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Dec. 19, 2019
Staff member school counseling
It’s hard to believe that winter break is here. My oldest son returned from college last week and my youngest son finished his senior year of high school as an early graduate. As our family dynamics change, I am reminded each day how important it is to spend quality time with our loved ones. It wasn’t too long ago that my boys were singing in their school holiday programs and frosting sugar cookies for Santa. Although the events have changed, the traditions remain the same, and those are the memories that make the holidays so special. 
 
As we wrap up 2019 and reflect on the year, I am so grateful to be a part of the school counseling profession and community. In my journey I have met colleagues who have become lifelong friends, and worked with students whose stories have made an everlasting impact on my life. Although the days can be challenging, know that your presence makes a difference. Enjoy a restful break! I look forward to supporting you in 2020.

Tanya Bulette
Counseling Coordinator
NEWS AND UPDATES
SDCOE School Counselor of the Year Awards Application Now Available
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is excited to announce that in partnership with North Island Credit Union we will present two awards, one to a deserving K-8 school counselor and another to a high school counselor. A panel of San Diego county educators and at least one school counselor will determine the county’s first two School Counselors of the Year (SCOY). The recipients of the awards will be recognized at the San Diego School Counselor Con on Mar. 9. Applications are due to Zeret Lara at zlara@sdcoe.net by 5 p.m. Jan. 31. 
2019-20 Arthur S. Marmaduke High School Counselor Award  
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) announces that nominations are now open for the 2019-20 Arthur S. Marmaduke High School Counselor Award. CSAC solicits nominations recommending a California high school counselor who demonstrates effectiveness serving students in preparing for and pursuing their higher education. To nominate a California high school counselor who deserves state-wide recognition by his/her peers to be the next Arthur S. Marmaduke Award High School Counselor of the Year Award Winner, review the eligibility criteria and click the link to submit the online nomination form by Jan. 10. Click here for information on eligibility criteria and the nomination process. Click here to submit your online nomination form today! 
San Diego School Counselor Conference 2020
Registration is now open for the 5th annual San Diego School Counselor Con 2020. Come explore best practices and collaborate with others on topics relating to K-12 students. Learn how to advocate for college and career readiness with your students, and get the support, tools, and resources you need to provide the best service possible for ALL students.
  • Date — March 9
  • Location — Hilton San Diego Bayfront
  • Registration — Click here to register!
 
Participants who register early can take advantage of early bird rates. Fees include breakfast, lunch, and materials. Self-parking is $10 and is not included in the registration cost. Carpooling is encouraged. The conference location is also accessible by the trolley or train.
 
  • $149 — Early Bird Registration (Deadline: Jan. 13)
  • $169 — Regular Registration (Deadline: Feb. 21)
  • $199 — Late Registration (Deadline: Mar. 9)
  • $129 — Presenter Registration Application Deadline: Jan. 10 (per approval)
Keynote Speaker — We are pleased to announce that Terri Tchorzynski, 2017 ASCA National School Counselor of the Year, will be our keynote speaker. Terri was awarded this honor by former First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House during her final address to the nation. Terri has served as a student advocate for more than 17 years in the role of both a teacher and school counselor with a specialized focus on career development within career and technical education. Under Terri’s leadership, her counseling department has received both state and national recognition for exemplary practices in college/career readiness by the Michigan Department of Education and was one of the first schools in her state to be honored as a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP). 

Call for Presenters — The application link for presenters to submit a workshop proposal is now available: Call for Presenters — San Diego School Counselor Con 2020. This conference is for school counselors by school counselors. Workshops will be provided in the following strands: College, Career, Personal/Social, Equity and Access, and Working with Stakeholders (parents, staff, students, administrators). We are looking for topics that support all grade levels. The deadline to submit a proposal is Jan. 10. 
 
Sponsorship Opportunities — For the first time, we are opening up opportunities for sponsors to join us at the conference, This is a great opportunity for organizations to share their products and ideas to over 300 school counselors and decision-makers from San Diego County. Our Sponsorship Prospectus includes a variety of options for all levels of giving. Please contact Tanya Bulette at tanya.bulette@sdcoe.net for more information.
FAFSA/CADAA - San Diego County "Race to Submit" Campaign
The 2019-20 Race to Submit is a statewide campaign that aims to increase the number of financial aid applications for California high school seniors who complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA). We are challenging all high schools in San Diego county to increase their FAFSA/CADAA submission rates. Awards will be presented to school counselors at the San Diego School Counselor Con 2020 for schools with the highest increase in overall submission rates. Check the 2019-20 Race to Submit dashboard often to see how your students are doing. SDCOE has created a website as a resource for students, parents, and school counselors to use when helping families with applications.

Upcoming FAFSA/CADAA Workshops
CalSOAP is offering free Cash for College workshops to all San Diego county students and families. Please promote these events and encourage those who need assistance to attend a workshop in their area. The deadline for high school seniors to submit the FAFSA/CADAA to meet eligibility requirements for state and federal grants is March 2. Click here for listing.
Alliant International University Partnership with SDCOE
SDCOE has partnered with Alliant International University to offer employees of San Diego county school districts an application fee waiver and 10% tuition savings when enrolling as a new student. Click here for program details. The PsyD in Educational Psychology Degree Program at the California School of Education at Alliant can open new doors of opportunity for you and enable you to open them for others. Offered online, the PsyD has a School Counseling Track and takes a minimum of two years to complete, across 11 terms. If you have questions, please contact Johnna Sangster at johnna.sangster@alliant.edu. 
Scholarships, Opportunities Available at Black College Expo
SDCOE is partnering to provide the Black College Expo in San Diego for interested students and families on Jan. 29. The event will feature representatives from two dozen historically black colleges and universities, on-the-spot admission and scholarships, and informational seminars for students and parents. The Black College Expo is from noon to 6 p.m. at the MLK Center at Bayview Baptist Church at 6134 Pastor Timothy J. Winters St. in San Diego. Students who plan to attend also have the chance to win a scholarship from the National College Resources Foundation by submitting a short essay by Jan. 21. Click here for more information about the event and the scholarship opportunity. School staff should contact Marco Gonzalez via email or at 858-292-3582 to find out how SDCOE can help your students attend.
SCHOOL COUNSELOR SPOTLIGHT
Sweetwater Union High School District — Counselor Standards Committee

Each month, middle school and high school counselors on the Standards Committee in the Sweetwater Union High School District meet to review LCAP goals, share best practices, collaborate and develop policies and procedures to implement across the district, and align their work to the ASCA National Standards. Liliana Silva Diaz, counselor on special assignment, leads the committee and works with school counselors to ensure that their work is measurable, including the task of recording every student, parent, and staff member that walks into the office, emails, or calls so that she can report to the school board the trends and issues school counselors are facing on a daily basis. The committee also addresses common topics such as FAFSA/CADAA curriculum, "a-g" data, mental health/wellness curriculum, the importance of articulation strategies, and more. Each meeting rotates to a different school and the host provides a tour of the campus and the school counseling office to share what they are doing specifically at their site.
CA Race to Submit winners
San Diego Schools Recognized As "Race to Submit" Winners

At the first California Affordability Summit in Indian Wells, California, the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) awarded 24 California high schools for their impressive FAFSA/CADAA submission results. Congratulations to the school counseling teams from East Village Middle College High School and San Marcos High School, who were recognized at the conference and represented San Diego well. 
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Mental Health in Schools Collaborative 2020 Meeting Dates

The Mental Health in Schools Collaborative kicked off its last October will a full room of school administrators, social workers, school counselors, and other support staff to discuss mental health and wellness supports for students. To continue the learning, meeting dates have been calendared for spring 2020; there is no cost to attend. Agenda topics discussed will include student data and trends, school supports to students, legislative updates, and identifying gaps and needs. The next meeting is Thursday, Jan. 9 at SDCOE’s Linda Vista campus. Click here to register. 
NCAA Student-Athlete Professional Learning Opportunity

San Diego Unified is hosting an NCAA student-athlete professional learning opportunity for school counselors on Jan. 13 from 8 to 10 a.m. in the district’s Ed Center Auditorium at 4100 Normal St., San Diego, 92103. Tim Lanski, associate athletic director of Compliance, and Jessica Atthowe will be presenting on NCAA eligibility requirements, issues related to core classes, providing scenarios, sharing best practices, and how to best support your student athlete. If you have any questions, please contact Jason Maher at jmaher@sandi.net. Click here to register.
SDCOE Equity Conference 2020

There’s still time to register for the Equity Conference. The Jan. 16 and 17 event will be a valuable time for districts, schools, community partners, and parents to collaborate and learn together on how to engage effective, systemic change. This conference brings together nationally recognized speakers and spotlights current research and best practices. Equity Conference sessions are focused on strengthening our systems to better respond to the linguistic, cultural, social-emotional, and mental health needs of all students, and create the conditions for them to thrive and make healthy choices.
Know Your Rights (KYR) Ambassador Program Training of Trainers

In a collaborative effort between SDCOE and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation, join school counselors, social workers, and PSA Directors for a three-part workshop for becoming a certified ACLU KYR Ambassador. KYR Ambassadors will be trained on legal rights of immigrants, course requirements, expectations, access to materials, and skills building. There is no cost to attend and participants must be present for all three sessions to earn certification. The first training will be on Feb. 7 at SDCOE’s Linda Vista campus. Register here. 
SDCOE 2019-20 Workshops

SDCOE’s Student Support Services division offers numerous workshops and professional development opportunities to school counselors throughout the year. Click on each topic for more detailed information on how to register. For a complete list of workshops, click here.
PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES
Below are programs and resources that have been forwarded to the SDCOE for distribution to students and school counselors. All highlighted resources listed below will be added to the School Counseling page on the SDCOE website under the appropriate category. 

2019-20 College and Career Fairs

Cruise into Mesa College

High school seniors who are graduating early in December or January, and plan to start their first semester at Mesa College in the spring (Feb. 2020) are invited to attend the Saturday CRUISE session on Saturday, Jan. 11. It’s free and open to all first-time college students. Students will meet other students and get connected with a Peer Navigator, receive support and mentorship for your first semester at Mesa, explore the college through a campus tour, participate in workshops to help with the transition to Mesa, and get exposure to campus resources and student programming. Students can register by Jan. 5.
San Diego Foundation's 2019-20 Scholarship Application

San Diego Foundation's 2019-2020 Common Scholarship Application is now open. This scholarship program offers numerous scholarships for high school seniors in San Diego county. Many awards included in the application have criteria that makes them better suited to specific groups of students, which means that counselors, administrators, mentors, and community members are vital to helping match those students with relevant awards. There are also more than a dozen separate awards that are administered by the San Diego Foundation but not included in the Common Scholarship Application. These opportunities should be of interest to any motivated students that you may know. In addition to listing separate awards, the San Diego Foundation website has a number of other tools to help students, parents, and mentors navigate the scholarships process. The application deadline for most scholarships is Feb. 5 by 2 p.m. 
California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA)

For 34 years CSSSA has provided an exemplary four-week summer arts program to over 18,000 talented high school students. Instruction is offered in the fields of animation, film, writing, dance, music, theater, and visual arts. Each year 520 students are invited to share this unique opportunity studying and working with professional artists, writers and performers of national stature. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to receive three units of California State University course credit. The CSSSA program is held at CalArts in Valencia from July 11 to Aug. 7. The cost is $2,250 and includes four weeks of housing, food, and instruction. Financial aid is available to qualifying California students and more than 30% percent of participants receive scholarships and aid. The application is available online at www.csssa.ca.gov; the deadline to submit is Feb. 12. 
Promise2Kids Guardian Scholars

Promises2Kids’ Guardian Scholars Program supports foster youth who wish to obtain a university, community college, or trade school education. This vital resource provides students with the financial assistance and support to fulfill their dreams of attaining higher education. The applications for Fall 2020 have opened and the deadline to submit is March 2.
San Diego Job Corps

San Diego Job Corps is a tuition-free vocational training program for low-income youth ages 16-24. Job Corps offers career hands-on technical training. The training programs take approximately 8-15 months to complete. Job Corps provides housing with open entry and exit. It also provides meals, basic health care and a living allowance. Our youth may earn a high school diploma or the equivalent and take community college classes while living on our center. After completing the program, Job Corps students wither enter the workforce, pursue advanced training, apprenticeship, or community college options, or enlist in the military. Job Corps provides an orientation program for prospective students every Wednesday at 8:40 a.m. They can also set up private tours for school counselors who would like to visit the campus, and they are available to schedule presentations at school sites. Post this informational flyer on your school’s website!
New Chat Room for LGBTQ+ Teens

There is a new resource for the LGBTQ+ teens ages 13-19. The website is www.qchatspace.org. It is a live chat space and there is no audio or video. Conversations are facilitated by experienced staff who work at the LGBTQ+ centers across the United States, but they are not mental health professionals. Young people can use this site to gain support and build community in a safe environment. There is also a list of resources on the website. 
Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX) Program for Girls

ROX is a national non-profit organization committed to equipping girls with the knowledge and skills they need to lead healthy, independent, productive, and violence-free lives. ROX provides education, programming, resources, and research to help create generations of confident girls who can control their own relations, experiences, and decisions. If you are interested in learning more about ROX visit: rulingourexperiences.com.
STAY CONNECTED
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Share Your Work

I love the energy of being on a school campus and would like to get out to your school sites and see the great work that is happening all over the county. If you have a program that you would like to share, please invite me! You may find your program highlighted in the next newsletter.   
If you have any questions or comments on the Counselor Network newsletter, please contact Tanya Bulette at tanya.bulette@sdcoe.net.
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