblies. 
• Send a newsletter home to update families on the counseling program and the role of school counselors.
• Send a personal thank you note/card – consider mentioning specific examples that exemplify what makes you grateful for school counselors.
• Promote thank you/appreciation notes or emails from teachers and parents to school counselors.
• Encourage cards/drawings or virtual messages from students (individually or as a classroom group)
• “This year you taught/helped me…”
• “Thank you for…”
• "I heart my school counselor because..."
• Give a small gift, favorite drink, or favorite candy (one day or each day of the week).
• Provide donuts in the staff lounge in honor of National School Counseling Week.

Thank you each and every day for all you do for our students, families/caregivers, staff, and the school community. You are seen, heard and deeply appreciated!