R10 Counselor Conversations
Thirteenth Edition: December
Dear Region 10 Colleagues,
Can you hear the sleigh bells ringing? The holidays and a much needed extended break, are near! It seems like all around us people are eager to celebrate this season. We hope that you get to enjoy this time of year with your loved ones as well. Remember, take time to fill your cup, hopefully with some holiday cheer!
A new year is on it's way and maybe more than ever before we look forward to the close of this year. As you say goodbye to 2020, please look not just at what has happened this year but at all the things you have learned, the ways you've grown, and all that you have accomplished. We commend you on how you have given of yourselves this year. Your service to your campus and district and each individual life you've touched this year is something to be celebrated as you enter the new year.
We extend our warmest wishes to each of you for a peaceful and happy holiday season.
We look forward to seeing you in 2021!
Susan Delarosa & Brandi Fennell
Take Control of The Holidays
Don't let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. Learn to recognize your holiday triggers, such as financial pressures or personal demands, so you can combat them before they lead to a meltdown. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you can find peace and joy during the holidays.
QuaverSEL
QuaverSEL is excited to partner with Region 10 to offer free online, interactive social emotional learning resources for school counselors this school year! Check out the information and free resources below to learn more!
- QuaverSEL In Action (1 minute video)
- QuaverSEL Brochure
- QuaverSEL and Texas Counseling Standards Crosswalk
- QuaverSEL is on TEA's Approved List of Resources
- YouTube Links:
QuaverSEL is offering a FREE pilot of their resources for the remainder of this school year. The pilot includes free access to QuaverSEL resources along with training on the resources so you feel comfortable and confident! This is being offered to individual school counselors or districts in Region 10.
Please contact Carlie Phillips from QuaverSEL (CarliePhillips@QuaverEd.com) for more info about these resources and how you can pilot QuaverSEL for free!
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Free Resources -
As the holiday season approaches, celebrations, traditions, and gatherings with family and friends may look different this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. For many, this may mean learning new ways of celebrating the upcoming holidays with loved ones from afar (e.g. virtual celebrations). While the holiday season can create a number of stressors, the uncertainty and challenges created by the pandemic can increase feelings of worry, stress, loneliness, grief, loss, and concern. The NCTSN has resources to help children, youth, and families, build family resilience, adapt to changes, and cope with challenges this upcoming holiday season.
HELPING CHILDREN WITH TRAUMATIC SEPARATION OR TRAUMATIC GRIEF RELATED TO COVID-19
Taking Care of Yourself (Adult Self-Care)
Holidays, Celebrations, and Traumatically Bereaved Children (Webinar)
Self-Care Wheel, by Olga Phoenix
CCMR Conference The Game of Life...Building Paths to the Future
Region 10 is hosting its annual College, Career and Military Readiness Conference. The theme this year is "The Game of Life...Building Paths to The Future” as we aim to unite administrators, counselors, teachers, and support staff in learning more about strategies that impact College, Career, and Military Readiness. When everyone is connected and working together, student’s succeed.
The following CCMR strands will be covered :
- Career and Technical Education (CTE)
- Advanced Academics
- Counseling
- Industry
- Post-Secondary Education
- Early College High School and Dual Credit
Click HERE for pricing and registration information
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2021, 08:30 AM
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On March 26, 2021 we will come together to showcase SEL in our communities, promote SEL to our personal and professional networks, advocate SEL with our policymakers, and support SEL in our schools, organizations and communities.
We welcome all individuals and organizations to join us as partners in spreading the word about what SEL is and why it’s so critical. Sign up for SEL Day today!
Navigate 2020 Fatigue
students, families, and staff during the 2020-21 school year. Gather crucial
feedback on remote learning so your district can quickly respond to needs
across academics, social-emotional learning, and access to resources.
students, but also in guiding potential victims to find resources & support. All Zoom meetings will be held from 10:30-11:30 am & are open to ESCs &
LEAs, unless noted.
Human Trafficking Prevention
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) represent one of the largest professional resources for reporting suspected child abuse in Texas. It is critical for district leadership, educators, and school staff to remain vigilant in their identification and reporting of suspected child abuse, neglect, including the trafficking of a child.
PROTECT Texas
*Free until February 2021*
For many people, the reality of trafficking in their community is difficult to comprehend, let alone confront, which makes it challenging for them to recognize and address it.
For educators and school personnel, the reality of these crimes and the severity of their impact are cause for a call to action. We believe in the power of prevention and are committed to providing trauma-informed resources for schools to identify and report child trafficking. As students learn about this important issue through prevention education, there will be a heightened need for communities to be equipped to PROTECT.
PREVENTION CHANGES EVERYTHING!Gateway
Region 12, and the Office of the Governor’s Child Sex Trafficking Team are
launching a series of webinars to support ESCs and LEAs during this
school year.
Hope Cottage Love Notes Program
Hope Cottage is offering evidence-based healthy relationship FREE sessions called Love Notes. These programs build skills and knowledge for healthy and successful relationships with partners, family, friends, and co-workers. The Love Notes program uses curriculum from the Dibble Institute and has shown to decrease dating violence, teen and college pregnancy, help young adults acquire healthy relationship skills, and help all ages acquire communication and conflict resolution skills. Each session is about forty-five minutes for virtual presentations or a whole classroom period for in-person. The programs are geared towards 12-23-year-olds.
All of these sessions are presented live by trained Hope Cottage staff members. Each session is engaging with videos and polls to keep the audience’s attention. Please see the information about the sessions below.
Love Notes Relationship Program
Session 1- Good Relationships Start with You (values, goals, personality style, baggage)
Session 2- What Makes a Relationship Succeed or Fail? (dating expectations, compatibility, principles of a good relationship, breakups)
Session 3- Is it a Healthy Relationship? (healthy vs. unhealthy, infatuation vs. love, love chemicals in your brain, relationship pyramid, deciding vs. sliding)
Session 4- Effective Communication & Conflict Management Skills (effective/ineffective communication, conflict solving models, the science of anger, communicating complaints)
Session 5- Relationship Safety (statistics, forms of dating violence, red flags, technology safety)
Session 6- Teenage Pregnancy & STDs
To schedule presentations or for any questions email khood@hopecottage.org or call 214-415-0136. *Currently only scheduling virtual sessions. **Can request whole program or individual sessions.
Texas Education Agency Pauses A-F Ratings For 2020-21 School Year
STAAR testing will proceed so parents and educators continue to understand what students have learned this year, and to gauge the impact of the pandemic on education.
AUSTIN, Texas – December 10, 2020 – The Texas Education Agency announced today that A-F ratings would be paused for 2020-21 school year due to the ongoing disruptions associated with COVID-19. The STAAR test will proceed for the 2020-21 school year in order to provide critically important information about individual student learning that teachers and parents can use to help students grow. For those schools that incorporate STAAR results into teacher evaluations, TEA is providing flexibility to allow them to remove that component this school year.
Ensuring that STAAR is made available has been recognized as vital by education leaders around the state. STAAR results will allow schools, teachers, and parents to see how individual students are performing while also giving education leaders and policymakers across Texas a comprehensive picture of what are likely to be sweeping impacts of the pandemic on student learning, helping policymakers craft solutions for the years ahead. However, the STAAR will not be used for accountability purposes this school year.
“The last nine months have been some of the most disruptive of our lives. The challenges have been especially pronounced for our parents, teachers, and students. We continue to prioritize the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff in our schools this year, while working to ensure students grow academically,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
“The issuance of A-F ratings for schools has proven to be a valuable tool to support continuous improvement for our students, allowing educators, parents, and the general public to better identify and expand efforts that are working for kids. But the pandemic has disrupted school operations in fundamental ways that have often been outside the control of our school leaders, making it far more difficult to use these ratings as a tool to support student academic growth. As a result, we will not issue A-F ratings this school year,” added Morath.
School systems are required to make STAAR available to every eligible student. The test will be administered on school campuses across the state or at other secure alternative testing sites. The test is an assessment of the grade level expectations of Texas students, with questions designed by subject matter experts and committees of Texas teachers to measure how well students have mastered knowledge and skills in various grades and subjects. STAAR will continue to be administered only in secure environments to ensure the results remain valid and reliable.
TEA Updates
A College, Career, or Military Readiness (CCMR) in Academic Accountability Versus Outcomes Bonuses one-pager is available on the Performance Reporting resources page. The one-pager explains how the requirements for credit in the CCMR component of the academic accountability system differ from CCMR OB requirements. Additionally, an explanation of methodology and sources is available in TEAL which provides detailed data sources and timelines for CCMR OB indicators.
The TEAL SAT/ACT reimbursement request application opened on November 9 and closes on December 18. To prepare, districts should designate a point person at the district level for this project and ensure they have Accountability-level access in TEAL. Please view this presentation for more information. For questions, please contact TEA at advancedacademics@tea.texas.gov or at 512-463-9762.
Positive Character Traits
Project Restore
The Project Restore Website will offer up to 6 videos, including facilitation guides and transcripts, to train educators and staff around trauma experienced specific to COVID. Videos range from 25-35 minutes and include a quiz to earn CEUs. If all 6 videos are viewed it will count toward SB11 trauma/grief informed training requirements for school staff. Participants who watch these videos can receive certificates.
The last video of TEA's Project Restore trauma-informed training video series was released on October 22nd.
A Message from Nancy, R10 Dyslexia Consultant
Many students with dyslexia often have secondary characteristics such as low self-esteem, lack of motivation or depression, which lead to unhealthy thoughts and choices. Counselors play a vital role in guiding students with dyslexia toward options and pathways that encourage their strengths and abilities. Our Region 10 Dyslexia Consultant offers social and emotional sessions and a Dyslexia Mentor program that prepares these students for post-graduation success while they build in strategies for independence and confidence.
Nancy Disterlic
Region 10 Dyslexia Consultant
972-348-1454
Equality Resources for Staff, Students and Families
Click HERE for a collection of K-12 classroom blended and online learning solutions for educators and students promotes critical thinking and learning around historical and current events topics through the lens of diversity, bias and social justice.
High School CyberStart America *Links Below*
throughout Texas. Click on each institution for additional eligibility requirements.
ADVi / Virtual Advising Project
A chatbot named ADVi – short for “adviser” – uses artificial intelligence to provide on-demand support to Texans looking to attend or return to higher education. Right now, any student in Texas may access ADVi by texting “COLLEGE” to 512-829-3687 or by starting a freshman application in ApplyTexas.
When students sign up to receive messages from ADVi, they receive:
- The ability to ask questions about college 24/7 via text message,
- Backup support from our virtual advisers if a student has needs or questions beyond what ADVi can provide,
- Student-friendly, accurate, and engaging messages about key college access milestones,
- Information and tips to help with their college applications, planning, and financial aid, and
- Resources to help navigate the transition to college.
Learn more at www.askADVi.org.
Future GenTX Events
May 3, 2021, GenTX Decision Day, is your opportunity to recognize and celebrate students for their postsecondary plans in front of the entire student body. Think of GenTX Decision Day as a school spirit day, during which we all work together to build excitement and awareness surrounding the college selection and enrollment process.
By clicking HERE and filling out the form, you are committing your school to initiate and plan activities that promote both GenTX Month 2020 and GenTX Decision Day 2021.
COVID-19 has had a huge impact on our students and their educational goals. However, with the right information and support, we believe that Texas students can persevere, stay focused, and achieve their college goals. To support the counselors and students of Texas, Future Focused TX campaign is a public-private collaboration which aims to maintain college enrollment rates in Texas. This statewide effort will provide free, compelling, researched-based digital content to you, school counselors and advisors, to help all students graduate and matriculate into college. Click the link HERE to check out the first digital package and begin sharing this vital information with your students. Once you opt-in to this exciting campaign you will begin receiving weekly copy-and-paste emails to send straight to your students to help them engage with the content and continue on the path to their college goals!
To officially join the Future Focused TX campaign make sure to fill out this survey! By sharing your contact information you will receive emails with the monthly digital counselor packages, invites to campaign webinars and other exciting support for your students.
TSI Assessment, 2.0 (TSIA2) Learning Resources Live Demonstration
Wednesday, December 16, 2020, 1-2:30 p.m. (CT)
With the launch of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Version 2.0 (TSIA2) on January 11, 2021, both students and educators will have access to a new and free tool, TSIA2 Learning Resources. Powered by Pearson’s Perspective platform, TSIA2 Learning Resources is an online library of instructional and practice materials directly related TSIA2 content. After the live demonstration, THECB staff will provide guidance on suggested use and attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Webinar highlights include:
- How to navigate TSIA2 Learning Resources
- How TSIA2 Learning Resources can be used in preparation for the TSIA2
- How students can use a Learning Locator Code for customized access to TSIA2 Learning Resources based on diagnostic test performance
- Educator accounts and features (e.g., create customized assignments, share assignments with students, etc.)
Training credit for TSIA platform Institution Administrators
If you are a TSIA platform Institution Administrator (IA), attending this session will count towards Session #4 (TSIA2 Learning Resources) of the required TSIA2 trainings. At time of registration, please indicate you are an IA.
Have questions? Let us know in advance
You may submit questions in advance of the webinar using the following link, https://tinyurl.com/TSIA2LR. Responses will be used to inform webinar content. You do not have to attend the webinar to submit questions, but please do so by 12 noon (CT) on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.
Registration Link
https://tinyurl.com/TSIA2LRReg
Unable to attend
For those unable to access the webinar live, a recording of each webinar will be available on or before COB, Monday, December 21, 2020 on the THECB’s YouTube Channel using search term "TSIA2" or link, https://tinyurl.com/TSIA2Rec.
TSIA2 Mandatory Training
Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) launches on January 11, 2021, at which time the current version of the TSIA will no longer be available.
TSIA2 training is mandated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and required for all K-12 and higher education institutions that currently administer TSIA and/or intend to administer the TSIA2. The 4-part training series will be held virtually. At least one person from an institution must attend all four training sessions.
Trainings will begin September 21, 2020. For a complete list of all dates and sessions type “TSIA2” into the Zoom search field or click HERE.
Texas College Bridge
The current MOU for College Prep Courses negotiated by Region 10 in 2018 will expire June 2021. Participants in this MOU can still access all necessary resources for the 20-21 school year at gg.gg/collegeprep.
To prepare for that expiration, we encourage you to go ahead and explore the TEA-supported opportunity for College Prep Courses: www.texascollegebridge.org. Texas College Bridge could be implemented this year in conjunction with the final year of the R10-negotiated MOU. There are expanded opportunities in this platform that may better serve your students.
Complete district agreements for Spring 1 by January 11; Spring 2 by February 8, and Spring 3 by March 8, 2021.
Click here to access the Texas College Bridge MOU, Implementation Guide, Participation Agreement, and more.
At Region 10, you may contact Consultant Jennifer Gunn (jennifer.gunn@region10.org) or Assistant Director Chris Grey (chris.grey@region10.org). Or, you may email TexasCollegeBridge@tea.texas.gov
Region 10 Reach! Magazine
Region 10 Counseling Consultants
Susan Delarosa, M.Ed.
Email: susan.delarosa@region10.org
Phone: 972-348-1216
Brandi Fennell, M.Ed.
Email: brandi.fennell@region10.org
Phone: 972-348-1208
We are so incredibly honored to support Region 10 ESC counselors spanning over 80 districts, 55 charter schools and 860,000 students.
Please contact us for support in the following areas:
Legislative Updates
School Counselor Ethics
Crisis Support
Comprehensive Guidance Planning
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Social and Emotional Learning
Transcripts
and much more!
**For Apply Texas access or technical support, please contact Brandi Fennell at brandi.fennell@region10.org