Office of School Counseling
Friday Sendoff - April 9, 2020
**NEW** Virtual Meeting Recordings
Recordings of this week's meetings:
The PowerPoint is attached below as well as a resource we mentioned in the presentation.
Recordings of how to use programs that will support us in the Virtual Counseling world:
Using Outlook Calendar - Thank you to Lou Wikes for creating both videos! If using Outlook calendar is new for you (or you're a novice), please watch BOTH videos for basics, tips, and tricks.
**NEW** Informed Consent for IEP counseling sessions
**NEW** Notifications in Microsoft Teams
**NEW** Internet Service for Homeless Students
Staff in the Title I office are looking into providing homeless students with hotspots. PPWs are supporting this effort, however, if you are aware of any students experiencing homelessness, please contact Sharon so that we can pass along the name of the family.
**NEW** Chrome Extension for Grid View in Google Meet
**NEW** Enrollments and Attendance Updates
Last night Cabinet approved the attached documents (below) that describe the process for enrolling students and capturing student attendance/engagement while schools are closed. Principals received these documents last night and have shared them with staff members.
Per our director, the intent of the document was to have the SIS administrator, who is typically a principal or AP, enroll the student in SIS because they have the "rights" to do so. We are not expecting that any other staff member be trained to enroll students or be given rights. The school counselor should be using the academic information provided by the family to create an appropriate student schedule.
**NEW** CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
**NEW** Shepard Pratt Covid 19 Resources
Families can access the Sheppart Pratt Virtual Crisis Walk-in clinic at: https://www.sheppardpratt.org/care-finder/virtual-crisis-walk-in-clinic/
Announcements
**NEW** DSS Referrals updates
At this time, CPS liaisons should be advising staff to inform the liaison when they're making reports to DSS. If a staff member suspects abuse or neglect, they should make an oral report to 410- 887-TIME. Completed CPS forms should be emailed to DSS, Sharon Holter, and the liaison, who will notify the principal of a report being filed.
Sharon is now receiving all DSS inquiries and providing them with the information available to her via SIS. If DSS needs more specific information related to that student, Sharon will send you an email.
It is not appropriate for staff to call DSS when children aren't logging into Schoology for class meetings. If the teacher has a concern about a student not logging in, it can be brought to the attention of the school counselor.
National Board Certification for School Counselors
Become a Volunteer Crisis Counselor
Elementary School Counselors
**NEW** Delivery of Virtual Elementary Counseling Curriculum
**Free SEL Resources **
Second Step compiled a list of resources you can use to help young people learn the social-emotional skills they need to get through these challenging events. For more information, visit: https://www.secondstep.org/covid19support
High School Counselors
**NEW** EDLP Updates
Each site’s lead counselor to be on deck for the month of April:
- Jenny Stump- PEDLP
- Josh Grubka- DEDLP
- Lou Wikes- LEDLP
- Bobby Vann- WEDLP
- Bridgette Lewis- MEDLP
Stacy Bryan has shared that she is happy to answer your questions - sbryan@bcps.org
**NEW** AP Program and COVID-19: The Essentials for School Counselors
Click Link to Access Recording and PowerPoint Presentation: https://globalmeet.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1294723&tp_key=ab1c07feaa
Supporting the work of counselors is a top priority at College Board. For current updates from the Advanced Placement program and other College Board programs, please visit https://pages.collegeboard.org/collegeboard-covid-19-updates.
Middle School Department Chairs
April College & Career Newsletter
Here is the link to the April College and Career Newsletter that can be shared with students and families.
Secondary Department Chairs
FREE Naviance Curriculum
Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, Naviance has provided a free curriculum for student use through June 30, 2020. The default lessons for students are activated in your account by grade level. Students should now see the Curriculum lessons at the bottom of their Naviance Student homepage, and counselors should see it on the left hand side of the Naviance homepage upon login. Here are a few additional resources (you’ll need to be logged in to Naviance):
- Curriculum Overview
- Homepage for Curriculum in the Help Network
- Preparing to use Curriculum
- There are sections here on communicating with students, updating staff user roles to support curriculum, and how to engage students and staff in the process
- This is also where you’ll find directions for turning on Default Sequences (click Configure Naviance Curriculum> Manage Default Sequences for Naviance Curriculum (Schools and Districts)
- Monitor Student Progress
- Learn about how to track report on student activities
- Lesson Topics
- Lesson topics by grade and CCLR competency alignment
They also have a series of webinars over the next few weeks regarding how to use this Curriculum. If you run into any technical issues, you can reach out to Support (support@naviance.com).
High School Department Chairs
Senior Survey
Please send an email to your seniors to take the survey.
Guaranteed Access Grant - UPDATE
The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) within the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), would like to inform you that due to the extended closure of all Maryland schools, the deadline date for the 2020-2021 Guaranteed Access (GAG) Grant program has been extended to June 1, 2020.
MHEC is in the process of notifying all potentially eligible GA Grant recipients that the deadline has been extended. The new deadline of June 1, 2020, will also be updated on our website and on the applicants’ To-Do List in the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) in the coming days.
Effective immediately, MHEC will accept documentation for the GA Grant program by email or mail. All required documentation must be submitted by June 1, 2020:
By Email: ga.mhec@maryland.gov
Or
By Mail: Maryland Higher Education Commission
Ground Floor Suite
Office of Student Financial Assistance
6 N. Liberty Street, Ground Suite
Baltimore, MD 21201
Finally, please note the deadline for students to submit documentation for the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship program will remain June 15, 2020.
For more information, pertaining to the GA Grant, Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship Program, and other state scholarships and grants available to Maryland students, please visit www.mhec.maryland.gov and click on State Scholarships and Grants under Quick Links.
ECAP Students Taking On-Location Courses
On March 30, CCBC begins offering classes via remote and alternative teaching methods. The college is not closed, but will operate in a restricted operational mode with limited on-site staff and other employees working remotely.
There will be limited areas accessible to students (libraries, computer labs, testing centers, etc.), with no access to the general public. Strict social distancing guidelines will be followed within all buildings.
In-person instruction for classes at high schools will not resume until Baltimore County Public Schools reopen. However, this situation is very fluid and subject to change. Please continue to monitor CCBC’s COVID-19 web page for updates.
If you have questions, please contact the coordinator for the Early College Program Guernica Williams at gwillilams2@ccbcmd.edu or the director for the Early College Access Programs at bhammond2@ccbcmd.edu.
College Counselors
Senior Survey
GPA Promise Outreach Events Rescheduled
The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) within the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), would like to inform you that due to the recent closures of all Maryland schools the deadline date for the 2020-2021 Guaranteed Access (GAG) Grant program has been extended to April 17, 2020.
MHEC is in the process of notifying all potentially eligible GA Grant recipients that the deadline has been extended. The new deadline of April 17, 2020, will also be updated on our website and on the applicants’ To-Do List in the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) in the coming days.
At this time MHEC will only accept documentation for the GA Grant program by mail. All required documentation must be submitted by April 17, 2020, to the following address:
Maryland Higher Education Commission
Ground Floor Suite
Office of Student Financial Assistance
6 N. Liberty Street, Ground Suite
Baltimore, MD 21201
Finally, please note the deadline for students to submit documentation for the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship program will remain as June 15, 2020.
For more information, pertaining to the GA Grant, Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship Program, and other state scholarships and grants available to Maryland students, please visit www.mhec.maryland.gov and click on State Scholarships and Grants under Quick Links.
Scholarships
Updating Local Scholarships
Transcripts - If seniors are need copies of their transcripts for scholarship opportunities, please upload them to their individual document page in Naviance so the student can access it from
home.
Updated Naviance Scholarships for this week.
BRRC Charlie Reynolds Memorial Scholarship - Deadline 5/22/20
AmericanTrucks Student Scholarship Program - Deadline 6/15/20
Young Woman Voluntarism Scholarship - Deadline extended to 5/1/20
High Bridge Foundation Scholarship - Deadline 4/30/20
MHEC Financial Assistance Programs
State Financial Assistance Programs and Applications
Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients
NACAC Request for Admission Application Fee Waiver
Students who have limited financial resources may use the NACAC Request for Application Fee Waiver Form when applying for college. The form — aimed at students planning to enroll in post-secondary education immediately following high school graduation — helps ensure that access to college is possible for all.
BCPS Hub Information
Recently added Hub items
BCPS Counselors - We Can Do This!
Chapel Hill Elementary
Eastern Technical
Hawthorne Elementary
Professional Development
Teachers and counselors must engage in a minimum of two hours of virtual professional learning each week during the closure. Please document your participation in your Outlook calendar.
**NEW** Webinar: Responding to the Alarm: Addressing Black Youth Suicide on 4/21 at 11:30 - 1:00 (FREE)
**NEW** CBT for Anxiety (FREE) 1 CEU - includes free handout and self-help forms
Websites
Traitify: https://bcps.traitify.com/
Other career-related websites:
https://www.bls.gov/k12/content/students/careers/career-exploration.htm
https://www.careeronestop.org/Videos/CareerVideos/career-videos.aspx?frd=true
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs.html
https://www.cacareerzone.org/budget/
http://www.careersinthemilitary.com/
MD CAPS (MHEC): https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us/MDCAPS/login.aspx?c=-8586295899786270826&ReturnUrl=/MDCAPS/int/FinAid
College Covered resources for school counselors https://www.collegecovered.com/resources-for-counselors/
Schoology Access Codes
Elementary Counseling Curriculum: M4HSN-FCFN4
Secondary Counseling Curriculum: CFBV7-B6PCM
Threat Management: Q6RHK-WHHVC
College and Career Counseling: PFZD6-65N4V
Curriculum Updates: T7BM2-R8JSC
GSA Sponsors (LGBTQ+ resources): ZMBZ-4QXP-DKC89
Contact Information
Naviance Support: 1-866-337-0080 option 2 & support@naviance.com
Signup Genius Support: support@signupgenius.com
CPS phone number: 410.887.TIME
CPS email address: dhr.baltimorecountycps@maryland.gov
MHEC FAFSA Completion (MD CAPS): fafsa.mhec@maryland.gov