Counselor Connection--June 19
Education Service Center Region 15
School Counselor Spotlight
Amanda Lindero is the counselor at TLCA Midland. She has been in education for eight years and decided to become a school counselor in order to help students with social-emotional needs as well as move forward academically. Her favorite thing about being a counselor is helping students succeed when they felt like they couldn't. In counseling, she likes to use encouragement with follow-up. When asked what advice she would give others when they have a problem, Amanda says, "Try again, we only fail when we quit."
To decompress, Amanda likes to spend time with her family and pets. She has FOUR kids! A fun fact about Amanda is that she can play the saxophone!
Email: amanda.lindero@tlca-md.com
Website: https://www.texasleadershipmidland.com/
Location: 3300 Thomas Ave building r, Midland, TX 79703, USA
Phone: (432) 242-7117
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TLCA.Midland
PAX Good Behavior Game Professional Development
Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (TEHCY)
2023 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit
MHA’s 2023 BIPOC Mental Health Toolkit provides free, practical resources, including information about how an individual's culture and community impact their mental health, tips for community advocacy, and ways to build connections with others. In this toolkit, you can find factsheets, worksheets, resources, sample messages, sample images, posters, and more.
Foster Care and Student Success
The Foster Care and Student Success Guide is a valuable resource to support Texas schools in addressing the education of students in Foster Care. This Spring, TEA completed an 18-month training series that walks participants through every chapter in the guidebook. This webinar training series is available on TEA’s website and is a must-view for LEA leaders interested in creating a school community that supports the educational needs of students in foster care. To view the webinar recordings and presentation materials, you can visit the Foster Care and Student Success Guide Training Series website.
If you have any questions, please email fostercareliaison@tea.texas.gov.
The Texas School Counselor Association, a division of the Texas Counseling Association, is now accepting applications for the Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas (CREST) program.
Represent and advocate for your school counseling program. Get started on your online application! Need more information? Watch the training video.
Identification of Military-Connected Students
Pregnancy-Related Services
For program information, please see the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook, Section 9.
For more information or questions, please email PregnancyRelatedServices@tea.texas.gov.
TCA members have the opportunity to nominate themselves or their colleagues for positions on the TCA and Division Boards! Nominations will be open for 30 days! Elections will open in October.
Now is the time for you to influence the decisions, policies, strategies, and budgets that drive the work of TCA by either running for office or nominating someone who you know will represent your interests. While these are volunteer positions, expenses to participate in TCA and Division meetings are reimbursed. Terms will begin on July 1, 2024 – a whole year from now!
Participation in elections has been steadily declining across the state, the nation and even in TCA. You can reverse that trend by taking part in the TCA and Division nominations and elections!
Be on the lookout for an email from noreply@eballot.com (not TCA) for details on how to submit nominations. Be sure to check your spam folders as well.
College, career, and military readiness resources
FAFSA Reminders and Updates
Unaccompanied homeless youth will no longer need to verify their FAFSA independent status on a yearly basis. Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA form, applicants will have their answer to the homeless question carried over to subsequent award years. Renewal applicants who completed the 2023-2024 FAFSA form will also have their status carried forward if their circumstances remain unchanged and they remain in the same higher education institution. You can find the full updates on the Federal Student Aid USDE website.
Draft Recommendations for Career Preparation and Entrepreneurship
At the June 2023 SBOE meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) will discuss draft recommendations for CTE Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in career preparation and entrepreneurship. The draft recommendations are currently posted on the 2023 CTE TEKS Review webpage.
A public hearing on the proposed new career preparation and entrepreneurship TEKS is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, 2023. The public hearing and discussion items are posted in the SBOE’s agenda. Individuals may register online to provide public testimony from Thursday, June 15 at 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. (Central Time), on Friday, June 16. Public testimony is in-person at the Texas Education Agency.
Additional information regarding registration is provided on the public testimony registration web page. The SBOE meeting can be viewed via the live webcast. The webcast will also be archived and available via the same link after the meeting.
Official Public Comment Period for Proposed New Occupational Safety and Health TEKS
The SBOE approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed new TEKS for occupational safety and health at its April 2023 meeting. The official public comment period for the proposed new TEKS will close on Friday, June 16, 2023.
The SBOE is considering two options for TEKS in occupational safety and health:
· Proposed new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), §127.17 presents TEKS that would be required to be embedded into the content for 14 CTE principles courses. As the SBOE updates the CTE principles courses, these TEKS would be added into each of the specified courses.
- Proposed new 19 TAC §127.18 presents TEKS for a one-credit standalone course in occupational safety and health.
New Career and College Exploration TEKS
At the April 2023 meeting, the SBOE adopted new middle school TEKS in career and college exploration to be implemented beginning with the 2023-2024 school year. The Career and College Exploration TEKS can be used to satisfy the requirement for each student to receive instruction in high school, college, and career preparation at least once in grade 7 or 8 (TEC §28.016). Two service IDs will be published for the new TEKS in the July publication of the Texas Student Data System Public Education Information Management System (TSDS PEIMS). The new TEKS replace TEKS for Investigating Careers and College and Career Readiness.
Career and College Exploration will be effective in 19 TAC, Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School, on August 1, 2023. Prior to the August 1 effective date, districts and schools can access the TEKS here.
Educational Aide I Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Professional Development
“Creating A Cyber Resilient Community”
Cyberattacks on states and communities have been growing in number and have had a substantial negative impact on our citizens. Join us to become aware of these threats and gain knowledge of prevention tactics!
Angelo State University and the City of San Angelo have partnered to provide sustainable resources to organizations and citizens throughout the Concho Valley with the goal of becoming more cyber-resilient. The Concho Valley Cybersecurity Roundup unites leaders within the cybersecurity sector with our local leaders in education, business, non-profit and faith-based organizations, and critical infrastructure to strengthen cyber resilience through information sharing and networking.
Learn more from experts in the cybersecurity field, such as:
- UTSA’s Center for Infrastructure Assurance & Security (CIAS)
- Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Goodfellow Air Force Base (GAFB)
- Angelo State University (ASU)
- and many others!
Event Details:
- FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2023
- Free Event
- Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.
- Conference Welcome at 9 a.m.
- Light breakfast refreshments and lunch will be provided.
- The conference concludes at 4:30 p.m.
- Register online at www.angelo.edu/cyber-roundup
We are excited to announce The 67th Annual TCA Professional Growth Conference will be held at the Marriott Marquis Houston on Nov. 1-3, 2023. This year's theme is Counselors Lead. Early-bird registration is now open and ends June 30.
What to Expect:
- Earn 20+ CE hours
- Keynote Sessions
- Poster Sessions
- 4 Learning Institutes
The Marriott Marquis Houston, an elegant hotel in downtown Houston, will host our entire conference. The hotel group rate is $122 until the block fills up. Please book your room now as these rooms are going quickly!
San Antonio, here we come! The 19th Annual Professional School Counselor Conference will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio on Feb. 4-6, 2024. Next year's theme is Let's Sparkle and Shine! We hope to see you there! #CelebratingBrilliance2024
Upcoming Sessions at ESC
Open Registration: Little Changes = Big Results Conference
Registration is officially open for the Little Changes = Big Results Conference. This two-day conference is meant to tailor your needs and availability! You will receive a certificate for each session that you attend during the two-day conference, being able to earn up to 12 hours of CPE. Just like last year you get to choose the tools you need in your toolbox to get you ready for the upcoming year. This conference is for anyone that works with students: Admin, Gen Ed, SPED, Mental Health, Paraprofessionals, etc. This year we will have a variety of local presenters training on a variety of topics: Autism, Behavior, learning, classroom management, sensory, mental health, and so much more. Please share this with all your listserve, and with anyone that you feel will benefit from this conference. Looking forward to seeing you all this summer!
Our Key Speaker is Ashley Mohesky. Some of you might have even worked with Ashley Mohesky during your education career.
Ashley Mohesky is a graduate from San Angelo ISD. Ashley has a neurological disorder called Cerebral Palsy that affects her ability to walk and talk. Due to brain damage caused at birth, doctors predicted that she would not have a quality of life and at three years old, she was placed in special education. Ashley was evaluated for a communication device and after using it for a short time proved to excel at her studies and was transferred to general education. As Ashley reports, “During my time in school, I did everything that other kids my age did. In fact, I was voted prom queen during my senior prom. I also was on a bowling league for people with disabilities throughout college.” Ashley graduated high school and attended Howard College where she received her Associate degree in General Studies. Ashley went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Angelo State University.
Hotel Block is Open
CTE Professional Learning Dates
I wanted to share with you all several opportunities for professional development this summer. Last year, TEA created training geared toward new counselors and administrators and asked ESCs to conduct regional convenings. ESC 15 partnered with ESCs 14, 16, 17, 18, and 9 and held training at ESC 14. This year, these sessions will be available here at ESC 15. In addition to the new counselor/administrator training, TEA is releasing a series for experienced counselors and administrators. Please know you are welcome to attend any and all training regardless of your experience level or role. Counselors serve in many different capacities and you are welcome to attend administrator training. Registration is open for all sessions. Flyers have been attached detailing each session. Additional resources will be provided if applicable to the session.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you this summer.
Traci
Foster Care Summit 2023
Special Thanks to Education Service Center Region IV, which is graciously hosting this event for TEA, DFPS, and the Children's Commission. For this summit, Region IV LEAs, DFPS, CASA, and community resource providers will have the first opportunity to register starting June 1, 2023. Registration will open to all others interested in attending on July 19, 2023.
Registration: Link will be available through Education Service Center Region IV website
Thursday, Sep 21, 2023, 08:00 AM
M. O. Campbell Educational Center, Aldine Bender Road, Houston, TX, USA
Emergency and After Hours Resources
This list is of known providers of particular services. The providers on the list are from a variety of sources. The list is being provided as a courtesy, for information only, and the user should understand that no assurances or guarantees regarding the providers on the list are being made by providing this list. We do not endorse, approve, or recommend any specific provider listed below. This list is not inclusive of all community agencies, services, or organizations that provide the particular service, and the omission of an agency, service, or organization from this list does not imply disapproval. It is the responsibility of the user of this list to determine whether any of the content is of value to them and whether or not the agency, service, or organization meets their specific needs.
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National
- Emergency: (24/7): 911
- Referral Services: (crisis counseling, housing, food, health care, family services): 211 | https://www.211texas.org/
- Suicide Prevention: 988 | 988lifeline.org
- Self-Injury/Cutting: 1-800-366-8288 | selfinjury.com
- Eating Disorders: 1-800-931-2237 | nationaleatingdisorders.org
- Runaway Hotline: 1-800-231-6946 | 1800runaway.org
- Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 | childhelp.org/hotline/
- Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 | rainn.org
- Domestic/Relationship Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | thehotline.org
- Trevor Hotline for LGBTQ Youth: 1-866-488-7386 | thetrevorproject.org
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline | samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
- Other resources for developing healthy lifestyles, including mental and emotional help: helpguide.org
ESC 15 Counseling and Mental Health
Email: mentalhealth@esc15.net
Website: https://www.esc15.net/
Phone: (325)658-6571
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Region15ESC/
Twitter: @Region15ESC
Lesley Casarez, PhD, CCTS-I, CTP, CSC
Greg Hickey, LPC
(325) 658-6571 x2113
Anne Hardegree, LPC-S
(325) 481-4019
Alex Robles, LPC
(325) 481-4009
Alex Nieto
(325) 481-2151
Ella Nichols, LBSW
(325) 481-4062
Noemi Ucuk
Jessica Flores, LPC, BCBA
(325) 481-4057
Carol Stevens, M.Ed. CSC
McKinney-Vento, HELP Grant, and Counseling
Stephanie Soto
(325) 658-6571
Dava Rabb
(325) 658-6571 ext. 2120