Making a Difference in the Lives of Students (GSCA 2023 Annual Conference)

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

How can you make a comprehensive change in addressing student anxiety? Examine some of the most used interventions and why many may do more harm than good. Discover alternative, more effective strategies to directly impact students using parent book groups and professional development. Examine your own reactions to anxiety and how these influence attempted interventions and the students you serve. Walk away with plans to implement both parent and educator book studies.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

The U.S. Department of Education has overhauled the FAFSA to an extent we haven't seen in a generation, and its impacts will be felt well beyond the financial aid office.  Join Sallie Mae and a panel of college, state agency and counseling professionals to give an overview of the changes, how they may impact students, and how high school counseling and admission offices are communicating the changes and adapting to ensure a positive student experience.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Delivery of whole-group counseling instruction requires school counselors to enter existing classroom cultures established by the teacher of record. In this session, participants will learn a "community gathering" strategy utilizing combined training in small group counseling, restorative practices, and social emotional learning. Come learn how class cultures are transformed the minute the school counselor walks in the door. 

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

As a leader, how do you get your school or district on board with appropriate duites for a school counselor? You make sure everything is clearly spelled out in a comprehensive school counseling guidebook. Then you create classroom lessons for each grade level that support the guide and the standards that have been included. 

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Counelors are tasked to support attendance and negative effects of absenteeism are well documented. However, counselors have little training or resources to impact change in this area. Affecting attendance is a challenge due to little parental support. With COVID-19, attitudes, viewpoints, and routines for attendance changed, making impacting attendance more difficult. Learn to garner support from administration and  implement a school-wide and targeted attendance program. Leave with ideas and resources to implement in your school.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

There has been growing recognition of the power differentials in student advocacy. While some students have access to resources and support that enable them to advocate for their needs effectively, others may not have the same advantages. Due to systemic biases and discrimination, students from marginalized backgrounds may face unique challenges in advocating for themselves. This presentation explores these power dynamics and provides practical strategies for counselors to bridge the communication between teachers and students.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

We all have days when we feel worn out...burned out...overwhelmed and just plain frustrated!! This experiential workshop will provide activities and skills to help you hit PAUSE! Through whole group and small group exercises you will learn how to regulate your emotions so you can talk the talk and walk the walk.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

The stats are alarming, and our experiences agree. Students need support with reducing anxiety, increasing happiness, and learning how to flourish. This program explores an intervention done several times this past year and summer using the Yale Science of Well-being course. Students increased in well-being based on pre/post measures. We’ll discuss formats (lessons, group, virtual) and practical strategies. It is free, flexible and the most meaningful thing I have been able to do in while.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

The Georgia Apex Program illustrates the importance of community, parent, and school engagement in implementing a successful three-tiered model of school-based mental health. The Apex approach builds on communities’ and schools' existing strengths, such as community service boards, school counselors, parents, and school administration. This research-backed model has been successfully implemented in 700+ schools in Georgia under the Apex program. This presentation walks attendees through the why, what, and how of this collaborative, strength-based model.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

As a school counselor, our goal is to support the academic, social, and emotional growth of all students. One way to achieve this is by using school-wide activities to create a positive school culture and improve motivation and student achievement. By involving the entire school community in these activities, we can create a supportive and engaging environment that fosters student success.

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

The RAMP application process is the culmination of successfully implementing the ASCA National Model framework which demonstrates improved student outcomes in the school counseling program. Schools considering seeking the RAMP designation are encouraged to attend this session to determine when and how to apply.   This session will cover steps to implementing a comprehensive school counseling program and beginning the RAMP application journey.  

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

Many k-12 students experience trauma prior to entering kindergarten. A variety of experiences ranging from domestic violence and abuse to natural disasters and racism can lead to symptoms of trauma. This session will focus on understanding symptoms of childhood trauma and its impacts on the academic, social/emotional, and career development of students. School counselor strategies and interventions for addressing trauma from within a social justice framework will be explored.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

BigFuture rewards students with scholarships for doing what they already are doing: planning for life after high school. There are no essay,  minimum GPA, test score, or citizenship requirements. By completing college and career planning steps, students have chances to win one of hundreds of $500 scholarships or one of two $40,000 scholarships awarded every month. Join this session to learn how your students can become eligible to win a BigFuture Scholarship!

School Administrator

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

While Counselors and Administrators work side-by-side within a school to support students, they do so in many different ways.  Often, both find that the other group just doesn't understand where they are coming from when decisions are made that impact students.  This presentation will address understanding these different roles, and finding the best practices for working together as a team to better support students. 

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Advocacy is critical to removing barriers to student success. This fun, energetic, and engaging presentation will explore school counselors as dynamic agents of change who help schools close achievement gaps and prepare students for life after high school. Exploration and discussion will focus on diversity and how school counselors can creatively support students' academic, career, and social needs.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

This presentation aims to address the unique challenges faced by first-generation low-income students in accessing higher education, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). By exploring strategies for increasing opportunities and support, we will discuss the role of school counselors in guiding these students towards HBCUs. Attendees will gain insights into innovative practices, resources, and partnerships that can empower first-gen low-income students to pursue and attend HBCUs, which could be life changing.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Parents and students are often surprised by the changes in disability services when they leave high school and go into college.  Laws are different and the college won't do as much to monitor or support the student.  The student will have to take on more responsibilities to advocate for themselves.  

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

The ultimate goal of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is to help increase resilience in individuals through changing behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal patterns that cause problems in their daily life.  In this session you will learn the basic skills of implementing DBT into your day-to-day routine as a professional school counselor through an engaging, hands on approach!

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

If heard and harnessed appropriately, student voice can be a powerful piece of data that informs academic success, emotional development, social climate and cultural responsiveness in school. In this session, learn how to provide space and opportunities for students to share their experiences, perspectives, and ideas to enhance school equity, culture, classroom support, and school wide practices.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Prior to pandemic times, research showed an increase in suicide ideation/beahviors. It has only increased as a result of the pandemic and social/political unrest and has been exacerbated by social isolation. Learn about how to imbed the world’s leading suicide prevention model into your district’s policies and counseling practices. Going further, learn about how to reach outside the walls of the school to build a wide network for a suicide safer community.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

Need money for your counselor budget? This session will provide you with practical ways to raise funds to increase your counselor budget so that you can provide MORE incentives, rewards, recognition, supplies, materials and MORE for your students.  

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

From cavemen to Hieroglyphics, humans have used visuals to communicate and record information. Along the way, we replaced visuals with written and verbal communication. Is it effective? Let’s return to kindergarten basics by learning how visual note-taking increases retention and understanding of difficult concepts. Transform how students receive and store information by teaching them how to sketch note. No artistic abilities are required, but you’ll leave with confidence in your new skill of visual note-taking.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Participants in this session will learn how to manage students and run an effective classroom guidance lesson.  The first priority when teaching a lesson is to engage all students so that you are able to get your message across.  Counselors are called to teach in every classroom as well as help with behavior problems.  The participant will learn strategies to remain calm and diffuse a situation so that instruction can continue and disruptions are minimized.  

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

With 26 colleges and universities across the state, the University System of Georgia (USG) provides a wide range of opportunities for students to participate in dual enrollment while in high school and to continue their education after high school graduation.  Join this session to learn more about the University System and the resources designed to help students explore and pursue their postsecondary options in Georgia.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Being an elementary school counselor is supposed to be fun, right? Yes, we must collect and disaggregate data, call DFACS, and sometimes serve as proctors. However, we got into this profession because we love kids and know that to engage learning we need to keep their attention. This session is presented by six experienced elementary school counselors excited to share their latest and greatest FUN tools and techniques that are guaranteed to work with students.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

While African American students make up just under 15% of the K-12 school population, they account for more than 20% of the special education population. Learn how to address this disproportionality of minority students in special education as a school counselor or school counselor educator by being an agent of change.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Mental health has become a global concern, affecting individuals from all walks of life. Come with me as I share one rural school districts journey in advocacy to enhance access to mental health services for their students and families. By advocating for accessible mental health services in the school district, we are bridging the gap and addressign barriers to make a difference in the lives of our students. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

A comprehensive advisement program is important for all students, but is critically important for students in the margins such as recently arrived immigrant students. This session will introduce an advisement program for recently arrived immigrant students in high school. Presenters will discuss unique needs of recently arrived immigrant students, importance of an inclusive and comprehensive advisement program, and share resources for attendees.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Think you need talent to facilitate a drum circle?  Think again! You will learn basic beats and put them into action as soon as you get back to your building.  Why drumming?  This ancient ritual regulates our body and mind regardless of age, skill level, and degree of participation.  Curious?  Come by and get your drum on! 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

The USG Georgia Degrees Pay website provides a number of online tools that make it easy for students to research and compare the USG colleges and universities. The Cost of Attendance, Your Future Earnings, and Student Success by Institution comparison tools provide information that help students make informed postsecondary decisions. Join us to learn more about these powerful tools and how they can help your students research their postsecondary options.

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Although the arts can be viewed as simply an outlet for students, many are unaware of its inconspicuous benefits.  The arts can improve students’ communication and problem-solving skills, collaboration, and overall increase confidence.  In my presentation, I will discuss how the arts can benefit students’ academic achievement, self-esteem, social-emotional learning, and creativity.  The attendees will understand how the arts positively correlate with students’ performance using research, teachers' and students' anecdotes, and data.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

School counselors make a difference in students' lives! They are mindful of how they help, advocate, and influence student success. This fun, energetic, and engaging presentation will explore stories, games, and other tools that will be helpful with individual students, small group sessions, and classroom lessons! The discussion and activities will focus on how school counselors can creatively support students' academic, career, and social needs. Participants will leave with ideas they can implement right away!

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

If you are considering pursuing an EdS or Doctoral degree in counseling, this session is for you. Learn from practicing school counselors who are juggling the demands of work, a full-time graduate program, family, and life, and learn strategies on how they manage it all. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Career Advancement

Many school counselor advance their skills and knowledge with a doctoral degree. Knowing what kind of doctoral degree and programs are out there can be confusing. Going to the right program to get the kind of degree you want is important when it comes to having the options you want after graduation. We'll cover all of the above and share our varied backgrounds and experiences too!

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

The Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling Competencies urges that all persons have the potential to live a fully functioning, emotionally healthy life. High school experiences are stunting LGBTQ+ youth's potential; they experience higher levels of victimization, resulting in a disconnect from their school community, poor academic performance, and decreased desire for post-secondary education. School Counselors are uniquely positioned to address this vulnerability through individualized college and career readiness activities.  

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Social media usage has steadily increased over the last decade among adolescents. Unfortunately, the consequences are also growing and becoming a source of concern in the learning environment. School counselors should become savvy by implementing a SMART Initiative (Social Media Activities Revolving Teens). School counselors can reveal the different social media apps utilized amongst teens, impart strategies through social/emotional planning, and educate stakeholders on the dangers and preventative measures for inappropriate social media behavior.

Elementary

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Tips and Technology

Whether you are fresh out of your graduate program, a seasoned practitioner moving to another school, or you are just looking to freshen up your existing program, starting a new comprehensive school counseling program can be quite daunting! In this session, participants will receive tips and tricks for starting from scratch, and how to set up for success starting DAY 1! 

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

From “Where do I begin?” to “How do I keep things fresh and relevant?”, learn from these two perspectives ways to organize your program, tips for working with students in all settings with take aways such as having a notebook of session plans, program development, and assessment of your program. Presenters will provide detailed information on structuring your yearly program, using data to show student growth and development, and how to advocate for your program.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Tips and Technology

Advocating for your comprehensive school counseling program and gaining administrator and staff buy-in can be daunting. Decisions that impact your program can be made without counselor consideration or feedback. Channel your inner “Hamilton” and get in the “rooms where it happens,” as two school counselors share how they increased support of their program through data, food, and fun.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Tips and Technology

Federal Student Aid has been working to ‘simplify’ the FAFSA for the past several years.  The 2024-25 FAFSA having the most changes.  This session will walk through the FAFSA changes, discuss how the changes will impact FAFSA completion events, students financial aid, as well as the post-secondary’s award process.  Real student scenarios will be used as examples for the new FAFSA.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Did you know the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is NOT a military test and assists with College Readiness? The ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP) allows students to explore multiple paths to success -- college, certification, apprenticeships, Military, etc. in one place. Receive an overview on the complete ASVAB and career exploration program to nullify preconceived myths surrounding this planning tool. Session informs educators who advise or influence students’ post-high school graduation plans.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

This session focuses on a comprehensive advocacy approach, which, like the starfish, has five "arms" (stakeholder groups) that impact students' lives.  Participants will learn advocacy strategies for addressing students' needs at the building, community, district, state, and national levels.   

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Engaging instructional strategies are essential for school counselors who want to deliver interactive and meaningful lessons to their students. In this workshop, participants will learn how to identify, select, adapt, implement, and evaluate engaging instructional strategies that operationalize the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success. This workshop will provide participants with a toolkit of engaging instructional strategies that they can use in their lessons to enhance student learning and engagement.

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

"Exploring Effective Play Therapy is a counseling workshop designed to bring awareness to the Theoretical Model of Play Therapy. Counselors will have the opportunity to examine the use of play therapy and its benefits in helping students impacted by trauma or psychological issues express their feelings easily through play as an alternative to traditional talk therapies.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

Is there a need for mental health services in your school? Have clinical mental health counselors been introduced in your building yet seem detached from you and your environment?  Join this interactive session as we explore how school counselors and community mental health counselors can collaborate to contribute to student success in the school environment. Build a toolkit through a case scenario that identifies the roles, interventions, and strategies necessary to sustain this growing partnership. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Learn about our experience working to increase access and achievement in AP, IB, and dual enrollment courses for students of color at a diverse Atlanta-area high school, and how our program has expanded to include feeder schools within the cluster. We will discuss the various interventions we used to begin the diversification process, including small groups, individual counseling, bilingual parent nights, administrator consultation, and more. Come learn and share your ideas!

Middle

Intermediate Counselors (5-10 years)

Student Focused

Self-injury is a common, destructive, and alarming behavior among adolescents.  Marsha Linehan's Dialectical Behavior Therapy provides techniques that allow counselors to address this phenomenon in a safe and clinically supportive manner.  Understanding the psychology of self-injury and basic (DBT) strategies can help school counselors differentiate self-injury from suicidal ideation, address self-injury in a supportive and direct manner, and help prevent future self injury in students.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Restorative Practices is a relationship-focused approach that maximizes student motivation and learning, repairs harm, and restores relationships.  Student and staff lives can be changed inside the school environment and outside.

Have you ever wanted to bring sustainable positive change when problem solving with others? Students or your own families? Then learning and implementing restorative practices is a mindset and approach that will bring that positive change to your life and the lives of others.

Secondary

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Student Focused

Learn about how your girls can start to RULE their EXPERIENCES. Ruling our experiences is an organization that helps cultivate and mold young girls of BIPOC to rule their experiences. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Tips and Technology

Are you having trouble tracking all the tasks you do daily? Are you tracking them, but must create your own separate graphs?  GaDOE has made it possible for all school counselors to track their time and advocate for their comprehensive programs by purchasing SCUTA. This program is a game changer in allowing counselor s to track their time and allowing their work to speak for itself. 

Nearing Retirement/Retired

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

Have you thought about obtaining your license to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in GA? There is a high demand for counseling services for children and adolescents, and school counselors are uniquely qualified to help meet this need. This session will discuss the process to become an LPC and open a private practice. The benefits of clinical supervision while adding a “side job”  will be discussed along with transitioning to private practice after retirement.

Elementary

Intermediate Counselors (5-10 years)

Student Focused

Looking for ways to increase engagement within your small group counseling sessions? You will leave this session with ready-to-use resources to integrate grade appropriate STE(A)M into small groups. Scholars will have a chance to preview or review vocabulary while practicing skills from their academic setting to build social/emotional competencies.  Best of all, this visual and kinesthetic approach will help students remember what they learned so they can apply it later.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

While most families agree that college is an investment in their student’s future, many are confused and stressed about paying for that education. Join this session to explore what college-bound high school families know and expect about paying for college, and how that compares to the realities experienced by currently enrolled undergraduates. We will investigate how families’ understanding of available funding sources, attitudes and behaviors change as families begin and follow their higher education journey.  

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Advocacy

We receive messages of stereotypes and assumptions at an early age. This session will focus on what those early messages are and where they come from. Participants will have an opportunity to identify experiences that have consciously and unconsciously shaped their identities, assumptions about others and people in their world view. Particpants will also reflect on how we can unlearn those messages in order to reduce the impact of bias on our students and communities. 

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Psyhcho-educational small groups are an effective way to help students in their academic and social/emotional development. In this session, participants will overview a unit of 6 group lessons that target students' academic readiness skills, and topics include goal setting, time management, learning styles, and self-advocacy. Each lesson incorporates creative activities that facilitate students' attainment of identified ASCA student standards and learning objectives. Activities include kinetic drawings, phototherapy, movement, use of props, and role-playing.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

Want to truly make a difference in the lives of students? Come learn fun ways to create meaningful relationships in your school! Through a partnership between principal and counselors, relationships built on trust are created and modeled from the top down. The principal and counselor each play a specific role, all while building relationships with staff and students. These relationships have the potential to change your school!

School Administrator

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Black men are rare commodities in both the educational field and counseling profession across levels. Although they are uniquely positioned to serve kids of color, they are often positioned in ways that threaten their very existence. Black male school counselors are an endangered species. This presentation isn’t just social justice and advocacy work, it is an attempt to preserve the lives of black male school counselors and the lives of kids who look like them.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Do you want to maximize learning? Are you interested in increasing student engagement? How would you like to learn how to improve positive character development strategies and leadership skills? Students today are battling with trauma-related issues more than ever before. Understanding leadership and character development is one way to mitigate the negative behaviors that impede student learning in the classroom.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

This presentation describes how schools and districts partner with the US ARMY across school settings by focusing on secondary school relationships. The presentation illustrates how to form relationships to meet high school-aged students' shared career and educational readiness goals. This program will review how schools and armed forces recruiting agencies work together to enhance test-taking and academic skills, Career Exploration Program, and shared resources related to prevention of drug use, truancy, and other at-risk behaviors.

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Did you know that 80% of Restorative Justice in education is preventative? Restorative Justice is much more than just formal circles. Relationship building is the foundation of a successful restorative framework. From affective language to formal conferencing, in this session we will take a look at Tier I and Tier II tips and tools to engage, communicate, and build relationships with students. This session is for counselors of students at all grade levels.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

Today, it is widely known that nutrition plays a key role in your physical health. It directly affects our mental and emotional well being. Studies point to a correlation between certain types of food, mental illness and mood disorders.

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Student success is at the forefront of school improvement efforts, but often times, districts, schools and teams need effective strategies for aligning practices to results. Learn about the SREB Powerful Student Support Practices and how your team can use the practices to focus efforts and leverage faculty and staff to empower students.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Attendance has always been a daunting task for many school counselors. Student attendance is one of the most important factors of their success. Would you like to learn how to develop an attendance plan for your school that includes a tiered approach to interventions and data collection? Learn how develop an attendance plan to get your students in school, on time, everyday!

Secondary

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Counselor Focused

Interested in becoming a site supervisor for practicum or internship? Have you been a supervisor in the past, but would like a refresher on supervision models of skills? Tried to be a supervisor and felt overwhelmed? Come join us for a brief overview of the primary goals of supervision, strategies for effective multicultural supervision, and a review of key supervision skills and techniques.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Tips and Technology

Welcome to the digital world! Are you novice or experienced school counselor looking for ways to support your school counseling program and students? Look no further! This session will review the many technology tools available to school counselors to help in organization, enhancements and advocacy for their school counseling programs, while discussing technology tools of engagement for students. A technology device, preferably laptop is required, as participants will walk away with a digital toolbox.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Horticultural therapy is an evidence-based modality centered on gardening and plant-based activities. Horticultural therapy is an approach to teach children to grow plants, thus enabling them to make the connection that growing plants can help them understand themselves better; it is a useful stress management technique; and can result in something that gives them a sense of accomplishment. The research findings and benefits will be presented. This is a highly interactive presentation.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

Hear what Georgia’s young people say they want and need adults to know about mental health today. By sharing young people’s voices alongside fresh data, this session will increase participants’ knowledge of teens' views of mental health needs as well as healthy approaches to self-expression. You'll learn teens’ perspectives on what works in reducing stigma and fostering communication about mental health, as well as how to effectively engage youth in conversation around mental health.

Middle

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Tips and Technology

When we document our time correctly and methodically, we create data that can be used to develop a data-driven school counseling program. We will review the basics of MTSS and MTMDSS and simplify their complexities. Theory will be followed with hands-on real-world examples that illustrate the relation between the ASCA National Model, the three tiers, school data, your data and more.

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

The counseling department at Riverside Middle School created the Eagle Ambassador program approximately 9 years ago. Since it's inception, it has grown in popularity within our school community. The Eagle Ambassadors are a small group of students dedicated to the positive promotion of Riverside Middle. This student led leadership program provides students with an opportunity to develop and receive hands-on leadership training. In this session, learn how to make a difference through student leadership.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

School counselors are often the “construction workers” in their buildings as they repair, build, and provide tools for students. One important role school counselors play is building students' self-esteem. In this session participants will learn how to conduct a self-esteem small group using activities, such as role-playing, self-reflection, and goal-setting.  Participants will leave motivated with tools that can help students develop a positive self-image and confidence to tackle challenges and pursue their goals.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

A positive school culture is essential for student success and creates community among all stakeholders. PBIS provides the framework to establish a safe, connected, and thriving school environment for all students.  Presenters will detail the implementation of PBIS Tier One core practices, including classroom systems, in the elementary setting and the implementation steps for a successful PBIS Tier 2 check-in/check-out program.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

It is impossible to overestimate the value of communication between families and schools. According to research, students who have involved families perform better academically, adjust to new situations more quickly,  have stronger social/emotional abilities, and graduate at higher rates. Parents who are aware of what is going on at school can better support their children thus integrating home with school. Because of this, a school's overall equity objectives must include equitable communication with parents.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

This interactive session will focus on strategies we can use in our school counseling programs to increase parent involvement and improve student success for our English Language Learners. Attendees will learn how to implement strategies and interventions for engaging with parents and students when there is a language barrier.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Historically marginalized students that don’t fit the traditional mold are at-risk of thriving positively in the post-secondary setting. School Counselors can help promote an equitable level playing field by providing access to many 3-E DIAMOND post-secondary opportunities for students.  Advocacy and empowerment support are the critical game changing elements that students want, need, and deserve from school counselors.   

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

The goal of this session is to provide information to Professional School Counselors, Counselor Educators, Supervisors, Counseling Students, College Advisors and Educators concerning the various strategies that can be applied to assist undocumented high school students through the post-secondary process. Participants will receive information regarding the associated ethical approaches and legal policies.

Elementary

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Student Focused

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental condition affecting approximately 1 in 59 children. Children with ASD are at-risk for increased school refusal, social isolation, and peer victimization. School counselors have a responsibility to respond to these issues. However, school counselors report that they are not prepared to assist students with disabilities when they graduate. This session will address educational issues faced by students with ASD and strategies to assist students.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Student stress is rising and elementary school students are no exception. NCES (2022) reports that 76% of public schools report an increase in school staff concerns regarding student mental health.  School counselors are in a unique position to help students deal with increasing stress through whole class instruction. This presentation will discuss strategies for school counselors to help elementary school students deal with both short term and long term stress through whole class instruction.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Across the United States, more than 300 Colleges and Universities have Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Programs (IPSE) designed to provide academic, social, and career development opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This presentation will discuss the impact and legacy of such programs on students. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Does your college & career readiness program make a difference in the lives of your students? Are you facilitating activities to elevate your students to success? Or, are you checking off tasks on list? This interactive session is designed to share engaging and energizing college and career activities that will empower your students for their post secondary plans. If your former students do not call about participaing in these activities, this session is for you!

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

School Counselors are in a unique position to close the achievement gaps experienced by marginalized students. School counselors are intimately involved in the selection of courses from 8th grade through senior year of high school. By identifying students of color that have not fully grasped their academic potential, school counselors can address the issue of equity and inclusion in advanced level courses and create a pathway to college for marginalized students.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Learn the most common ways anxiety creeps into the college admissions process, impacting students, their families, and you!  Leave with methods to combat these unhealthy thought patterns, and learn how to change the conversation to focus on the things that matter most when it comes to ensuring that students end up at the college that is right for them. 

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

How can we become counselors where teachers, students, and staff feel the freedom to utilize us not only in times of crisis but also feel encouraged to approach their counselors with everyday questions and concerns? Using data, valuable methods on how to create and implement an effective open-door policy will be examined. Additionally, valuable open-door strategies that promote transparency, foster strong communication, and increase visibility resulting in a stronger counseling program will be discussed.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Black students with disabilities face barriers in preK-12 school years. Their parents/guardians witness their child receiving punitive school discipline, bias from educators, and non-inclusive postsecondary planning. School counselors are often unaware of these challenges.

Seldom-heard accounts centering Black parents’ experiences with their child’s postsecondary planning will provide session attendees with knowledge of how educators can better collaborate with Black parents of youth with disabilities to provide more equitable and inclusive opportunities. 

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Starting this fall, high school seniors will receive a letter from Governor Kemp providing postsecondary institutions that match their current high school credentials. Students may then access GAfutures to learn about their options as well as financial aid. Once ready, they can confirm their interest in admission to a selection of their matching institutions.  Join representatives from GSFC, GADOE, TCSG, and USG to learn about Georgia’s Direct Admission program and how it can help students.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Is your district struggling to meet the mental health needs of your students?  Let’s talk about building a comprehensive district-wide approach to meeting this goal.  Participants will learn about a multi-tiered initiative that includes obtaining student voice, building community partnerships, providing staff wellness, school based mental health services and creating data-driven interventions.  Come learn about our passionate pursuit of mental wellness for our school community. 

Middle

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

Career Advancement

Clinical supervision plays a vital role in the professional development of counselors, but school counselors have little access to quality supervision after they graduate from master's program. This program will highlight the benefits of receiving supervision on job performance, confidence, and burnout, and provide a peer supervision model that is effective and free. Participants will hear from school counselors who utilized the model, and will leave able to start their own peer supervision.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Career Advancement

It's never too early for students to begin their future! By identifying their interests, students will be guided to explore various careers. Whether a student has known since first grade what they want to be or has no idea, this activity will help students learn about many careers. Students will not only become very familiar with a specific job but also learn the important skills of planning, researching, organizing, managing time, and oral presentation.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Puppets and Crayons-- A Creative Approach to using Play Therapy in Schools will be a hands-on interactive experice for school counselors to learn more techniques and strategies to add to their toolkit. They will learn ways to use expressive arts when working with students of varying backrounds and expereinces. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Career counseling in the rural setting requires school counselors to meet student and community needs while respecting the qualities inherent in rural education and the rural setting. Learn effective strategies for advising rural students about STEM careers. This presentation includes a focus on guiding and motivating rural students as well as ways to collaborate with school personnel and unique rural community stakeholders to facilitate career advising with rural students.

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Advocacy

Don’t ask; don’t tell, don’t counsel.  LGBTQ+ students are being harmed by schools and a society that seeks to erase them. Counselors doing their jobs of supporting queer/ trans students are facing new challenges. Beyond knowledge, skills, and attitudes, we have heightened need for thoughtful advocacy. What can we do? How do we do it best?  This program is a group forum as we look at best practices, our situations, and our needed supports. 

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

This session will include non-traditional paths to high school graduation including Accelerated Career, the Dual Achievement Program, and opportunities at Georgia’s College and Career Academies

Secondary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Career Advancement

Georgia has many opportunities to connect people to skills and training required to enter the workforce! By bringing the Trade Talks to your school, you are Making a Difference in the Lives of Students. Students can access internships through the Trade employers and take advantage of WBL credits; they can participate in Dual Enrollment and access classes for free; and enter programs connected to the TCSG and USG exposing students to life changing opportunities.  

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

Student Focused

Learn about how trauma affects the brain, attachment, and overall child development. This session dives into the various impacts of childhood trauma, including the impact on emotional development, social adjustment, classroom behaviors, and family dynamics. You will leave this session with ideas of how you as a school counselor can make a positive difference in the lives of your students, staff, and the overall culture of your school. 

Elementary

Beginner Counselors (1-4 years)

General Counseling

The use of restorative practices helps students change their behavior which, in turn, improves their academic achievement. Restorative Practices teach students skills to deal with difficult situations and increase their desire to act more responsibly and respectfully. This presentation will provide counselors with proven Restorative approaches that decrease the need for punitive approaches and increase instructional time. This presentation will also teach innovative techniques for using a restorative mindset approach in schools more effectively.

Counselor Educator/Supervisor

Appropriate for All Counselors

Counselor Focused

In the school counseling profession, counselors will have to manage a crisis. How prepared are you? How prepared is your district? No matter the size of your school or district - crisis management preparation is a must! This session will cover the ins and outs of managing a crisis. Participants will leave with multiple tools, tips, and templates that will assist with developing comprehensive crisis intervention plans for implementation in their schools.

Elementary

Appropriate for All Counselors

General Counseling

 A QUARTER OF A CENTURY of BOOK-A-HOLICS!  We’re celebrating 25 years of school counselors using fantastic children’s literature to enhance our counseling programs!  The self-proclaimed President of Book-A-Holics Anonymous is back to bring you dozens of children’s books and ideas for using them in your counseling program in this practical and fast-paced workshop!  With a complete bibliography of books arranged by subject, you will leave with LOTS of ways to become a Book-A-Holic yourself!

Middle

Appropriate for All Counselors

Tips and Technology

Do you feel like no one knows exactly what your school counseling program entails? Focus on creative ideas, fun activities and step-by-step methods you can use to promote, enhance and increase the visibility of both yourself as a school counselor and your school counseling program to all stakeholders. Hear about social media tricks, tips to boost your school counseling website, ways to create catchy announcements and easy PR videos, and much more.