Working with Minors in Schools: Legal and Ethical Considerations

Wendy Rock

Opening Workshop Speaker
Monday, April 3rd | 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

ABOUT THIS SESSION: School counselors must balance parents’ legal right to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives with students’ need for confidentiality. Participants will explore topics such as responding to potentially suicidal youth, supporting youth from marginalized populations, working with sexually active minor students, FERPA and counselor notes, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), and other sensitive topics. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2022) will be reviewed and an ethical decision-making process will be applied to case studies that will support participants in their understanding of the complex nature of around minor’s rights to confidentiality and parent’s rights while building confidence in their approach to challenging ethical dilemmas.

SPEAKER BIO: A professional school counselor with almost two decades of experience, Dr. Rock joined the Southeastern Louisiana University faculty full-time in the fall of 2017 as an assistant professor. She is a licensed professional counselor/board-approved supervisor, nationally certified counselor, and nationally certified school counselor. She currently serves as the school counseling coordinator. Dr. Rock received her M.Ed. from the University of Texas at Austin in Educational Psychology (concentration in school counseling) and her Ph.D. from the University of Holy Cross (New Orleans) in Counselor Education and Supervision. She presents on a variety of topics at both the state and national levels. She served as a past president of the Louisiana School Counselor Association (LSCA). She is a past co-Chair of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Positions Statement Committee, a past member of the Louisiana High School ReDESIGN Professional School Counseling Task Force, and a past Associate Editor of The Professional School Counselor. She is a member of the Louisiana ACT Council, a member of the national ACT Steering Committee, a member of the Louisiana Counseling Association Government Relations Committee, Chair of the LSCA Counselor Ethics and Professional Standards Committee, Co-Chair of the Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (ACES), School Counselor Interest Network, Secondary School Counselors Workgroup, and Chair of the ASCA Ethics Committee. Research interests include school counselor professional identity, the school counselor’s role in student mental health, school counselor-principal relationship, school counselor advocacy, and school counselor ethics.

What is Equity and Why Do All Children Deserve It?

Rodney Robinson

Keynote Speaker
Tuesday, April 4th | 8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

ABOUT THIS SESSION: Rodney will define what equity means in education today. He will give concrete examples of inequities and how school counselors play a solid role in ensuring all students receive an equitable education. Participants will leave speech energized with practical solutions to help end education inequities.

SPEAKER BIO: Rodney is a 21-year education veteran working with marginalized black and brown communities in Richmond, Virginia. He has received numerous awards for his accomplishments in and out of the classroom, most notably the 2019 National Teacher of the Year. His current role is as a senior policy advisor with Richmond Public Schools in charge of Teacher Pathways with a specific focus on the RVA Men Teach Program to recruit and retain male teachers of color in Richmond Public Schools.