2020-21 NSCW Daily Edition 5: College/Career |
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Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden on the 2021 ASCA School Counselor of the Year. Click here for her video message from Feb. 4.
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Celebrate National School Counseling Week!
Friday, Feb. 5
ASCA Photo Challenge
"I’m all in for school counseling because..."
Download the sign, take a picture with it, and post to your social media channels with #NSCW21. Follow the #NSCW21 to see how school counselors across the country are celebrating. Don't forget to tag @SanDiegoCOE so we can celebrate with you.
CASC Social Media Events
Join CASC for school counselor virtual trivia night on Instagram @myCASC.
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Celebrating our 2021 San Diego County School Counselors of the Year
On Thursday, we had a virtual celebration to honor our 2021 San Diego County School Counselors of the Year (SCOY). The celebration kicked off with a video showcasing the surprise events that took place at each school two weeks prior. All three recipients were introduced by their principals, who shared the valuable and important role that their school counselors play on each of their campuses. Following the introductions, each SCOY expressed appreciation and gratitude for the honor, and equally shared how important it is for school counselors to advocate for the profession and to continue educating others about the crucial services that school counselors provide. All recipients were presented an engraved award and a $500 check from our sponsor, North Island Credit Union. Their names will also be forwarded for consideration for the CASC School Counselor of the Year program.
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Ann Pierce, Elementary School SCOY
"As we look forward, toward the journey ahead, the critical need before us focuses on what the CASC Board of Directors so beautifully shared after the events of Jan. 6. The need to follow our organizational ethics, seeking the promotion of equity and social justice, and working diligently to replace bias with empathy and understanding. This work has never been so important. Our role as agents of change should compel us to continue working toward disrupting and dismantling the inequities we see in the schools and communities we serve. As the CASC board stated: Silence implies complicity. Our advocacy is imperative."
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Bonnie Hayman, Middle School SCOY
"My NOW:
N – NEVER give up. As counselors, we must have grit and embrace resilience. We must carry the hope for families who are desperate. And we need to practice self-care and grace to sustain us for the arduous journey so that we do not burn out.
O – We must turn obstacles into OPPORTUNITIES. Keeping a growth mindset and acknowledging, with gratitude, the many treasures that have been discovered as teachers and students embrace new ways of learning.
W - WORK with what you have. When widespread layoffs left me as the sole counselor to serve the 1,100 students at my site, I had no option but to find help. Like the Apollo 13 team that dumped a box of items on a table and said 'This is all we have to solve an impossible problem,' counselors have to be creative, resourceful, and efficient in order to multiply our efforts."
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Cherryl Baker, High School SCOY
"'Scheduling' is not a bad word for our profession. The master schedule of a school and the school counselor’s appropriate role in it, are powerful social justice tools. Scheduling is very telling about a school’s equity and access. The academics, the planning, the dropping, the adding...it’s all part of the whole child. Schedule changes are sometimes our sneaky way to get to the core of those underlying issues. Wanting to drop PE can lead to discussions about body image or conflicts in locker rooms. Wanting to drop AP? Is it a confidence thing or a time management thing? Part of the ASCA vision statement is that we are empowered with the knowledge, skills, linkages, and resources to promote student success in the school, the home, the community and the world. School counselors are helping students along a journey, whether they are going to college, military, trade school, or the workforce, we must honor those paths. It’s their path we help them discover and we help them embrace the powers and strengths they were born with."
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Resources for School Counselors:
ASCA Position Statements:
CASC Resources:
Current Articles:
Jan. 30, The San Diego Union-Tribune
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Deadline Approaching for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act Application (CADAA)
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted California students and families’ plans to attend college, as shown in the decline in FAFSA completion and college enrollment nationwide. With the deadline for the FAFSA/CADAA approaching on March 2, Former First Lady, Michelle Obama continues to advocate for college and career access for all students. Last December, she launched a campaign encouraging students to fill out the FAFSA. Watch the YouTube video.
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California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) Financial Aid Workshops for High School Counselors
CSAC has added additional online workshops for high school counselors to obtain relevant financial aid information that they can use to support their students. Topics include updates to the FAFSA and CADAA, as well as information on Cal Grant programs and other specialized state programs. Staff will be online during the presentations to answer your questions.
Institutional Support phone number: 888-294-0153
CSAC Statewide Cash for College Workshops for Students/Parents
CSAC is offering statewide Cash for College workshops aimed to provide information to help students and families complete the 2021-22 FAFSA or CADAA. Webinars are free and open to all students and families applying for financial aid. Students and parents should register for the webinars to get the link.
- Feb. 11, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
- Feb. 25, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
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FAFSA Application Assistance for Students in Foster Care
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP) is offering Individual appointments and guidance for students in foster care to complete and submit their FAFSA/CADAA. Appointments are available via Zoom every Friday until Feb. 26. More information here. |
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Scholarship Programs
Promises2Kids Guardian Scholars
Promises2Kids’ Guardian Scholars encourages students in foster care to pursue higher education through community college, trade school or a university degree. This resource provides former students in foster care with a partial financial scholarship along with mentoring support to assist them in adapting to and excelling in a higher education setting. More than 300 youth have been provided scholarships. Over 90% of guardian scholars will be first-generation graduates. The Promises2Kids Guardian Scholars application will be open until Feb. 14. Please contact Stephanie Oquendo at 858-290-8254 for any questions.
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North Island Credit Union Student Scholarship Program
North Island Credit Union is pleased to announce our Annual Student Scholarship program is now available. The credit union will award 10 students a $1,000 scholarship for high school seniors and community college students transferring to a four-year university who maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 are eligible to participate. Selection criteria includes academic performance, school or community involvement, a letter of recommendation, and an essay submission. Applications are available through March 26. Interested students can find more information and apply online on the North Island Credit Union scholarship webpage.
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San Diego County Board of Education Seeks Student Representatives
There's a new opportunity for students to learn about government processes and use their voice to represent other students across our region. The San Diego County Board of Education is looking for students in grades 10 and 11 with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply for a new student board member position. A student representative from public high schools throughout the 42 districts will be selected from each of the five board regions and will serve on a rotating basis for two months of meetings with the first term beginning in May. Young people are powerful agents of change and their perspective is an important part of our decision-making in education.
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Virtual College Fairs
Black College Expo
SDCOE is partnering with the National College Resources Foundation to provide the Black College Expo in San Diego for interested students and families. The virtual college fair from noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 18 will feature representatives from historically black colleges and universities, on-the-spot admissions and scholarships, and informational seminars for students and parents.
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College2Career Fairs
The College2Career virtual college fairs return this spring with events from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. April 15 and from 9 to 11:45 a.m. April 16.
California, out-of-state, and international college representatives will be presenting in a career pathways format. All high school and community college academic programs and career pathways students and staff are invited. CTE and CTSO students and advisors are always welcome.
Each hour of the fair will feature six colleges presenting for six minutes each on their college and specified career pathway (e.g., STEM, healthcare, business, etc.). You can register for one session or as many as are relevant to your class or group. Classroom and group registrations are available. Counselors and educators can register now. Individual student registration will open March 22.
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Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC) Virtual College Fairs
WACAC will be partnering with StriveScan to host multiple virtual fairs this spring. This virtual format exposes students to a wide range of colleges while still being time- and cost-efficient for the colleges. These fairs are designed to serve the students in regions of California and Nevada. More detailed information can be found on the StriveScan event site.
- March 3, 5 to 7:45 p.m. — Pre-session workshops begin at 4 p.m.
- March 14, 1 to 3:45 p.m. — Pre-session workshops begin at noon
- April 19, 5 to 7:45 p.m. — Pre-session workshops begin at 4 p.m.
College Board BigFuture Days
The College Board's inaugural BigFuture Days are a regional series of virtual college fairs for high school sophomores and juniors to help connect them with hundreds of colleges, admissions officers, and current college students. BigFuture Days are designed to give students a tailored experience so that they can establish connections with colleges and take action on important college planning tasks, like building a college list and identifying scholarships to apply for.
Download the Educator Toolkit to spread the word about BigFuture Days with resources such as flyers, social media graphics, content, and videos about BigFuture Days. Kickstart your students’ journeys to college!
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National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Virtual College Fairs
COVID-19 has shut down many opportunities students previously had for visiting, learning about, and connecting with colleges. NACAC aims to bridge that gap through these special one-day events. At each virtual fair, students attend college presentations, learn about their options, ask questions, and demonstrate interest, all without leaving home. Share a short how-to video with students and encourage them to sign up in advance at virtualcollegefairs.org.
Students may attend as many fairs as they like. Find a list of colleges that will share information about their programs, majors, financial aid, and more on each fair date. Additional colleges will be added throughout the spring.
Four of these events are smaller Focus Fairs, which are designed for students with special interests or residing in specific regions: STEM (March 7), Performing and Visual Arts (March 16), Western U.S. (April 10), Southeastern U.S. (April 20).
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NCAA Eligibility: Updated Educational Resources
NCAA has updated resources for school counselors. Materials can be found on the Educational Resources page of the NCAA website and include:
More resource updates will be available on the High School Portal and through future newsletters.
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A Dream Deferred: The Future of African American Education Conference
The College Board’s A Dream Deferred conference on March 3 to 5 welcomes education professionals working to make a difference for African American students. The conference is focused on the state of college readiness for African American students and provides a forum for sharing best practices, key data, and research to drive measurable actions to ensure access to opportunity. Educators are facing unprecedented challenges, and we're here to support you in delivering quality education and keeping African American students engaged and on track.
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WACAC Share, Learn, Connect (SLC) Counselor Workshops
Registration is open for the virtual SLC counselor workshops.The 2021 SLC program will be held virtually February 17 and March 10. The workshops are designed to provide professional development opportunities for individuals working with students in their transition to college. The SLC events are focused on addressing the needs of public high schools, transfer programs, community based organizations, and under-resourced independent schools. Each SLC program will feature sessions with admission updates and best practices for beginners to seasoned professionals.
Costs will be $25 for members and $35 for non-members. Renew your WACAC membership status prior to registration to take advantage of the member discount and to receive event updates.
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School Counselor Professional Development Calendar
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Newsletter, Website, Social Media
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If you have any questions or comments on the San Diego County School Counselor Network Newsletter, please contact Tanya Bulette, counseling coordinator.
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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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