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Happy Holidays!
Can you believe the school year is nearly halfway over? So much has happened since our last newsletter in October. We had a national election that is sure to stir up emotions in our staff, students, and families. College applications have been submitted and the FAFSA window is now open. High school students are preparing for final exams, and elementary and middle schools are knee deep in character education, report cards, and planning for next school year.
So far this school year, the San Diego County Office of Education has brought counselors a variety of new learning opportunities including the Equity Symposium, CSU/UC updates, a
New Counselor Institute
, and the first of four sessions in the
Counselors and Curriculum series
. Your feedback and ideas for professional development are always welcome!
My hope for you is that you are able to enjoy time with your friends and family this season, so in the new year you are refreshed and ready to serve your students. But if you still need a pick-me-up in 2017, the School Counselor Leadership Conference is Feb. 14 and ready to showcase how counselors are the heart of our schools.
Counseling Coordinator, Learning and Leadership Services
858-568-5459
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Breakout Sessions Released for School Counselor Leadership Conference
Breakout session options for the Feb. 14 School Counselor Leadership Conference are now available on the event website at
www.sdcoe.net/schoolcounselors
. We had an incredible amount and variety of presentation submissions this year thanks to you!
The second annual event at the University of San Diego (USD) is now presented in partnership with the Western Association of College Admission Counselors (WACAC). Also, based on attendees' feedback, we've added more sessions for elementary and middle school counselors.
Be sure to register early for the conference as space is filling up fast. Check the SDCOE School Counselors website for conference updates as they are available.
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The theme of the 2017 National School Counseling Week from Feb. 6 to 10 is "School Counseling: Helping Students Realize Their Potential." This annual week helps focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Please share any pictures from this week (or past years) in the School Counselor Conference Photos Folder.
Check out this video of college students celebrating school counselors!
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Post-Election Communication Resources
SDCOE's Communications and Student Services and Programs teams created a toolkit with resources to help school administrators communicate with employees, parents, and students about items of interest following the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. Among other things, the toolkit includes copies of tips for educators and parents to support students in stressful times, links to communications sent by a variety of K-16 agencies in the wake of the election, and policy-focused documents that address immigrant rights. These resources are not meant to be exhaustive, nor is their inclusion an endorsement of a particular political viewpoint. Access this toolkit and others at www.sdcoe.net/toolkit.
Presented by the USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences, this one-day conference on Jan. 5 will provide a space for K-12 school communities to engage with one another to develop strategies to ensure safe learning communities and respond to student and community needs in the post-election era.
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Did you participate in the College Board's Score Week for
School Counselors? The College Board provided tips, tricks, and supports to help your students understand their score reports. If you didn't participate, there's always next year! You can find all the resources, including webinars and downloadable guides, here.
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Nominate a High School Counselor
The Arthur S. Marmaduke High School Counselor Award is a $1,500 annual award recognizing one outstanding California high school counselor who demonstrates exemplary skills in helping students fulfill their dreams of going to college. The candidate is nominated by his or her district and county leadership, a fellow school counselor or teacher, a school principal, or another site administrator. Each year, the California Student Aid Commission staff solicits nominations from high schools recommending a California high school counselor who demonstrates effectiveness for serving students in preparing for and pursuing their higher education. Nominate a high school counselor
here.
This series of workshops through May 2 is designed in partnership with the SDCOE Student Support Services department for school counselors with less than three years of experience. Topics include restorative practice, group facilitation, mental health first aid, comprehensive school programs, college admissions, and finding students' strengths and career interests.
Join school counselors from across the county for breakfast and networking with a focus on curriculum updates. More than 30 counselors attended the fall sessions on CTE, Smarter Balanced Assessments, and LCAP details.
Register now
to attend the upcoming sessions listed below:
- Jan. 11 -- Mathematics, health and physical education, and expanded learning
- March 14 -- English language learners, world languages and biliteracy, and science
- May 19 -- History-social science, English language arts, and Momentum Learning (formerly SDCOE Juvenile Court and Community Schools)
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Upcoming Professional Learning
- Crucial Conversations Symposium: Creating Safe K-12 Learning, Jan. 5 at USD
- Early Assessment Program (EAT) breakfast, Jan. 27, 9 a.m. to noon at Hilton Mission Valley San Diego SDSU EAP
- The Kinsey Collection, Feb. 3 at CSU San MarcosConnect your efforts to eliminate achievement and opportunity gaps with your students' culture and history. Hear directly from former Xerox CEO Bernard Kinsey about the previously untold story of the leadership, achievement, and the contributions of African-Americans through the Kinsey Collection of art and history from 1595 to the Civil Rights era.
- Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference, March 10 and 11 at USD.
- Second annual Supporting Access to Higher Education for Immigrant and Undocumented Students, April 23 to 25 at SDSU, sponsored by CESCal
- Excellence in Equity Leadership, April 5, 6, and May 31Gain strategies for your district and school leaders, teachers, and counselors to make equity a reality in your district or school. Build leadership excellence and capacity to lead for equity across systems, and foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment for each and every student and student group.
- Equity Symposium, Sept. 7 and 8
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College Articles and Resources
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Common Scholarship
: The San Diego Foundation Common Scholarship Application gives San Diego students access to more than 100 scholarships through our
Community Scholarship Program
. The application process is now open.
Deadline is Feb. 1.
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Free SAT Preparation Opportunity for Sophomores
: Cal-SOAP is offering a free PSAT/SAT Preparation program during summer 2017. Students must submit an application packet by April 21 for the chance to participate in the PSAT/SAT Preparation courses. Admission is competitive and acceptance is not guaranteed. Attendance is mandatory on all six Saturdays from July 8 to Aug. 12 at USD. Cal-SOAP's target population is students who are low-income and/or first-generation college-goers. Students in last year's program increased their SAT scores by an average of more than 70 points. Applications can be downloaded
here
.
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Personal, Social, and Mental Health Resources
Youth Mental Health First Aid
CSEC (Commercial Exploitation of Children)
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General Articles and Resources
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SDCOE's Juvenile Court and Community Schools is now known as Momentum Learning. Learn more about the change
here
.
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School Counseling and Health Education Awareness Days
Calendar
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the County.
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