We look forward to seeing you next year!
Details to come.
Details to come.
Click the sponsor logo to learn more about that sponsor.
We’re finalizing an exciting lineup of educators and thought leaders to create a meaningful conference experience. Check back soon for speak annoucements.
December 3, 2026 | 8:30 a.m.
Resilience has never been more important than it is right now in America’s schools and communities, many of which are still recovering from the risk-factors exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, and in the near future, schools must be purposeful in their efforts to foster resilience in students and staff. In the book, You Can Get in the Way, Dr. Hodge defines resilience in the following way: “Resilience refers to the ability to avoid, navigate, bounce back from, get through, get over, go around, or survive adversities of all kinds.”
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This session is the perfect way to inspire your school district, schools and/or community stakeholders to take action. In this session, Dr. Hodge provides an overview of the book along with very practical solutions to help buffer the risk-factors that traditionally hold kids back. It’s the perfect launch for a new school year, or a needed boost during the tough months that follow. After being shared with over 800 educators in a state-wide conference, this session has already been described as “life-changing” by many of those lucky enough to hear it.
John will also be presenting a breakout session.
Dr. John W. Hodge stands out as one of America’s most sought-after speakers in K-12 education. He is renowned for his ability to transform research into practical strategies for academic success. His journey in education began after serving with distinction in the 7th Infantry Division of the United States Army, laying the foundation for a career dedicated to empowering educators and students.
After beginning his journey in education at North Carolina A&T, Dr. Hodge continued his training at Virginia Tech, where he conducted extensive research on student resilience and factors influencing the academic outcomes of children from struggling families. This academic foundation, combined with his hands-on experience in various educational roles, has shaped his unique approach to education reform.
Throughout his career, Dr. Hodge has worn many hats – from reading and English teacher to school administrator and education consultant. Dr. Hodge served as an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher, and later became Associate Director of AVID Center Eastern Division where he helped expand the program to 13 states. His tenure as Director of An Achievable Dream Academy, a high-performing school in an economically challenged area, provided him with invaluable insights into effective educational interventions, particularly for schools serving impoverished children. This experience led him to co-found the Urban Learning and Leadership Center (ULLC), an organization dedicated to student achievement and reducing the achievement gap.
Today, Dr. Hodge serves as the Chief Inspirational Officer of AADULLC, following a strategic merger between ULLC and An Achievable Dream. This union has amplified their collective ability to assist school districts across the United States. What sets Dr. Hodge apart is his remarkable ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. He has a proven track record of helping educators in diverse settings – rural, urban, and suburban – implement necessary changes to meet and exceed rigorous academic standards. His expertise in creating and sustaining academic excellence has made him an indispensable resource for schools nationwide.
Dr. Hodge’s top-selling book, You Can Get in the Way: How You Can be a Roadblock to Risk Factors has been used as a guide by thousands of educators to galvanize the efforts of entire school staffs to help students reach their full potential. This influential work brings together those who support students regardless of their job title, creating unified teams focused on student success.
As one of America’s most respected voices in education, Dr. John W. Hodge continues to inspire and guide educators, helping them overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. His presentations and consultations serve as catalysts for continuous improvement in schools across the country, solidifying his position as a transformative figure in American education.
Additional speakers will be announced soon.
December 4, 2026 | 12:00 p.m.
Over the last few years it has become evident that the plates of school counselors across the nation have become increasingly full of challenges, such as staff shortages, increased mental health needs for adults and students, increased rates of truancy, decreased rates of academic achievement, and a noticeable lack of social skills and conflict resolution across all developmental stages. This list could go on!
Redesigning our systems to be more proactive is an essential part of breaking the cycle of reactivity that oftentimes leads to burnout and frustrations. Discover frameworks, strategies, and best practices that will leave you feeling empowered to embrace new concepts that may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable at first, but might be exactly the new approach that is needed to transform our student supports to be more comprehensive across all service providers, preventative in practice, and inclusive of ALL students.
Terri will also be presenting a breakout session.
Terri is a nationally recognized school counselor, educator, and passionate advocate for comprehensive, data-informed programs that emphasize intentional, proactive systems. With nearly 25 years of diverse experience that encompasses classroom instruction, school counseling, professional coaching/consultation, and leadership at both state and national levels, she has earned a reputation as a go-to speaker for impactful, practitioner-focused strategies that drive immediate implementation and results.
As a former National School Counselor of the Year and a pioneer in leading the transformation of her department from a reactive program into one of Michigian’s first schools recognized as an ASCA Model Program (RAMP), Terri possesses a wealth of expertise and experience. Her approach is rooted in repositioning current realities and challenges to develop solution-focused strategies that deliver immediate results.
Guided by her passion for fostering educational excellence, Terri thrives on facilitating professional learning by equipping school counselors and educators with practical strategies, best practices, and resources to positively impact student outcomes. She is dedicated to redesigning systems to be more equitable and inclusive, ensuring they reflect the diversity of the entire school community. She is committed to developing accountability frameworks that place students at the heart of desired outcomes.
December 2, 2026 | 2:00 p.m.
School counselors must negotiate the competing interests of the overregulated school environment, student’s need for confidentiality and the legal rights of parents to be the guiding voice in their children lives. Updates on these competing interests will be discussed through 10 primary court rulings that guide legal work of counselors in schools. Legal rulings will be highlighted in areas such as sexually active students, bullying, academic advising, child abuse, educational records, sexual harassment, first amendment rights, and transgender youth.
Particular attention will be given to the developing laws regarding off-campus cyber speech and other uses of social media that are difficult to address without offending the first amendment. Through case study and the application of federal, state, and judge made laws, participants will actively dialogue in a lively forum. The goal is to facilitate participants’ legal literacy and provide guiding principles to support best ethical practice.
Carolyn Stone, Ed.D., is a Professor Emeritus of Counselor Education at the University of North Florida (UNF). Dr. Stone is a Past President of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), and in 2010 was presented the ASCA Lifetime Achievement Award. Prior to coming to UNF, Dr. Stone spent 22 years with Jacksonville, Florida’s Public Schools as an elementary and high school counselor, middle school teacher and Supervisor of Guidance Services. She supervised 225 school counselors. Dr. Stone was ASCAs Ethics Chair from 2002 to 2022 and chaired the last four revisions of the ethical standards.
Additional speakers will be announced soon.
Schedule highlights are subject to change.
Schedule highlights are subject to change. A detailed schedule will be available closer to the conference.
We will be offering Act 48 hours, NCC hours, as well as CEUs through Lindenwood University. 6 CEUs awarded for the annual conference.
Become a PSCA Member and save on your conference registration! Get the benefits of advocacy and affiliation, continuing education and resources, and networking and leadership. Please visit the PSCA website and become a member or renew your annual membership.
For questions about PSCA membership please contact info@paschoolcounselor.org..
Early registration through 10/15/2026**
Early registration through 10/15/2026**
Early registration through 10/15/2026**
Early registration through 10/15/2026**
Sign up to be a Member and SAVE!
Early registration through 10/15/2026**
Early registration through 10/15/2026**
*Your PSCA membership must be good through December 4, 2026 to qualify for these rates.
**To qualify for the early registration discount, your registration form AND payment (copy of your purchase order, check, or credit card) must be received or postmarked by the early registration cutoff date.
👥 PSCA Membership →
Click here to learn more about PSCA membership and how it provides discounted conference registration rates.
📄 Supervisor Approval Letter →
Need help requesting approval or funding? Download this editable template, modeled after ASCA.
To pay by check or purchase order, download and submit the registration form with payment.
Please download the Registration Form and bring it with your method of payment to the conference.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If we are forced to cancel the PSCA Conference because of a “force majeure” event, such as a government restriction on large gatherings that cover the intended size of the conference, then we will issue full refunds of the registrations. Otherwise, our normal cancellation policy will be upheld: There will be no refunds after November 2, 2026. All cancellations before November 2, 2026, will be refunded less a $25 handling fee. The association is not responsible for and cannot give refunds due to problems beyond its control, such as weather and school closings.
On social distancing and other health and safety measures, the regulations/guidelines that apply to hotels and conference centers may change. The PSCA Conference will conform to all necessary regulations/guidelines that are in place as of the date of the conference.
Reservation information coming soon.
Join us at the conference venue, with comfortable onsite lodging designed to make your conference experience seamless!
Hotel Features:
Multiple Restaurants
Conference Rate: $154 per night
Plus applicable taxes and fees
Rooms are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend making reservations early.
Room Block Cutoff: November 2, 2026
After this date, rooms and rates are subject to availability.
Start by clicking Book Online, then select Book Now. Under Special Code, select group attendee code and enter PSCA26A.
Prefer to book by phone? Call 1-814-863-5050 and reference the PSCA26A group code.
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After full conference days, it’s nice to have easy options nearby to relax or enjoy a change of pace. The convention center is located right next to Penn State, so take some time to visit the campus and check out one of the several museums on campus.
📧 registrations@ncyi.org
📞 866.318.6294
National Center for Youth Issues
ATTN: PSCA
P.O. Box 22185
Chattanooga, TN 37422-2185
Checks and purchase orders should be made payable to the National Center for Youth Issues.
Please check junk/spam folders and allow ample time for processing. Attendees will receive an email confirmation once registration is processed.
All intellectual property rights in and to the PSCA Annual Conference (“the Event”), the content and all materials distributed at or in connection with the Event are owned by the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association and/or the Event sponsors or speakers presenting at the Event. You may not use or reproduce or allow anyone to use or reproduce any trademarks or other trade names appearing at the Event, in any Event content and/or in any materials distributed at or in connection with the Event for any reason without the prior written permission of Pennsylvania School Counselors Association or the presenting speaker.
Milton Hershey School is one of the world’s best private schools, where qualifying students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade live on campus. Students receive an exceptional educational experience, nurturing home life, college and career readiness support, and comprehensive health and wellness care, including medical and dental services, food, and clothing—with all costs covered.
Stacey Spangenburg
(717) 696-6714
spangenburgs@mhs-pa.org
RethinkEd helps districts turn whole child and whole educator frameworks into everyday practice. Through one connected platform, essential supports come together with actionable insights – reducing reliance on siloed, fragmented solutions. Rather than treating academics, behavior, mental health, and educator support as separate efforts, we bring these areas into a unified system designed for consistent use across schools. Curriculum, interventions, professional learning, and data work together to support students’ academic, behavioral, and emotional growth while strengthening educator capacity and confidence. Built by educators and grounded in evidence, our platform aligns with trusted standards and research-based best practices used across K–12 education. Districts partner with RethinkEd to extend the strong work already happening in their schools and build sustainable systems where students thrive and educators feel supported.
Corinne Bishop
Director of Sales
(347) 797-4756
corinne.bishop@rethinked.com
QuaverReady brings readiness skills to life for students. Our curriculum equips students with the skills necessary for success in school and beyond. Our engaging, fully digital, and standards-aligned Pre-K–8 curriculum program ensures students are ready to face the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Nathan Wesner
(615) 922-2014
NathanWesner@QuaverEd.com
Smart Futures is a mission-focused, non-profit software development team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that specializes in the field of career education technology. Our goal is to help schools easily implement the Career Education and Work (CEW) Standards within any classroom or virtually.
Pennsylvania is the first state in the United States to require that all students graduate with a personalized career plan and portfolio that is tied to clearly defined K-12 career education benchmarks.
David Mosey
Executive Director
(412) 288-3900
dmosey@smartfutures.org
SchooLinks is a modern college and career readiness platform that supports districts’ implementation of a comprehensive curriculum and framework to prepare students for the post-secondary pathway of their choice. Containing more than eighty interactive student experiences from interest discoveries, academic planning, and soft skill development – SchooLinks offers internship matching, career mentorship, industry partner management, and more to help districts support holistic postsecondary readiness. Our unified solution supports South Carolina’s initiatives for improved student outcomes and postsecondary readiness.
Lauren Schulten
lschulten@schoolinks.com
SCUTA (School Counselor Use of Time Analysis) equips school counselors and district leaders with clarity, evidence, and a common language to develop high-impact, comprehensive school counseling programs. Aligned with national and state standards, SCUTA transforms daily work into meaningful data that increases visibility, improves alignment, and supports student-focused decisions. Using confidential documentation tools and precise use-of-time analysis, SCUTA helps counseling teams demonstrate the scope of their work, advocate for appropriate roles, and identify opportunities to improve services and close gaps. For leaders dedicated to best practices, accountability, and equitable outcomes, SCUTA offers an efficient way to monitor program implementation, support counselors, and communicate results with confidence and accuracy.
Alani Staples
Director of Outreach and Engagement
alani@myscuta.com
Slippery Rock University (SRU), known as The Rock, is a public university north of Pittsburgh with 8,000+ students and 150+ programs in business, education, health, liberal arts, and sciences. SRU offers strong value, hands-on learning, and a supportive community. With 200+ student organizations, NCAA Division II athletics, and spirited traditions, SRU combines affordability, academic quality, and personal attention to help students build a rock-solid future.
Carrie Thompson
Director of First-Year Admission
(724) 738-2015
asktherock@sru.edu
