Office of School Counseling
Friday Sendoff - June 12, 2020
Announcements
**NEW** ASCA Scholarship Opportunity for School Counselors - Deadline June 15, 2020
ASCA@Home Scholarship Application - Thanks to generous financial support from Discover Student Loans, ASCA is proud to provide up to 100 scholarships for the ASCA@Home virtual event June 29 to July 2, 2020. These scholarships are just one part of ASCA’s ongoing efforts to meet ongoing challenges. To apply for a scholarship, simply complete the application and submit before 9 p.m. EDT on Monday, June 15, 2020. Applicants must be current ASCA members in good standing. Priority will be given to black school counselors and graduate students.
ASCA@Home provides school counselors with the most current information to build an exemplary school counseling program, including crucial information for responding to COVID-19 and supporting anti-racism. ASCA@Home helps school counselors build their networks to work together toward meaningful systemic change. As a part of the application, you’ll be asked to answer the question below. Prepare your answer in advance so you can cut and paste it into the application.
How do you weave social justice into the ASCA National Model themes of leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change in your daily work?
**NEW** Questions about connecting with students over the summer
It's a good idea to have conversations with students and families about boundaries before the summer starts. Boundaries are important to the counseling relationship. It might be helpful if you explain why they can meet with you now (because we’re technically open but in remote learning) but in the summer we’re closed. Encourage them to use coping skills and everything you’ve taught them over the summer. Some families might benefit from a referral to community mental health.
Depending on the student's personality, they might need to know that you’ll be working at another job or “away” and can’t give them the same amount of attention that they’ve been getting and don't want to break any promises.
Please reach out to your specialist with any questions.
**NEW** Loyola University Anti-Racism Resources
Recent event newsletters
How Can I Help? staff newsletter: https://www.smore.com/vt2w8
Family Resources parent newsletter: https://www.smore.com/sdaf8
As you can imagine, race can be a sensitive topic for parents, even more with the recent events. These feelings can run deep and in some cases, they've been left unresolved or unspoken. Our resources are never meant to supplant a parent's decision of when or how much to share with their children. Before you initiate a conversation with students about race or current events (especially with our youngest students), please speak to parents first to give them an opportunity to opt out or share what they feel would be helpful.
Podcast on Conversations about Race
Listen to the Podcast here.
Second Semester Use of Time Survey
Please be sure to read the directions carefully, as this is different than in previous years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning environment, we will only be collecting use of time data for March 30 – June 19. This means that responses in this survey should ONLY include your time from March 30th to June 19th (during Remote Learning). Surveys must be completed no later than June 19, 2020. Feel free to reach out to your specialist with any questions.
Use of Time Survey Spring 2020 - Virtual School Counseling Services
Food Pantries in Baltimore County
Clarification on ASCA U courses and Reimbursement from Certification
If you took an ASCA U course and are planning to pay Lindenwood University the additional $225 to get 3 graduate credits, please be aware that you cannot be reimbursed for both. The Office of Certification shared with us that they can only reimburse for one or the other. If you choose to submit the ASCA course for CEUs, they will reimburse for your payment to ASCA. But if you choose to pay the additional money to get graduate credits, you can only be reimbursed for the payment to Lindenwood.
Black and LGBTQ+ Youth in Crisis and the Psychological Toll of COVID-19
Release of Student Records
Please use the Consent for Release of Student Records below if you’re working with students who are seeing an outside therapist so you’re able to share information. This document can also be used when you’re obtaining records from a sending school.
https://www.bcps.org/system/policies_rules/rules/5000Series/RULE5230_Form_A.pdf
2020-2021 School Counseling Theme
If you have an idea for next year's theme (and images/art work, if possible), please send it to Sharon (sholter@bcps.org).
Middle School Department Chairs
June College and Career Newsletter
High School Counselors
**NEW** CCBC LEAP Program - Certified Apartment Maintenance Tech Training
The CCBC LEAP Program is recruiting for the Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician training. Please see the flyer below with additional information and program eligibility requirements. This is a no cost training to those that qualify for the LEAP grant.
Call the LEAP Information Line at 443.840.4292 to begin the enrollment process. This is a free program for those that qualify
NCAA EC COVID-19 Response FAQ Addendum
In response to membership feedback, DI and DII Administrative committees have approved an extension of the COVID-19 Automatic Waiver criteria providing the benefits of Academic Redshirt (DI) and Partial Qualifier (DII) status for expected Spring/Summer 2020 graduates presenting at least 10 core course units and a 2.0 GPA prior to start of their seventh semester. Additional details regarding this relief can be found in the updated EC COVID-19 FAQ document.
College Counselors
**NEW** Virtual Discover CCBC Information Sessions
CCBC Admissions will be hosting virtual Discover CCBC Information Sessions every Wednesday beginning June 17th at 1p.m. and 6 p.m. They will be providing a CCBC overview, smart tips how to make college affordable, and how to apply. Students can register for these sessions by visiting www.ccbcmd.edu/infosessions. Please share this information with your students and parents.
Diane Marie Drake
Director of Admissions
CCBC
Secondary Department Chairs
TENTATIVE - Summer Department Chair Meeting
High School - July 15, 2020 from 8am-11am
Middle School - July 15, 2020 from 12pm-3pm
All Chairs on July 16, 2020 from 8am-3pm
Because we're in the virtual environment, we may be able to spread out information in smaller meetings but for now we want to have these dates and times on your radar.
High School Department Chairs
** NEW** Naviance “PRINT-ONLY” transcript submission
As you begin sending final records using eDocs, you may come across schools that only accept documents through the mail. During this extended closure, you may have to reach out to the admissions office to see how they want documents sent to their institutions. Please email Sharon if you need help contacting a college for this information and we’ll share contact information with you. Here’s what we learned about one university
North Carolina Central University (NCCU) – they don’t use electronic submission but you can send final transcript to: Admissions@Nccu.edu
Senior College Application Boot Camp
Naviance Scholarships with upcoming deadlines
There are no new scholarships at this time, but please make sure students update their scholarship information in Naviance
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** Coping with Racism and Racial Trauma – A Conversation for All Communities
Register for the Coping with Racism and Racial Trauma webinar series.
- Part I: The Impact on Adults
Tuesday, June 16, 3-4 pm
To join by audio only: Call 1-408-418-9388. Access code: 129 369 4481 - Part II: Supporting Children and Families
Thursday, June 18, 3-4 pm
To join by audio only, call 1-408-418-9388. Access code: 129 262 6091
**NEW** Supporting the Resilience of Black Men
The experiences of Black men with mental illness, substance use disorder, and recovery are unique in ways that have crucial implications for service delivery. SAMHSA’s Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) invites you to join national experts in a conversation about the experiences of Black men with mental illness, substance use disorder (SUD), or both. Presenters will highlight current research and describe best practices and promising strategies for supporting the recovery of Black men.
Join this free, interactive virtual event on June 25th at 2:00
ASCA U Specialist Trainings
Updated: April 30, 2020 Since many professional development opportunities have been canceled this spring and ASCA professional members, graduate students and school counselor educators have asked, ASCA has reduced the fee for ASCA U Specialist trainings. March 17–June 15, 2020, Specialist trainings are $29 for members (regularly $99) and $49 for nonmembers (regularly $249). No code needed. If you have problems registering at this rate or accessing materials, contact ASCA
Current courses available through ASCA U include:
· Anxiety and Stress Management Specialist
· Bullying Prevention Specialist
· Career Development Specialist
· Closing the Achievement Gap Specialist
· College Admissions Specialist*
· Cultural Competency Specialist
· Legal and Ethical Specialist
· School Counseling Data Specialist*
· School Counseling Leadership Specialist*
· Students With Special Needs Specialist
· Trauma and Crisis Specialist
*Not available for graduate credit
If you plan to take (or have recently taken) an ASCA U course and are planning to pay Lindenwood University the additional $225 to get 3 graduate credits, please be aware that you cannot be reimbursed for both. The Office of Certification shared with us that they can only reimburse for one or the other. If you choose to submit the ASCA course for CEUs, they will reimburse for your payment to ASCA. But if you choose to pay the additional money to get graduate credits, you can only be reimbursed for the payment to Lindenwood.
BCPS Counselors Good News & Inspiration
Virtual Middle School Orientation
Thank you to Carly Farkas for her hard work to create this video. Perry Hall MS made a Virtual Orientation Schoology group for rising 5th graders, as they were unable to do many of our transition activities this year.
The Schoology group, "New Panthers’ Virtual Orientation Group," includes the following:
-Meet the Staff folder, with pictures of teachers within each department, and links to connect to people with questions
-Clubs, sports, and afterschool activity folders with videos, flyers, and joining information
-Summer Reading folder
-AA/GT folder
-Cafeteria information
-This Virtual Tour video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zt2A0xEFmg3-eo24-0FFsC2GFtKSyYVg/view?usp=sharing
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