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February, 2020

February 3-7 is National School Counseling Week! Governor Ralph S. Northam has designated February 3-7 as National School Counseling Week. As vital members of the education team, professional school counselors are agents of equity for students across the Commonwealth. Comprehensive, data-driven school counseling programs improve a range of student learning and behavioral outcomes. Virginia School Counselors close achievement gaps and maximize student success by providing academic and career development interventions along with psychosocial counseling and mental/behavioral health supports.  I feel so fortunate to work alongside and on behalf of school counselors in Virginia. Thank you for all you do each day to make the world a better place for kids. You make a difference. Sarah Bazemore, School Counseling Specialist Virginia Department of Education Sarah.Bazemore@doe.virginia.gov

Photo above pictures Sarah Bazemore (VDOE School Counseling Specialist), Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, Dr. James Lane (State Superintendent), and Joseph Wharff (Associate Director of Student Services) holding Governor Ralph Northam's National School Counseling Week Proclamation.

In This Issue

• VDOE Announcements
• Resource Spotlight
• Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities and Important Dates

VDOE Announcements

Virtual Book Club for School Counselors!

Starting in March, school counselors in Virginia will have the opportunity to participate in a virtual book club and we need your help to select the book from the following three choices: 

1. Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them by Dr. Ross W. Greene

2. Motivational Interviewing for School Counselors by Reagan A. North

3. Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom by Kristin Souers

A few details:

• Participation is free.
• Requires the book to be completed over a three month time period (March-May) with virtual discussion boards happening twice a month.
• Participants will receive a certificate at the end documenting your participation.

Interested in participating?

Take two minutes to vote on the book most relevant to you!

Granville P. Meade Scholarship

The Granville P. Meade Scholarship provides financial assistance to students who have achieved academically, but who are financially unable to attend college. The Granville P. Meade fund provides scholarship awards to worthy and financially disadvantaged Virginia high school seniors to attend one of Virginia's public or private colleges or universities.

Principals and school counselors of all public and nonpublic senior high schools are requested to assist in making students aware of the scholarship opportunity. Application information for 2020 will be shared via superintendent's memo and on the Granville P. Meade Scholarship website on Friday, January 31st.

Relevant Superintendent and Principal Memos 

• Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility for Student Not Residing with Their Parents 
• The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities Youth Leadership Academy (Opportunity for rising high sophomores, juniors and seniors)
• Proposed Guidelines for Alternate Routes to Licensure in Response to House Bill 2486 (2019 General Assembly) 
• Virtual Job Shadow Junior (School counselors serving elementary students may be interested in this resource as they work to help all students develop Career Portfolios)
• The Suggested Best Practices on the Provision of Direct Counseling Services 

 Resource Spotlight

College Score Card (U.S. Department of Education) For the first time ever, students can find important information on potential debt and what they can expect to earn one year after completing their education based on what they choose to study—including for 2-year programs, 4-year degrees, certificate programs, and some graduate programs. Students can also use College Scorecard’s comparison tool to compare up to ten school options and see how they stack up. Be sure to watch this video for an introduction to the updated features of the new College Scorecard!

Work is for Everyone Video Series Work is for Everyone is a video series designed to promote career awareness for students in elementary school. By featuring individuals with disabilities in a variety of careers, it allows all students to explore potential careers and to gain an awareness that work is for everyone.

VDOE Released Best Practices Document: Comprehensive School Counseling

In response to stakeholder requests, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) convened a stakeholder group comprised of school counselors and division administrators and incorporated best practices from the state and national levels. The Suggested Best Practices on the Provision of Direct Counseling Services may be used by school divisions to help in facilitating the work that school counselors are trained to do in schools as it relates to direct counseling services. This document was released in October via Principal's Memo; however, in case you missed it please take a look! Click to edit this placeholder text.

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities & Important Dates

January

1/30/2020- Supporting Younger Children Socially, Emotionally and Behaviorally, 2:00-3:30. This free webinar will take a closer look at leading indicators for misbehavior in school-aged children and discuss programmatic approaches and classroom strategies for supporting younger children that experience difficult adjustments to school settings. 

February

2/3 to 2/7/2020- National School Counseling Week

2/4/2020- Free VTSS Webinar, The Value of Family Engagement Data, 3:30-4:30

2/7/2020- Educating Childhood Cancer Patients & Survivors: A Professional Development Conference for Teachers and School Personnel

2/27/2020- The Nuts and Bolts of Postsecondary Transition Webinar (by REL Appalachia)

March 3/2/2020- VSCA Spring Symposium with John Sommers-Flanangan, Tough Kids, Cool Counseling, (Richmond) 3/23/2020- VA Department of Criminal Justice: The Impact of Implicit Bias, (Richmond)