August 1, 2018
Tracy Wilson School Counseling Network
It seems too soon to be writing another newsletter! I ho pe all of you had a rested and blessed summer. We are one of the only professions that get a fresh start every year (other than maybe tax accountants).

I am recently back from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Conference in Los Angeles. What a rejuvenating and refocusing time with more than 3,000 school counselors from around the country! Scroll down for a link to presentations and resources from the event. Now I am gearing up to start our New Counselor Institute and help host the Equity Symposium on Sept. 27 and 28.

Welcome to the many new counselors who joined us over the summer! If you change districts or get a new email over the summer, don't forget to sign up to receive this newsletter with your new email.

I hope this newsletter helps to inform and connect you with necessary resources, but also to connect you to other school counselors across the county. Many of you are the only counselor at your site and it can be an isolating job. But it is a worthy and necessary job, and I'm here to make sure you get the support you need.

Counseling Coordinator
Learning and Leadership Services
858-568-5459
As a community of school counselors, we lost a wonderful member of our tribe on June 29. Denise VoDang worked at San Pasqual High School and will be missed by her colleagues, students and peers.
Stay Connected
If you are posting any pics of campus events online, don't forget to use #sdcounselors and tag @SanDiegoCOE to share your great work with everyone! You can also submit photos to our Google folder. You may see them in next year's conference program or slide show. Share your pride and all your hard work! 
ASCA 2018
If you are not a member of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) or the California Association of School Counselors (CASC), I highly recommend you join. The resources alone are well worth the cost. The annual conferencewas held this year in Los Angeles and it did not disappoint. The hall was filled many vendors and free resources, including career presenters. I was able to download all the sessions from the app into one Google folder to share with all of you, but it's no substitute for being there in person. You will see there are over 160 files. You can hover over the title to see the topic, or look at the title on the powerpoint. Many people also included their contact information if you have more questions. 
Online School Counselor Connections
Below are a few blogs that I find really useful. If you have a blog, social media page, or other resource you think other school counselors would like, please share it with me! I will also keep a list on the  SDCOE School Counselor website .
Looking for a Topic to Study This Month?
ASCA published a  2018-19 Education and Health Awareness Days Calendar . This handy resource can help with calendar and event planning.
SDCOE Has a New Look
SDCOE and education have changed a lot in the past 30 years, but SDCOE's logo had stayed more or less the same since 1988. 

The new logo offers a visual identity that reflects the  board goals and new  mission statement .

If you use the SDCOE logo on a district flyer or partner website, please email  communications@sdcoe.net  to update your materials with the new logo.
College Board and ACT Official Concordance Tables
The ACT concordance table  and the  College Board concordance table  are now available for users to compare scores from the new SAT® test (redesigned in 2016) and the ACT® test.

The ACT and the SAT measure similar, but not identical content and skills, and they employ different score scales. The ACT Composite score is based on a scale of 1 to 36, while the SAT Total score ranges from 400 to 1600. Both the ACT and SAT are accepted at all colleges and universities in the United States.

The concordance tables are designed to be used by colleges, K-12 education professionals, scholarship organizations, students, policymakers, and others to inform policies, processes, and decisions. They are the only official concordance tables between the ACT and the SAT and should be used as the single source of reference moving forward when comparing scores on the two tests. These tables replace the concordance tables that were released in 2016.
Start Planning Now for Professional Learning
Mark your calendar and start the approval process now for some great professional learning this year. I will continue to share any new opportunities for learning in the  Google Folder for Training Flyers  and on our  School Counselor website .
New School Counselor Institute
If you are a new school counselor or a school counselor who could use a refresh, you will find support and customized learning at the New School Counselor Institute. The six-part series dives into the skills and resources with which every school counselor should be familiar. Topics include understanding ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors (standards), working with unique populations, group and classroom facilitation, college and career readiness, and mental health support/suicide prevention. The annual School Counselor Leadership Conference in February is included. The institute is supported by both Learning and Leadership Services and Student Support Services, two different divisions at SDCOE. Past participants said they enjoyed the activities, learned about new resources, and were grateful to know they are not alone in continuing to learn and grow.  Download the flier and register .
School Counselor Leadership Conference
The annual School Counselor Leadership Conference  will be Feb. 14 at the Handlery Hotel. Registration will open Sept. 1 followed by a call for presenters in October. Start thinking about what you would like to present! This day is a success because practicing school counselors share the great work they are doing.
Don't Miss Highlights Day
The  CSU/UC Highlights Day  recap event is for those who cannot make it to the  UC Counselor Conference  or  CSU Counselor Conference  in September. The event is Oct. 12 at the SDCOE main campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes representatives from SDSU and UCSD admissions, as well as a brief presentation about the new California Promise.
Equity Symposium Registration Now Open
The SDCOE  Equity Symposium  on Sept. 27 and 28 in San Diego features expert speakers as well as seasoned practitioners sharing best practices. The annual event is designed to meet the unique needs of district team members, including cabinet level leaders, site administrators, classroom teachers, counselors, and parents. Author Zaretta Hammond will kick off the event with a keynote speech on the tenets of her book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. There are also several featured speakers leading 90-minute sessions such as Horacio Sanchez on school climate, Dr. Loui Lord Nelson on universal design for learning, and Dr. Nancy Dome on culturally competent learning environments. Inspirational speaker Michael Hingson, a 9/11 survivor, will chronicle his experience fleeing down 78 flights of stairs with his seeing eye dog.
CASC Fall Conference
The  CASC Fall Conference  on Oct. 18 and 19 at the Riverside Convention Center attracts about 1,300 attendees and about 100 experts from across the nation who provide the latest information, techniques, and strategies related to the school counseling profession. Attendees can choose from more than 70 topics including effective technology integration, social-emotional learning, strategies for student transition, and college and postsecondary training.
ACT College and Career Readiness Workshops
The  ACT College and Career Readiness Workshop  is a free learning opportunity from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 27 at the University of San Diego. Attendees will learn best practices from schools, discover new resources for students and educators, acquire valuable data interpretation strategies, and create a comprehensive assessment plan.
College Board Counselor Workshop
The half-day  College Board Counselor workshop  provides updates on College Board programs, as well as tools, tips, and resources designed to make it easier to clear a path to college and career success for your students. The event is Sept. 20 at the University of San Diego.
California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) High School Counselor Workshop
The CSAC High School Counselor Workshop  will be offered two times. Participants can attend Oct. 4 or 5 at the Scottish Rite Center in San Diego. Together with the California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, CSAC provides information and updates on state-funded financial aid programs and the student application process for California Dream Act, Cal Grant, and the Chafee Grant. Attendees will also receive a comprehensive overview of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
California Community College Resources — Career Pathways
The California Community Colleges launched a new campaign to help students explore, locate, and apply to any of the 114 community colleges with more than 200 career pathway programs in California. They have created a new free app for students called Here to Career that allows students to take a quiz to get their RIASEC results. They can then save them or share them and explore salaries, the educational pathway, and colleges where those courses are offered. 


Need to Update Your School Profile?
Are you looking for a way to spruce up or make your school profile easier for colleges to access? There is a new, FREE, service that allows you to do just that. Your School Profile has normed the School Profile and created a dynamic, easy-to-use and free site for high school counselors. Simply create an account and input your high school 's contextual information. Colleges can search your high school and find the students to fit their mission.
College Resources
Explore  this curated list  of websites, resources, best practices, and articles that school counselors and others can use to aid students in exploring college options and selecting post-secondary options. If you have resources you think should be added, please  complete this form .
Resources from Affordable Colleges Online
Regional Admission Counselors of California (RACC)
  • RACC will host programs at high schools for college awareness and preparation.
Career Resources
My Next Move  offers free O*NET OnLine interest profiler and career search.

DreamWakers  uses free and existing video technology to connect diverse and dynamic professionals working across a variety of industries to classrooms across the country. Working with 4th to 12th grade classrooms nationwide, they exclusively serve schools in which at least 50% of the student body is eligible for free and reduced lunch. Each conversation is designed to shed light on the real-world applicability of classroom curriculum, while at the same time inspiring and empowering students to plan for their futures.

Virtual Job Shadow  empowers individuals to discover, plan, and pursue their dreams with a unique video-based, career planning platform. The interactive tools help students and job seekers develop career paths based on choice, not chance.

The  California Career Resource Network  is a program within the California Department of Education that provides free career development information and resources. Students can create accounts and take assessments, and there are lesson plans for grades 5 to 12. The  CalCRN Resource Handbook  is a great place to start and learn all the valuable resources available.

The  San Diego County College and Career Readiness Consortium's e-Portal provides teachers and students with tools and resources to help explore potential careers. Connect with the  SDCOE CTE  team to gain access to the portal to schedule guest speakers and site visits. 
Workforce and College Guidance Resources Available
The  San Diego Workforce Partnership website  has great resources for educators and students such as current labor market information, links to offered majors at community colleges, and assessments students can take to understand their passions.
CTE Professional Learning Opportunities and More
You can find great resources for counselors a the  SDCOE CTE webpage . There are links to past workshops and resources to help you support students to find their right path
General Articles and Resources
Student Mental Health Trainings
Access this  Google folder  to view and download flyers for the professional learning opportunities on the topics below:
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid
  • Adult Mental Health First Aid
  • PBIS - Jeff Sprague BEST training
  • Assessing Suicidal Students
  • ASSET training for youth and families
School Counseling Analysis, Leadership and Evaluation (SCALE) Research Center  
The School Counseling Analysis, Leadership and Evaluation (SCALE) Research Center is an interactive tool focused on the facilitation and dissemination of school counseling research and evidence-based practices to demonstrate the connection between comprehensive and developmental school counseling programs and student success. There are many sample lessons and curriculum available.
Foster Youth Education
The  California Foster Care Education Law Fact Sheets  is an incredible resource to bookmark and keep for any questions you have in supporting your students who are in foster care. You may also find great resources from our  SDCOE Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program webpage.
Teachable Moment Videos
SDCOE's  Teachable Moment  video series covers a different topic of interest to parents in each video. Topics include the role of school counselors, continuous learning, the new California School Dashboard, scholarship searches, the difference between SAT/ACT, how to keep kids safe in school, and what to do if you think your child is being bullied. There are more being added every month!
Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.