R10 Counselor Conversations
Twenty-Sixth Edition: February 2022
NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK February 7-11 Better Together
The landscape of school counseling has been constantly shifting and adapting since its inception. As time has passed the eyes of education have fallen on school counselors, not only as campus leaders but as the heart of our schools. In our pandemic/post-covid school environments we have seen the ever increasing importance of the work you do. You change lives in many ways, whether with listening ears, an accepting voice, or a well-planned path for success. You have been advocates for your role. Change, although it seems slow at times, is always on the horizon. Because of your tireless dedication, this change is for the betterment of school counselors across Texas, as well as our schools, and most importantly our students. It's an honor to work in this field alongside you.
Region 10 applauds you, school counselors. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your service to education and for the powerful impact you make every day.
Brandi Fennell and Susan Delarosa, Region 10 Counseling Department
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
National School Counseling Week 2022 (#NSCW22) is Feb. 7-11, 2022, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February.
The 2022 theme is School Counseling: Better Together.
*See HERE for resources.
Register now to join us for these spring Professional Learning Opportunities
Feb 25 - Data that SHINEs (K-12), on location @ the House of Shine
March 1 - New Counselor Cohort, in-person @ Region 10
March 3 - TACAC (Texas Association for College Admissions Counseling) Workshop, virtual
March 3 - Financial Aid Offer Review (uAspire Financial Aid Workshop), virtual
March 30 - Scholarships 101 and 102 with Scholarship Informer, in-person @ Region 10
students the first ever Virtual College Access Week! Students can attend live sessions, virtual tours, chat, and schedule meetings with
campus representatives. *SIGN UP TODAY*
Feb 4 - PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTING SEL IN THE CLASSROOM
Feb 8 - BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS MANAGING EMOTIONS AND DECISION MAKING SKILLS
Feb 16 - DBT FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Feb 25 - BACK-TO-CLASSROOM THINK TOOLBOX
Virtual Sessions with College Board, ACT, and Texas College Bridge
Region 10 will continue hosting virtual sessions with the College Board, ACT, and Texas College Bridge that are open and free to all Texas educators. If they do not already have one, participants will need to create a free account with Region 10 to register. We hope to see you on Zoom for one or more of the opportunities listed below! Email jennifer.gunn@region10.org with any questions you may have.
- Feb. 23, 11:30-12:30: Using ACT Reports and Texas Educator Guide
- Feb. 23, 4:30-5:30: Using ACT Report and Texas Educator Guide
- Feb. 24, 2:30-3:30: Texas College Bridge Collaborative PLC for Best Practices
New Workshops from Texas OnCourse
Texas OnCourse is excited to provide free virtual college and career readiness and success workshops to support your counseling and advising efforts. Their current offerings are listed below.
February 2, 2022, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
It is Never Too Early: College and Career Readiness in Middle School
February 9, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Building a Culture of College and Career Readiness
March 1, 2022, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
You can also access their past webinars on the Texas OnCourse YouTube Channel.
JANUARY 31st
and MAY 1st, 2022
Safe and Positive Learning Interventions
Do you need a variety of interventions to use in the classroom effectively focused on learning outcomes? Check out this website that includes Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions to support students and your school PBISWorld.com
prompted to provide feedback.Three months access to our entire library of our courses at no charge (per school value
of $7,500 annually).
health and substance use treatment for Teen boys and girls
ages 12-17.
COVID-19 prevention and mental health support in K-12 schools.
(HHSC) has developed a brief survey about children’s
mental health services.
RESOURCES FROM THE NATIONAL CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS NETWORK
In response to the recent shooting at the Timberview High School Shooting in Arlington, Texas, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed resources to help families and communities. These resources include:
- For Teens: Coping After Mass Violence
- Tips for Parents on Media Coverage
- Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting (Also in Spanish)
- Tip Sheet for Youth Talking to Journalists about the Shooting
- Talking to Children about the Shooting
- After the Injury—website for families with injured children
- Health Care Toolbox—website for pediatric health providers working with injured children
Psychological First Aid
The NCTSN also has resources for responders on Psychological First Aid (PFA). PFA is an early intervention to support children, adolescents, adults, and families impacted by these types of events. PFA Mobile is an app that can be accessed for free on Apple and Android mobile devices. Additional PFA resources include:
- Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S) – field operations guide
- Providing PFA-S: For Health-Related Professionals – handout
- Providing PFA-S: For Principals and Administrators – handout
- Providing PFA-S: For School Support Staff – handout
- Providing PFA-S: For Teachers - handout
Disaster Hotline
SAMHSA has a Disaster Distress Helpline – call or text 1-800-985-5990 (for Spanish, press “2”) to be connected to a trained counselor 24/7/365.
and Resources from ASCA, AFSP, NASP, and The Trevor Project. Re-entry is addressed on pp 9 of the guide.
Dropout Recovery Program: Graduation Alliance
Graduation Alliance is a cost neutral solution and requires no upfront cost. The Graduation Alliance program works through the TEA approved optional flexible school day program to allow school districts to reclaim their students and their funding.
Information about Graduation Alliance
Press Release from a district using Graduation Alliance
Contact: Randy Cavazos, VP, Program Development
Graduation Alliance
T: 512-689-9075
This report includes all materials eligible for adoption by the State Board of Education.
*Health and PE*
Passed on September 17 2021
Child Abuse and Neglect, Including Human Trafficking, Prevention and Awareness Reminders and Requirements
Student-facing posters that meet the requirements of 19 TAC §61.1051(e) and (f) must be posted in at least one high-traffic area (hallway, above a water fountain, gym, locker room, counselor's office, etc.) on every campus in both English and Spanish. The Texas Education Agency (TEA), in cooperation with Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, has developed posters in English and Spanish that satisfy the requirements of 19 TAC §61.1051(e) and (f).
All educators are mandatory reporters who are required to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect, including trafficking of a child, within 48 hours, per Texas Family Code, § 261.101. As local educational agencies (LEAs) navigate both remote and in-person learning environments, it is critical for teachers and school staff to remain vigilant in their identification and reporting of these concerns.
TEA Guidance in regards to SB 179
Background
Pregnancy Related Services
FindHelp.org is a useful search engine that returns local free and reduced cost social programs, all you need to do is enter your zip code. The website includes organizations that provide baby supplies, maternity care and postnatal care, childcare, and financial assistance for a variety of needs.
See the updated Pregnancy Related Services COVID-19 FAQ (November 2021) and the PRS webpage for additional guidance on testing during remote learning.
Texas OnCourse Academy
Virtual College Access Week
ESC Region 10, ESC Region 11, and VisitDays have partnered to provide your students the first ever Virtual College Access Week!
North Texas students and families will have the opportunity to learn about topics like:
Navigating the admissions process
Applying for financial aid
Preparing for campus life
and more!
Students can attend live sessions, virtual tours, chat, and schedule meetings with campus representatives. The live sessions can be done at home or during the school day during the week of April 11-14, but students will have access for the entire month of April.
Sign up here: https://northtexas.visitdays.com
Monday, Apr 11, 2022, 08:00 AM
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anyone in Dallas County looking to further
their education or grow their career : Assistance completing college applications,
guidance on federal and state aid, including
scholarships, and
assistance completing the FAFSA.
Future Focused TX - FREE Digital Content for Students
Future Focused TX is a collective initiative to help Texas high school classes of 2021 and 2022 in pursuing their post-secondary educational goals, despite the effects of COVID-19. Our multi-faceted approach gives enrolled counselors access to research-based, direct-to-student content packages, as well as engages students directly via social media and other digital platforms. With the right information and support, we believe that Texas students can overcome challenges and stay focused on achieving their college goals.
Financial Aid Resources
Texas OnCourse Financial Aid Resources
Equitable Excellence Scholarship – for US Citizens/Residents
Dream.US National Scholarship – for DACA/undocumented students
What You Need To Know: 22-23 FASFA Updates and Troubleshooting
Have you been experiencing issues with the 22-23 FAFSA? Catch up on the 22-23 FAFSA changes and ways to troubleshoot common issues that you may come across in TxCAN's latest blog post.
TACAC Webinar - Serving and Supporting Undocumented Youth
December 8, 2021 at 12 pm CT
As higher education professionals we are serving undocumented students, self-identified and not, every day. You will leave with a working knowledge of the challenges undocumented youth face, several best practices you can immediately use (including a personal action plan), and resources to help you connect with a network of support.
REGISTER HERE
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Texas Application for Student Financial Aid (TASFA).
DACA status.
Special Education Students and the Financial Aid Requirement *TEA Guidance*
All students who are enrolled in the 12th grade are required to participate in this new graduation requirement, or opt-out using the opt-out form, in order to graduate. The best option for the LEA is to ensure that all grade 12 students satisfy the requirement by completing and submitting a financial aid application or opt-out form.
For the opt-out option, a student or parent/guardian may sign and submit the opt-out form to authorize the student to decline to submit an application. Additionally, under option 3 of the opt-out form, a school counselor is authorized to submit the form on behalf of the student for good cause. Good cause should be locally defined by LEAs and may include criteria determined to be appropriate by the LEA.
Federal Student Aid Resources *English and Spanish*
Federal Student Loans: Basics for Students (Spanish Version)
Check under Loan Information, Booklets and Brochures for more like this.
must meet the following four provisions:
Online TASFA Application will be available Oct. 1, 2022.
counselors or advisers to view, track, or verify the TASFA
status of their students. However, here are some best
practices to assist with this process.
*The DIGITAL SAT Suite of Assessments*
On January 25, 2021 the College Board announced that the SAT Suite of Assessments is going digital. This will begin rolling out in the U.S. in Fall 2023 with the PSAT.
Here is a link to the website about the digital SAT, which includes an FAQ page: sat.org/digital.
Here is a link to the official press release: https://newsroom.collegeboard.org/digital-sat-brings-student-friendly-changes-test-experience.
There was a webinar on January 25, 2021, but if you click on the registration link below you can still access the recording.
College Board for Counselors Website
On this site, you can:
- Review Coronavirus Updates for School Counselors
- Access College and Career Planning Resources
- Register for Upcoming and On-Demand Professional Development Webinars
- Check Out our SAT Suite of Assessments and College Board Opportunity Scholarships Program E-Modules
- Join the Online Counselor Community
- Sign up for our monthly Counselor Newsletter
College Board Counselor Workshop 2021— Texas.
Here is the Link to Access the Recording and PowerPoint Presentation:https://globalmeet.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1454128&tp_key=524a9ceb13
Texas College Bridge
Texas College Bridge
Texas College Bridge is an online college preparatory program that fits into existing curriculum, satisfies HB5 requirements for college prep courses, and helps with CCMR A-F accountability. Whether you're completely new to Texas College Bridge or have been participating in Texas College Bridge and need a deeper dive, we've got the session for you!
TEA is covering costs for Texas College Bridge through June 2024! Explore the resources below:
Video Overview of College Prep, Texas College Bridge, and Being TSI Meet for CCMR Accountability
College and Career Support - eLearning through Texas OnCourse
Please contact jennifer.gunn@region10.org with any questions you may have.
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.
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
Apply Texas Account
Transcripts
and much more!
**For Apply Texas access or technical support, please contact Elaine Fackler at elaine.fackler@region10.org