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March 5, 2019
Wow! I am fully rejuvenated after seeing so many of you at the conference on Valentine's Day. I appreciate you more than you know. Putting on an event for more than 300 people is well worth it when I see all of you!
Spring is a time to renew and prep for the upcoming school year. You are meeting the next group of students entering your school and preparing to send off a group of students, either through promotion or graduation. I thought of our work when I saw this saying recently: “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take time to fill your own cup.” This is a great reminder that we need to be caring for ourselves, giving grace, and letting some of the small stuff go.

At a recent conference I attended, author and leadership advisor Anese Cavanaugh spoke about a leadership trifecta that included paying attention to three basic things: impact, self-care, and people. She said there are five magic questions we need to ask ourselves and I invite you to ponder these as you move forward in your work.
  • Am I having the impact I want to have?
  • Do I feel the way I want to feel?
  • Do people follow me because they want to or have to?
  • Am I an invitation for magic? (*my loose translation of magic is positivity)
  • What culture am I personally creating?
As a school counselor, you are a leader. What direction are you headed?

#sdcounselors
Counseling Coordinator
Learning and Leadership Services
858-568-5459
School counselors well be there for you
School Counselor Leadership Conference

Thank you to all who joined us for the 2019 San Diego County School Counselor Leadership Conference. We had more than 300 people attend and the energy was bright and warm, even with the stormy weather! 

Thank you to the presenters who gave their time and energy and shared their best practices, and to the attendees who stepped away from their critical roles to build their skills.

We know there was an issue with T-shirt sizes and I have been in contact with the apparel company. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do since the shirts were pre-ordered. I apologize to those who were impacted. We will make changes to our system for next year.

Here is the good news! You can see all the session descriptions and contact information or download available presentations on the Sched Online App . This is available to anyone interested in accessing the materials.

If you attended the conference and took pictures, please share them in our Counselors Pics Google folder . This is where you can add photos all year. We try and incorporate pictures in the conference program and slide show, and on social media at @SanDiegoCOE and #sdcounselors. We love to see the good work you are doing.
School Social Worker Week

Let’s support our colleagues this week! March 3 to 9 is National School Social Worker Week and the theme this year is “Lucky Enough to be a School Social Worker.” Use #luckyenough or #SSWweek2019 when posting on social media.

For more information about the role of school social worker, find great resources on the School Social Work Association of America website .
Race to Submit Dashboard

View the number of FAFSAs or California Dream Act applications completed for your school (or any school in California) on the California Student Aid Commission’s Race to Submit website. Be sure to let me know if you have any unique ways to increase your numbers.
Momo Challenge Resources

There have been recent news reports on the Momo Challenge, a form of cyberbullying said to be prevalent on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and YouTube. Momo messages allegedly compel youngsters to engage in perilous activities such as taking pills, stabbing other people, and even killing themselves.

While there is strong reason to believe the Momo Challenge is overblown, word of it is now so widespread that whether or not it represents a real threat, the subject has generated rumors that in and of themselves can be cause for concern among children.

Should your district receive questions or concerns about the Momo Challenge, these resources may be helpful in communicating with parents about the challenge and social media safety in general.

Opportunities for Professional Development and Learning
We will continue to share any new opportunities for learning in the Google folder for training flyers and on our School Counselor website . Here is a calendar of upcoming training opportunities from the SDCOE Student Support Services division.
Understanding the School Counselor Role in MTSS  
Understanding the School Counselor Role in MTSS is from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 25. The learning opportunity is designed for school counselors and administrators at the county-, district-, and site-level and to highlight the critical role of school counselors in the implementation of the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) continuum of support, including appropriate implementation of three tiers: universal, supplemental, and intensified school counseling supports. The workshop is conducted by Dr. Trish Hatch and free to attendees. Registration is required.
Supporting Families with Complex Needs for Financial Aid and College Funding
Space is limited for this free workshop from 8:30 to 10 a.m. March 27. Supporting Families with Complex Needs for Financial Aid and College Funding is designed to help school counselors determine how to advise families on college funding and vet college financial planners. There can be real challenges for counselors who have limited knowledge of financial aid and college planning.
International and Out-of-State College Fair and Counselor Certificate
College2Career Fairs has partnered with San Diego State University and the San Diego County Office of Education to offer an International and Out-of-State College Counselor Certificate . This day of learning will include breakfast, visits with college representatives at the College2Career Fair on site, presentations, lunch, and panel discussions. Topics will include historically black colleges and universities and discussing myths about out-of-state admissions.

The advising course and college fair event is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 17 at Marina Village in San Diego. The cost is $35 per person or $20 for graduate students. Students, families, and others are invited to attend the College2Career Fair for free, and schools are eligible for transportation reimbursement. Learn more with this College2Career form .

The NACAC College Fair is April 18 at the San Diego Convention Center.
ASCA National Conference
The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) national conference will be June 29 to July 2 in Boston. You’re invited to join approximately 3,000 school counseling professionals for four days of inspirational speakers, informative breakout sessions, in-depth dives into hot topics in the school counseling profession, and networking opportunities galore. Learn more and register at the ASCA conference website.

Save the Date for the CASC Conference
Planning is underway for the 2019 California Association of School Counselors (CASC) conference on Oct. 3 and 4 at the Riverside Convention Center. Attendees will be able to choose from more than 70 topics including effective technology integration, social-emotional learning, strategies for student transition, and college and postsecondary training. Registration opens in late spring. Last year there were more than 1,300 attendees and about 100 experts who provided the latest information, techniques, and strategies related to the school counseling profession.
Scholarship Opportunities for Students

High School Students Can Win a New Laptop
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Coca-Cola, and SDCOE will award new laptops to 40 San Diego County high school students through their annual laptop scholarship contest.

Students in grades 9 to 12 can submit a persuasive essay outlining whether they think lower cost monthly passes will help more students ride MTS and identifying three benefits and/or challenges for students when choosing transit. Essays must include a minimum of two strategies for how MTS can encourage more students (ages 6 to 18) to ride public transit. Essays must be a minimum of 750 words and will be judged on four criteria. Submissions are due April 7. Visit the MTS website for contest details and application information.
 
Bea Gonzales Scholarship for Seal of Biliteracy Earners
The Bea Gonzales Scholarship supports college-bound seniors receiving the Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma with a $1,000 scholarship. Students can apply through April 26 using this form . Awards will be announced in June. Questions should be directed to [email protected] .
 
College Board Opportunity Scholarships
The College Board Opportunity Scholarships' six steps help students plan, prepare, and pay for college. Completing each step qualifies students for a scholarship ranging from $500 to $2,000, and completing all six qualifies students for a $40,000 scholarship. The steps include SAT practice and score improvement, completing the FAFSA, and applying to colleges.

Don Diego Scholarship Foundation
Awards scholarships of $1,000 to $5,000 to students residing in the San Diego area who have participated in the San Diego County Fair and/or other activities associated with the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Recipients are honored at a gala on June 15. Application deadline is March 18. Visit the   Don Diego Scholarship Foundation website   for complete information.

California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA)
Awards $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors from the San Diego Unified School District who meet eligibility requirements. Application deadline is March 20. Visit the  CalRTA website  for complete information.

North Island Credit Union Scholarship
Awards $1,000 scholarships to college-bound high school seniors based on academics and community service. Application deadline is March 21.  View this flyer  for more details.

Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund (TASF)
Awards $5,000 scholarships to high school seniors and first-year college students of Taiwanese descent. Application deadline is March 27. Visit the  TASF website   for complete information.

Cathay Bank Scholarship Program
Awards $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors planning to attend college as a full-time student in fall 2019. No ethnicity requirement. Application deadline is March 28. Visit the  Asian Pacific Community Fund website   for more details.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Epsilon Xi Omega College Scholarship Program
Offers a variety of scholarships to female African American or African Diaspora high school seniors in San Diego County who meet the various eligibility requirements. Male students are eligible for one of the scholarships if they plan to attend a historically black college or university. Application deadline is April 3. Visit the  Alpha Kappa Alpha website  for complete information.

Cal Coast Cares Foundation
A total of $30,000 will be distributed to eligible college-bound high school seniors who are members of or related to a member of Cal Coast Credit Union. A separate program for foster youth will distribute $30,000 to high school seniors in the foster care program. The application deadline for both programs is April 7. Visit the  Cal Coast website  for details.

ACSA Region 18 and SDCSBA Scholarships
Region 18 of the Association of California School Administrators and the San Diego County School Boards Association award five $1,000 scholarships to eligible high school seniors who are intending to pursue a career in education. The application deadline is April 15.  View the scholarship application  for more details.
Redesigned 'A-G' Course List Website

The University of California and California State University "A-G" Course List website is new and improved with additional features.

Schools can now easily access program and online course publisher "A-G" Reference Lists by clicking the "Search program/online publisher courses" button on the "A-G" Course List homepage. Find specific courses on a school’s course list more quickly by entering the course title or transcript abbreviation. New filters make searching even easier.
College Resources
Changes to AP in 2019
For information and great tools to communicate to your stakeholders about the changes coming to Advanced Placement (AP), check out this CollegeBoard counselor webinar series: The New AP Program Resources and Supports . Th is is an on-demand webinar with presentation slides.
SAT Student Ambassador Program
Students are our most powerful advocates for college access tools and information. An Official SAT Practice Student Ambassador program can help you amplify student voices in your mission to increase access to college and career in your school or district. For more information on this free resource, visit the student ambassador page .
Career Resources
Other Resources
Good Read
A recent NPR article, With Hundreds Of Students, School Counselors Just Try To 'Stay Afloat' , features a look at one counselor's day and the challenges all counselors face.

Bullying Prevention
Get a free curriculum video for elementary and middle school students, along with a teacher workbook on bullying prevention from Nobody Has the Power to Ruin Your Day.

Vaping Curriculum Available
Stanford Medicine created a Tobacco Prevention Toolkit with learning modules specific to vaping and e-cigarettes. The free resources provide an understanding of the inner workings of e-cigarettes, the content of the aerosols they produce, and third-hand smoke. It's broken down into five units, each of which explores e-cigarettes in-depth.
If you have any questions or comments on the Counselor Network newsletter, please contact  Tracy Wilson .
Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.