Counselor Corner
This fall newsletter offers key updates for counselors including financial aid information related to the new graduation requirement, a profile of the 2021 Texas School Counselor of the Year, and self-care strategies to support educators through a busy season.
Advising Updates
2022-2023 Financial Aid Applications Now Open
Student Support Updates
Student and Educator Self-care
Self-care is the act of intentionally engaging in stress reduction activities such as mindfulness practice to lessen the effects of stress or anxiety. Research identifies self-care as crucial to overall health and well-being, especially during times of heightened stress. Self-care falls into several well-being categories: intellectual, social, physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, and safety.
Self-care strategies are abundant in this article by Harvard Edcast. It also points out the importance of modeling self-care and mental health wellness for students.
Some best practice examples to support student and staff mental health wellness and mindfulness are highlighted in this Communities In Schools (CIS) article sharing what some CIS affiliates have done around the country.
Student Re-Engagement Resources
The pandemic has led many Texas students to miss a significant amount of instructional time during the past year. It will be critically important to get students re-engaged on campus with school-based instruction as quickly as possible in the new year to make up for lost instructional time. Explore this toolkit developed by Attendance Works to guide your re-engagement work on campus.
Counseling Updates
Congratulations to Ashley Wright, the 2021 Lone Star School Counselor of the Year!
Ashley Wright currently serves as an elementary school counselor in Conroe ISD at Lucille J. Bradley Elementary. She has been an educator and school counselor for the past 17 years. From weekly counseling lessons, student leadership opportunities, parent education shows, and student achievement awards, Ashley brings enthusiasm and campus engagement throughout the entire school year. Ashley also influences other professional school counselors in their role and strives to create positive change in our education system. As the 2021 Lone Star School Counselor of the Year, Ashley will represent Texas in the 2022 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) School Counselor of the Year selection process and was recently named one of the country’s five finalists! For more information, visit https://www.lonestarstateschoolcounselor.org/.
Comprehensive School Counseling Program Plans
The CASS Team is continuing to collect best practice examples of comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) plans that we can share as exemplars. If you have a CSCP plan that you'd be willing to share with us, please email it to stephanie.lerner@tea.texas.gov. Thank you!
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