Office of School Counseling
Friday Sendoff - January 10, 2020
MUST DO ITEMS - Please read this section carefully
**NEW** The Semester 1 Use of Time data will be due on January 31st. The link and instructions will be provided in the 1/17 send-off. Be sure to keep accurate accounting of your time with students. This offers insight into your program and supports you may need as we identify staffing priorities.
Upcoming Meetings
Elementary Counselors Meeting
https://registration.bcps.org/Event.aspx?Event_DetailID=29405
This is a mandatory meeting for all elementary school counselors, which includes schools with more than one elementary counselor.
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2020, 09:00 AM
Sollers Point Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library, Sollers Point Road, Dundalk, MD, USA
High School Chairs Meeting
This is a mandatory meting for all high school department chairs.
Thursday, Feb 27, 2020, 08:00 AM
Crossroads Center, Crossroads Circle, Middle River, MD, USA
Middle School Chairs Meeting
This is a mandatory meeting for all middle school department chairs.
Thursday, Feb 27, 2020, 12:00 PM
Crossroads Center, Crossroads Circle, Middle River, MD, USA
Announcements
**NEW** SELF-CARE: We need your creative ideas!
The Office of School Counseling is tasked with creating activities for the Mind Over Matters campaign for the month of March. The focus for that month will be self-care. We will need to have activities for both staff and students (and their families) that are easily implemented both at home and at school. If you have anything you've done/shared with your school community and are willing to share it with us, please email Jen. We appreciate anything you're willing to share with us!
**NEW** BCACD is excited to offer you an upcoming Professional Development opportunity! Identifying Students in Crisis will be presented by Dr. Singer and Dr. Rosenthal of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioural Change. This PD will take place on Tuesday, January 28th from 4:45pm-6:15pm at Ridgely MS (Timonium). Earn Lauryn’s Law CEUs! This PD is free for BCACD members and $20 for non-members. See the attached flyer for additional information and RSVP to Heather Stackus (hstackus@bcps.org). Please feel free to share this PD opportunity with your School Social Workers and PPWs.
**NEW** MSCA Hometown Hero
Maryland School Counselor Association wants to highlight the amazing work school counselors are doing in the state of Maryland. Be creative,use powerpont, Youtube, etc to highlight school counselors who have made a significant contribution to the school counseling profession through advocacy, leadership, collaboration and/or systemic change. Examples of Hometown Heroes are school counselors who are applying for RAMP, started a new and innovative program at their school or in their community, created an outreach or after school program for at risk students, attend board meetings to advocate for school counselors, presents at conferences, uses data to show how their comprehensive school counseling program helped to achieve SIP goals, etc. The information you share will be presented at the School Counselor of the Year Gala on Friday, February 7, 2020. The deadline to submit your nomination is January 17th. See attached flyer below.
**NEW** Free parent workshop series - Below is the SERC FREE Parent Workshop winter series flyer. Please distribute to families in your school community.
A Message from TABCO
Sheila Harte-Dmitriev is the SE Zone UniServ Director for TABCO/ESPBC. She is the staff liaison for the Curriculum, Instruction and Climate Action Team which is compromised of several sub-groups of our members, including School Counselors. She spoke with Middle and High School Counselors to encourage counselors to be more active so counselor voices are represented. She asked that we share the following:
Your Association not only negotiates the terms of the TABCO Master Agreement (MA) with BCPS, but it is also our responsibility to enforce those terms. If you have questions after reviewing your agreement, speak to your Building Rep or contact your UniServ Director.
Of course, the best way to effect change is through collective action. One of the Action Teams for TABCO members is Curriculum, Instruction and Climate Team. This team meets the first Thursday of the month at the TABCO office and is made up of several sub-groups, like Early Childhood Teachers, Special Area Teachers and more. There is a group of School Counselors led by BCACD member and counseling chair Venetia Banks, who have started to attend to speak about the responsibilities and challenges unique to your role.
Finally, we are currently negotiating the entire Master Agreement with the core team being supported by a new expanded bargaining team. We wanted to ensure all the varied voices from the bargaining unit were heard and could help craft language which applies to them for the new Master Agreement.
School Counselors need to be represented. Please consider getting involved in your Union! Don’t agonize, organize!
Secondary Counselors
**NEW** Build Your Path Presents: Building Connections HR Panel- 2/27/20 at 3:30 - 6:00
Built environment industry employers are looking for talent at all levels. As an industry that is based on relationships, we are bringing these two very important groups (educators and employers) together to better understand each other, build relationships, and create talent pipelines. Please join us for a lively panel discussion from Human Resource Managers as they outline their efforts to hire the right people and what skills they look for in candidates.
US Naval Academy Summer Programs Applications for all summer programs are open.
SUMMER STEM For Students Entering 9th – 11th Grade (Current 8th graders ARE eligible!)
Considering a future in tech? Summer STEM at the Naval Academy is a vibrant week of problem-solving, exploratory learning, critical thinking, and team building for rising 9th - 11th graders interested in a future in Science, Engineering, Technology and Math.
SUMMER SEMINAR: For Students Entering the 12th Grade
Summer Seminar gives you a taste of life at the Academy and kick-starts your application journey for an appointment to the Academy. For one week in June, you will experience first-class academic, athletic and professional training while building lifelong friendships with campers from all over the country.
Secondary Department Chairs
World Language Grade 9 Placement
Reminder: Course Registration Guide Order
Please complete the survey below so we know how many Course Registration Guides to order for your office:
ESSA At a Glance
**NEW** Well Rounded Curriculum Scores
For students completing high school with a regular diploma, the student must have done one of the following during high school:
- scored a 3 or better on any AP exam
- scored a 4 or better on any IB exam
- scored a 530 or better on the Math and 480 or better on the EBRW SAT exams
- score a 21 or better on the ACT exam
- earned a Dual Enrollment credit**
High School Counselors
**NEW** Marine Corps Educator Workshop January 20-24, 2020
Marine Corps Recruiting Station invites educators to their annual workshop in Parris Island, South Carolina. This trip is part of the Marine Corps' continuing effort to acquaint interested educational leaders with teh role of the Marine Corps and to demonstrate the wide variety of occupational and educational training the Marine Corps offers to young men and women. During the workshop, you'll have to opportunity to earn up to 11.5 continuing education credits. This is a free workshop. Reservations are first come first serve. Contact Sgt. Torres at Raul.Torres@marines.usmc.mil or 410.850.9194 for more information. (flyer attached below)**NEW** Course History Process: Transcript Articulation
When students enroll in Baltimore County Public Schools, whether from private school, another state or county we transpose their record using a COURSE HISTORY FORM with the assistance of the MASTER COURSE FILE. It's crucial that all high school counselors adhere to the long standing practice of using the prior school's grading scale, not the BCPS grading scale. This information is typically located on the transfer transcript or school profile. Additionally all courses, including failed courses must be added to the BCPS transcript.
Counselors should do their due diligence to contact the sending school to research information about courses if there are questions. If there are questions about graduation requirements, please don't hesitate to contact your Specialist or individual content area offices. This contact should be documented directly on the transcript so there's a record of any contact made to resolve questions.
When entering information on the Course History Form, the course titles used should be the comparable BCPS course title, not the title from the sending school.
Home school students who present a transcript with grades and "credits" from their home school do not earn credits and should go through the credit by exam process for any courses they'd like to earn credits in.
When records secretaries add credit be exam courses to a home school student record, they should add the statement "credit by exam" in the teacher column.
Quarter grades are not transferable to another school year for use with current year quarters for credit to be awarded.
Counselors and records secretaries should not delete or edit BCPS courses from a student record for any reason that would give a student an unfair advantage. Please refer to BCPS Rule 4100 Sec V and ASCA Ethical Standards.
Course histories should be entered in SIS by the records secretary with all supporting documents attached to the course history form so they can be added to the educational record.
There are far reaching implications for the failure to accurately document student records, costing students college admissions, scholarships and NCAA eligibility.
Below is an example of a grading scale from Archbishop Curley High School:
Princeton Summer Journalism Program (Friday, July 31 – Monday, August 10, 2020) is a free residential journalism and college preparatory program for high-achieving current juniors from low-income backgrounds who are interested in journalism. Over 10 days, students live on campus at Princeton University and learn reporting skills from professional journalists. They also attend lectures on liberal arts topics led by Princeton U professors. Participants hold a press conference, produce a short documentary, report on a professional sporting event from the press box, attend a play or theatrical production, visit 3-4 major news outlets, and interview subjects for their feature stories in the Princeton Summer Journal. After the program, students are paired with a volunteer college adviser, a professional journalist, to help them through their application process.All program expenses, including meals, housing, airfare or train tickets to and from campus, are covered by the program. The online application is available on their website and due no later than Monday, February 17, 2020. Please note that students must submit an unofficial transcript to be considered. You may read about eligibility and the full application process here.
Please visit the new site at StudentAid.gov. For more information, please view the full announcement on the current StudentAid.gov website.
High School Department Chairs
**NEW** Online Transcript, Diploma and Graduation Verification Process
BCPS has implemented an exclusively online process for former students to request graduation verifications, duplicate diplomas, and transcripts. Additional information is available on the Official Transcripts, Duplicate Diplomas and Graduation Verifications page. This process is exclusively online, there are no longer walk-in services. High School staff may continue to serve graduates throughout their first year after graduation with transcript requests.
College and Career Readiness (CCR) Letters
College Counselors
PCACAC Conference
2020-2021 Guaranteed Access Grant and the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship Program
The application cycle is now open.
The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) started importing the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Maryland State Financial Aid (MSFAA) applications.
Therefore, students who meet the income requirements in either the Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant or the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship (Promise), will begin to receive notifications that they may be eligible for the program contingent upon submission of all required documentation. It is important to note that there is no separate application for either the GA or Promise program. Students are identified as potentially eligible for the program based on their income as reported on the FAFSA or MSFAA.
To assist you in navigating students through the 2020-2021 GA and Promise process, below you will find the following:
1. 2020-2021 OSFA Newsletter
2. GA Grant One-Pager to advertise the grant program at your school
3. Promise Scholarship One-Pager to advertise the scholarship program at your school
Important Things to Remember:
- NEW Effective for the 2020-2021 academic year the “High School Certification Form” is NO longer required for consideration of the Guaranteed Access Grant Award program. Therefore, high school counselors are not required to complete this form, as done in the past for applicants identified as potentially eligible for the GA program.
- NEW Effective immediately all required documentation for both the GA and Promise programs must be submitted by mail only at the address noted below. Electronic submissions of documentation are NO longer accepted due to the sensitivity of the information that is being transmitted.
Maryland Higher Education Commission
Office of Student Financial Assistance
Ground Floor Suite
6 N. Liberty Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
- For the 2020-2021 academic year, MHEC has elected to only select 60% of its GA initial applicants for the income verification process. However, all GA initial applicants regardless of being selected for the income verification process must a High School Transcript by April 1.
- The deadline to file the FAFSA or MSFAA for consideration of the GA Grant or Promise Scholarship is March 1, 2020.
- High School transcripts with approved signatures: Transcripts must include up to the first semester grades of a student’s senior year, including courses still in progress. If your school does not have a HS transcript that includes all 1st semester grades of the student’s senior year, please provide the most current HS transcript AND the student’s grade/progress report at the end of the 1st semester of their senior year. We will not be able to review the student’s information until this documentation has been provided.
- Encourage your students to check their emails, To-Do lists, and Application Status frequently. MHEC will send notifications to students regarding initial award acceptance and additional verification documents that may be requested.
- The deadline to submit all required documentation to MHEC for GA students selected for verification is April 1, 2020. This is a hard deadline.
- The deadline to submit all required documentation for the Promise Scholarship is June 15, 2020. This is a hard deadline.
If you have any questions regarding the information shared feel free to contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance at 410-767-3300
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.
College Fly-Ins
Recently Added/Updated Scholarships in Naviance
LifeBridge Health/ExpressCare Community Scholarship
Maryland Farm Bureau Scholarship
DCNNOA Scholarship
Cynthia E. Morgan Memorial Scholarship
DREAM.Us National Scholarship (FOR DREAM/DACA STUDENTS!!!)
ACS Scholars Program
Dwight P. Jacobus Scholarship
Love Your Career Scholarship
Young Filmmakers Contest
School Notification System Scholarship
GOLF CART GARAGE SCHOLARSHIP
Pawstruck Scholarship
SimpleTexting Scholarship
Mayfirm Scholarship
Academic University Scholarship
Marvel Optics Scholarship
Providian Medical Scholarship
Blaze Your Own Trail Scholarship
National Sojourners Essay Contest
PROFILE IN COURAGE ESSAY CONTEST
Center for Alcohol Policy Essay Contest
C-SPAN’s StudentCam Documentary Competition
Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship
Digital Privacy Scholarship
Ag Day Essay Contest
Montana Advocates Law Scholarship
I Have A Dream Scholarship
New Year’s Resolution Scholarship
Hispanic Scholarship Foundation
Relevant Bulletin Items
January 3, 2020 Bulletin: BCPS News Hub
BCPS News Hub is the new format for all superintendent bulletins. Staff will receive an e-mail each week with the link to the BCPS News Hub, which is a dynamic news feed powered by Microsoft SharePoint. Moving forward, staff will be able to visit the BCPS News Hub during the week for news that will be posted as soon as it is approved, thus making the BCPS News Hub a daily stop for information about BCPS.
Leadership Development
**NEW** LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR PROSPECTIVE DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
ORIENTATION AND TRAINING – SPRING 2020
Staff in the Department of Organizational Development, the Division of Curriculum and
Instruction Secondary Curriculum Offices, and the Division of Human Resources is offering a
spring orientation and training to acting and interested prospective department chairs. Acting department chairs who have not already completed these required sessions must
register for this professional learning opportunity.
Sessions will be held at the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology on
Thursday evenings from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. on the dates below:
• January 30, 2020
• February 13, 2020
• March 5, 2020
• March 26, 2020
• April 2, 2020
Interested participants must register by Monday, January 20, 2020, for the workshop by logging into BCPS One
Professional Development
**NEW** Best Approaches in Trauma Treatment 6 CEU's on 1/30/20 in Dundalk
**NEW** Ethical Obligations in Providing Trauma Based Services to African-Americans and Other Minority Groups 3 CEU's on 2/18/20 in Pikesville
**NEW** Ethics: Choosing Humility in Work with Diverse Populations 3 CEU's on 2/18/20 in Pikesville
**NEW** Lost in Translation: Mental Health Perspectives on Immigration and Acculturation (Live Webinar) 2 CEU's on 2/23/20
**NEW** A Closer Look at the Narrative Therapy (Live Webinar) 2 CEU's on 2/27/20
**NEW** Remember the Children: Effective Treatment for Children & Adolescents Diagnosed with PTSD, (Live Webinar) 2 CEU's on 3/11/20
**NEW**Through Grief and Through Growth: Promoting Support and Healing for Children and Adolescents in the Face of Loss (Live Webinar) 2 CEU's on 3/26/20
**NEW** Time to Thrive Conference - February 14-16, 2020
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation in partnership with the National Education Association and the American Counseling Association present Time To THRIVE, the annual national conference to promote safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ youth...everywhere! To register visit Time to Thrive.
The HRC Foundation and a few generous sponsors have agreed to fund a limited number of Registration Scholarships for educators, youth-serving professionals and college students with financial need who otherwise would not be able to attend Time to THRIVE. Fill out the Registration Scholarship application by clicking here.
Resource Roundup
Lending Library Items of the Week:
Office of School Counseling Lending Library
Email Sharon Holter to borrow any items from our Lending Library.
Inspiration and Good News
Relaxing sounds and scenes for your office
Websites
Traitify: https://bcps.traitify.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 email address: dhr.baltimorecountycps@maryland.gov
MHEC FAFSA Completion (MD CAPS): fafsa.mhec@maryland.gov