Save these dates! We've got a year packed with quality, intentional programming designed to meet your needs. Details and registration information follow below.

Applications for our third annual School Counselor of the Year (SCOY) program will open on Sept. 1 on the SDCOE School Counselor webpage. We will recognize three SCOYs at the following levels: elementary, middle, and high school. Eligibility requirements for all applicants include: 1) Employed as a full-time school counselor during the 2021-22 school year. 2) Completed at least three years as a practicing school counselor. 3) Hold a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, school counseling, or equivalent, and be certified as a school counselor in California by holding a valid P.P.S. credential. Know a school counselor deserving of this honor? Complete this nomination form and we will send an invitation encouraging them to apply.

SDCOE will host our county's first Kickoff to College and Career Readiness event on Sept. 15. This virtual event is structured for K-12 school counselors and educators who assist students with future plans and post-secondary success. There will be a general session with opening remarks from San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Gothold and recognition of our 2021 San Diego County Race to Submit winners for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)/California Dream Act Application (CADAA) completions.

The event also features three sessions of engaging workshops centered around financial aid and college and career preparation to support our K-12 school counselors, administrators, and teachers through this work with students and families. The goal is for every school in the county to commit to kicking off their own campus event to promote and increase a college-and-career-going culture. For more information and details on registering for this free event, click here.

SOS for New School Counselors is a program designed to provide practicing school counselors with two or fewer years experience an opportunity to collaborate with others in a supportive learning environment. The series begins Sept. 23 and will provide mentorship and resources throughout the year to set up our new school counselors for success. For program details, meeting dates, and to register, click here.

Join San Diego County school administrators, school social workers, school counselors, and other support staff to discuss and strengthen mental health and wellness supports for students. Meeting topics include: student data and trends, school supports for students, legislative updates, and learn how to identify gaps and needs. The collaborative begins Sept. 24 and you can find meeting dates and information for the full year.

Join hundreds of educators, parents, students, policymakers, advocates, and community members to advance educational equity for California’s students at the 2022 Equity Conference on Jan. 20 and 21. The Equity Conference: Equity is Love in Action will be an opportunity to grow and learn as we work to make our campuses safe spaces for all students, staff members, and families, where they feel honored and valued. We look forward to coming together with a renewed sense of purpose to transform our individual and collective equity work and create places of exceptional vision, hope, and opportunity for every student. Please visit the Equity Conference website for updates and registration details.

Save the date! On. Feb. 9 we will be hosting a new event during National School Counseling week, to honor and celebrate excellence in school counseling leadership. We we will recognize our 2022 San Diego County School Counselors of the Year, and be inspired, acknowledged and encouraged by leaders who are champions in our profession. More information about this new event will be shared in upcoming newsletters.

In spring 2022, we will once again offer our Spring Refresh Series of virtual, professional learning workshops designed for school counselors. The Spring Refresh Series will provide school counselors with opportunities to refine and refresh their skills to finish out the end of the school year strong, and provide ideas and best practices towards planning and setting goals for the fall. All webinars are lead by practicing school counselors, district, and community leaders on relevant topics and issues. This free webinar series will replace the San Diego School Counselor Con to ensure that all interested educators are able to attend.

Planning is underway on workshops for districts and schools that are interested in learning how to get started with implementing the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. Look for details in an upcoming newsletter on a one-day workshop in the fall, and another in the spring. Schools that participate in this series will be invited to join a cohort in 2022-23 to dive deeper into the metrics of their school counseling program with the goal of becoming a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP). If you are interested in learning more about this program or participating in the series, complete a short interest form.

Supplement your learning with additional workshops and conferences. Click to view an updated list of offerings throughout the county and state. To view these opportunities by domain (Social/Emotional, Academic, College/Career, and Equity/Social Justice), click here.

Joining a professional organization is critical in keeping abreast of the latest knowledge and practices locally, regionally, and globally. As professionals, it is our ethical responsibility to ensure that we are staying on top of local and state polices and that we are advocating for our students, our communities, and for the important role that we all play as school counselors. Joining both the California Association of School Counselors (CASC) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) are important steps toward getting connected, staying refreshed and renewed in our practice, and for learning and growth.

CASC is the largest statewide nonprofit organization supporting school counselors in California. CASC believes that school counselors: are leaders, advocates, and change agents in schools; are integral to the total education program; use data to affect change; remove barriers to learning; and promote equity and access to a rigorous education for every student. Become a member of CASC and join with more than 3,000 other school counselors, counselor educators, graduate students and friends of school counseling in California! Join now.

CASC will host their annual conference virtually Oct. 28 and 29. Registrants will receive access to the online conference portal, which will include over 40 breakout sessions, live general sessions each day, and several networking opportunities. Attendees will have the ability to set up small meetings with each other, visit over 20 exhibitors and sponsors — and have access to the virtual platform for 365 days after the event. Visit the keynote page to see who's speaking and stay tuned for who and what will be included in the learning sessions. Registration is open so get ready to find pathways and heal hearts! Register for the virtual experience.

ASCA members lead, advocate, and collaborate to promote equity and success for all students by connecting the school counseling program to the school’s academic mission and school improvement plan. They uphold the ASCA ethical and professional standards and promote the development of the school counseling program based on the ASCA National Model. ASCA members enjoy robust professional development, award-winning periodicals, peer networking, and access to countless opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. As the only national organization serving the school counseling profession, ASCA creates and maintains professional standards and serves as the voice of the profession. Member of ASCA join tens of thousands of other school counselors who share a common vision to ensure success for all students. 

Join now.

The ASCA 2022 conference will be July 9 to 12 in Austin, Texas. Information will be updated here when available.

The San Diego County Office of Education released the Equity Blueprint for Action, a document aimed to provide district leaders and stakeholders with community-informed and research-based guidance to improve outcomes for historically marginalized students. Stakeholders from across San Diego County dedicated their time, expertise, and passion during a yearlong dialogue about improving educational outcomes for African American, American Indian, and Latinx students, and voiced their dreams, aspirations, and community-specific concerns to improve our K-12 educational systems. This interactive guide includes student voice and input, guidance by community leaders, links to useful resources, and a road map for implementing this work in small steps to make a large impact.

Join the SDCOE Equity department and unpack and explore the Equity Blueprint for Action during professional learning equity cycles that begin next month.

A land acknowledgement is a critical step toward working with native communities to secure meaningful partnership and inclusion in the stewardship and protection of their cultural resources and homelands. We honor these ancestral grounds and support the resilience and strength that all Indigenous peoples have shown worldwide. The first page of the Equity Blueprint for Action calls us to acknowledge that the unseeded territory of California is home to nearly 200 tribal nations, and to honor the original inhabitants of our various regions. The land that surrounds us is part of who we are presently, and it reflects our histories. To learn more about land acknowledgements, please access the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center Land Acknowledgment toolkit.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the State Budget Update and a bill outlining the implementation of higher education provisions (AB 132) on July 27. Included in the bill is the Financial Aid Application Completion Requirement which establishes that beginning in the 2022-23 academic year, local educational agencies shall confirm that high school seniors complete a financial aid application or an opt-out waiver. To prepare for this important work, SDCOE will be supporting districts with workshops, useful resources, and the San Diego County Race to Submit Challenge. Read more from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) about the 2021-22 State Budget Update.

Registration is open for the University of California High School Counselor Conference, which is offered annually during the first two weeks of September. This virtual conference provides counselors and advisers with the latest information, recommendations, and guidance on admission policy and practice. The conference dates are Sept. 8 to 15. For a complete schedule of sessions and to see speakers, see the UC High School Counselor Conference website.

Details and registration information will be available soon on this webpage.

Financial aid trainings and webinars from the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) are now available for high school educators to learn more about the FAFSA, CADAA, uploading 2022-23 GPAs, programs for foster youth, and Cal Grants. Educators can also view training videos which explore topics such as accessing the WebGrants portal. For session dates and registration information, click here.

Just as people trained in CPR and the abdominal thrusts help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year, thousands of Americans like you are saying “Yes” to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling or neighbor. QPR can be learned in this Gatekeeper course in as little as one hour. As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper you will learn to: Recognize warning signs of suicide. Know how to offer hope. Know how to get help and save a life. Click here for a list of training dates and registration information.

The Tobacco Prevention Toolkit is a research-informed and validated curriculum to help prevent students from starting or escalating use of any tobacco product. SDCOE will host this free training on from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 13. The goals of this toolkit are for students to: understand basic information about tobacco products, including e-cigarettes/vape pens and the harm they cause; gain awareness of strategies manufacturers of tobacco, including e-cigarettes/vape pens, employ to increase use among adolescents through deceptive and creative marketing strategies; and gain skills to refuse experimentation with and use of tobacco.

Connect with colleagues from around the world during this live, three-day virtual experience Sept. 8 to 10, to unify and lead the global student mental health movement. Attendees will receive access to all breakout session recordings for 10 months of continued professional development following the event. Keynote speakers include Linda Darling-Hammond, Dr. Pedro Noguera, Angie Thomas, Tristan Harris, Dr. Dan Amen, Dr. Jean Twenge, Dr. Marc Brackett, and Dr. Dan Siegel. For workshop offerings and registration information, click here.

Join educators on Sept. 14 from 8 to 9 a.m. for the Move This World Educator Wellness Series: Back to School. In this free webinar, participants practice social and emotional learning (SEL) strategies that can support their wellbeing all year long. Strategies are designed for use with students as well, so participants will leave with SEL ideas that can be used and incorporated in the classroom. Register here.

Move This World has numerous resources and webinars which cover a variety of SEL topics including staff support systems, using SEL to promote equity, and SEL implementation in your school. They use relatable research and interactive videos to create safe and supportive learning environments and school communities. Access this resource and share with teachers, administrators, school boards, and school counselors to promote and support SEL in your schools and districts.