October 9-11, 2024
Embassy Suites & Hampton Roads Convention Center
Hampton, VA
We hope to see you next year!
Challenging Behaviors: Engaging Interventions
Lead Presenter: Shannon Hudson-Odoi
School counselors are key stakeholders in supporting student success and well-being. Often time, school counselors are called upon to manage challenging behaviors, but few counseling programs adequately prepare them to do so. During this session, school counselors will explore evidence-based strategies and interventions, and create a toolbox of social-emotional and behavior interventions that align with MTSS, specifically at Tiers 2 and 3.
Following the S.A.M.E. Pathway to Restorative Justice
Lead Presenter: John Hodge
S.A.M.E. stands for Social, Academic and Moral Education. It is a holistic approach to creating and sustaining academic excellence in today’s schools. S.A.M.E. provides a research supported, holistic view of school improvement by addressing all of the components of school and district culture which must be addressed if lasting school reform is to be attained, i.e. the Social Domain, the Academic Domain and the Moral Domain. As the rigor of state accountability measures increase, schools must focus their efforts to achieve and sustain academic excellence. Come learn how this approach has been particularly successful in schools serving high-poverty populations.
Fostering Community Through Restorative Circles
Lead Presenter: Jasmine Bates
“Village Check-Ins,” are a restorative circle approach used to build community and support students. Session participants will gain insights into the benefits of restorative approaches for addressing trauma, promoting social-emotional learning, and cultivating inclusive and supportive learning environments.
I, Too, School Counsel, America: The Status of Black Male School Counselors
Lead Presenter: Xuri Maurice Allen
Recently, the scarcity of Black male teachers in the US has been documented as a phenomenon that must be addressed for the sake of the teaching profession and the nation’s students. Similarly, and even more alarming, is the abysmal number of Black male professional school counselors and the lack of attention extended to them. This session will present issues specific to Black male school counselors and “thriving strategies” to support these men.
Implementing Calm Down Corners in Elementary School Classrooms
Lead Presenter: Katie Becker
Calm down corners are a way to help students with emotional regulation and behavior management within an elementary school classroom. This session will dive into how to implement calm down corners as a school-wide resource along with how to create buy-in with staff and administrators. We will explore resources to include in a calm down corner, training teachers on calm down corners, and walking students through using calm down corners.
Learn to Use the Latest Version of noteCounselor to Strengthen Your Program
Lead Presenter: Mandy Lancaster
Counseling notes are a valuable tool for school counselors. Test drive the FERPA compliant noteCounselor system. The newest version provides tools to track student growth progress, visually analyze your time to ensure that you get your 80% direct service time, and print reports that will help you audit your program effectively; all without doing any extra work. We will be gifting free subscriptions to participants of this session!
Managing Disruptive Behaviors in Schools
Lead Presenter: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann
Nationwide, schools are experiencing a rise in disruptive behaviors. Behavioral issues disturb the learning process, create peer conflict, interrupt the classroom, and lead to more staff exhaustion and faculty turnover. Educators know firsthand the time spent disciplining and redirecting unruly and challenging behaviors. The loss of instructional time addressing such behaviors affects the entire school community. Therefore, educators must have the knowledge and tools to prevent and manage these student behaviors. During this interactive multi-media session, participants will learn proactive and interventive strategies and engage in activities and case studies to deter challenging behaviors and promote positive ones. Participants will leave the session with practical and relevant tools and resources to address, manage and change disruptive behaviors, creating a peaceful conducive learning environment that bolsters student achievement.
Mentoring Matters!
Lead Presenter: Dr. Sam Logan III
Research suggests that positive connections with adults promote student success. This presentation delves into the data-supported advantages of mentoring initiatives. Mentoring is an effective strategy that elevates academic performance, responsible decision-making, and other lifelong skills. Four men share their journeys as mentors and mentees in this presentation that promises to inform and inspire participants.
Mindfulness Matters in the Classroom
Lead Presenter: Jackie Scott-Bell
Yes, Mindfulness Matters in the Classroom! This session will provide, tips, techniques, and strategies that can be used to help create a classroom that is calming and relaxing for learning. This interactive session will provide participants the opportunity to practice while learning new techniques. We will explore ways to help your K-5 students regulate their emotions and increase attentiveness through mindfulness.
Rediscovering Tier 1: A Guide for Middle School Counselors in Rural Schools
Lead Presenter: Elizabeth Malone
Since the pandemic, middle school counselors have often reported feeling stuck in Tiers 2 and 3, putting out fires but struggling to find the time to prevent those fires from starting. This session will provide practical steps for school counselors in rural middle schools looking for time to provide effective preventative counseling services, expanding their Tier 1 supports and thereby offering a truly comprehensive school counseling program.
So, You Want to Get a Ph.D.?
Lead Presenter: Julia Taylor
Virginia has an abundance of school counselor educators, leaders in the profession, and spectacular doctoral programs. If you have ever pondered returning to graduate school to earn a doctoral degree, this panel presentation will answer all of your questions related to the process.
Panelists:
Julia Taylor, University of Virginia
Emily Goodman-Scott, Old Dominion University
Sarah Henry, Virginia Tech
Marsha Rutledge, Longwood University
Tori Stone, George Mason University
Antionette Thomas, University of Virginia
Christina Tillery, Virginia Commonwealth University
Morgan Meadows, Virginia Commonwealth University
Emily Kitching, Virginia Commonwealth University
Brian Maiden, Virginia State University (VSCA Board Liaison)
Support Regulation and Enhance Relationships with Play-based Interventions
Lead Presenter: Alyssa Decker
Come explore how playful engagement supports emotional and behavioral regulation and enhances secure relationships using findings from neuroscience and attachment theory. Using brief “information bursts” and experiential activities, we will examine how play-based interventions and trauma-informed techniques can support regulation and cultivate positive interactions with counselors, teachers, and caregivers.
Turn Negative to Rational: A Small Group for Student-Athletes
Lead Presenter: Wilson Harvey
Though sometimes easily missed when viewed through a social-emotional lens, student-athletes and other groups of high-achieving students can be prone to significant levels of negative self-talk such as perfectionism, comparison to peers, and more. In this presentation, you will learn about a six-week, 50 minute small group that addressed these concerns through the lens of CBT/REBT, with focus on group lesson plans, demonstrations, data, and more.
Twice Exceptional Black Children
Lead Presenter: Krystal Clemons
Description: Coming Soon
What I Didn’t Learn in Grad School
Lead Presenter: Janelle Auguste
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion that goes beyond the confines of graduate school education. Titled “What I Didn’t Learn in Grad School,” this session invites counselors in the field to share invaluable insights and experiences. Rather than a traditional presentation, this session will be a panel discussion that will dive into the aspects of the profession that were wished to be known before entering the workforce.
TBD
Lead Presenter: Virginia 529
Description: Coming Soon
Bridging the Mental Health Gap through Strong Partnerships
Lead Presenter: Catherine Ogletree
This presentation will focus on how school counselors can foster connections throughout the school community to bridge mental health gaps. This session will discuss strategies, programming ideas, and partnerships that support overall school communities and student support and wellness.
Empower Students with Emotional Literacy
Lead Presenter: Sarah Bazemore
Teaching students how to identify and express their own emotions and consider those of others empowers them and sets them up for learning. Emotional literacy, the ability to understand, talk about, and eventually manage the biological information supplied by our emotions, and to empathize with other people’s emotions and feelings involves a sophisticated set of learned social and emotional skills. Attendees will walk away with several direct counseling strategies to help students at any grade level develop the vocabulary and practice the emotional literacy skills to better understand and more effectively participate in the world around them.
Enhancing Multicultural Awareness
Lead Presenter: Barbara Humphrey
With school populations reflecting an increasingly diverse population, it is important to highlight our students from diverse backgrounds to enhance understanding of people from diverse backgrounds and to celebrate the cultures in our buildings. In this session, you will learn all you need to hold a multicultural fair and how to incorporate monthly diversity posters and classroom books into the everyday routine of the building.
Girl C.O.D.E. (Conversations Openly Discussed to Empower)
Lead Presenter: Trayva Bradley
Girl C.O.D.E. is a self-esteem group aimed to empower minority girls to navigate the world with confidence and resilience. By providing them with tools, resources, and a supportive community, they are inspired to embrace their full potential and pursue their dreams with courage and determination. Through discussions about body positivity, inner beauty, and recognizing their strengths, girls learn to see themselves in a more positive light.
Making an Impact with Impact Therapy
Lead Presenter: Yi-Yun Minnie Tsai
Impact Therapy is a framework developed by Dr. Jacobs that is based on the principle that counseling should not be experienced as boring or passive. This presentation will provide information on how to bring theories such as REBT and reality therapy to life through various metaphors and activities that can be applied to group or individual counseling that is multi-sensory, empowering, and thought-provoking.
Managing Disruptive Behaviors in Schools
Lead Presenter: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann
Nationwide, schools are experiencing a rise in disruptive behaviors. Behavioral issues disturb the learning process, create peer conflict, interrupt the classroom, and lead to more staff exhaustion and faculty turnover. Educators know firsthand the time spent disciplining and redirecting unruly and challenging behaviors. The loss of instructional time addressing such behaviors affects the entire school community. Therefore, educators must have the knowledge and tools to prevent and manage these student behaviors. During this interactive multi-media session, participants will learn proactive and interventive strategies and engage in activities and case studies to deter challenging behaviors and promote positive ones. Participants will leave the session with practical and relevant tools and resources to address, manage and change disruptive behaviors, creating a peaceful conducive learning environment that bolsters student achievement.
New Student Ambassador Program
Lead Presenter: Geulia Boddie
Being a new student can be an intimidating experience. Creating a program that supports diverse populations joining your schools can be a great way to foster community, help students develop leadership skills, and increase school representation and spirit. Join two college and career counselors as they share how they have implemented a successful New Student Ambassador Program, with special attention to supporting new ELL-English Language Learners.
Reinvent the Wheel: Using Videos, Podcasts, and More to Teach SEL
Lead Presenter: Wilson Harvey
One of the consistent struggles we hear from educators surrounds finding ways to engagingly and creatively integrate Social Emotional Learning in a routine, Tier 1 level. In this presentation, you will learn about a Responsive Advisory model that includes regular monthly SEL lessons driven by videos and podcasts that feature counselors, teachers, and students alike. Come learn how to make Tier 1 SEL lessons more engaging!
Small Group Counseling Smackdown
Lead Presenter: Liz Dinwiddie
In this session, school counseling graduate students from the University of Virginia will present their personally designed, ready-to-go small group curriculums. Each curriculum includes an overview, parent/guardian consent forms, evaluation tools, and action-packed lesson plans for 6-8 week sessions. Group curriculums and resources will be shared electronically with participants.
Solving The College Funding Conundrum
Lead Presenter: Demetrius Doss
Skyrocketing college costs and competing financial priorities have left families stressed, leading to confusion and resulting in missed opportunities for numerous students. Boost your know-how with insights from our college funding coaches. Planning for college expenses is now a must for families, but figuring out the savings and payment route has never been more complex. By attending our The College Funding Coach® session, you will walk away with comprehensive tools, easily accessible information, and a helpful guide to empower your families.
Stars Supporting Stars: A No-Cost Peer-Mentorship Program Boosts Attendance
Lead Presenter: Lydia Larimore
It’s my passion to help students identify their own intrinsic powers. Stars Supporting Stars (S3) is a peer-mentorship program created to educate older students to practice empathy, leadership, social and communication skills, build relationships, and be responsible by committing to short-term, 1-to 2-minute daily check-ins with a younger peer. Come learn how a simple, empowering initiative elevated our school’s attendance, academics, and attitude.
The 4 A’s of Leadership: Grow Through What You Go Through
Lead Presenter: Will Baggett
“The 4 A’s of Leadership: Grow Through What You Go Through” helps leaders balance availability and boundaries, embrace change, promote accessibility, and cultivate accountability. Gain insights on personal well-being, turning challenges into opportunities, fostering inclusivity, and driving continuous improvement for organizational success.
The Power of Play
Lead Presenter: Sheila Barnhart-Ramirez
Play is the language of children, helping them to communicate, explore, and understand the world around them. Integrating play into counseling can improve a student’s ability to express thoughts and feelings, regulate emotions, build self-confidence, and solve problems. Tired of hearing the answer “I don’t know” in talk therapy? Play therapy offers insight into the world of both children and adolescents, as there are interventions for all ages!
Together We Can! Work With Teachers to Help Students Envision Their Future
Lead Presenter: Amy Sainz
If you’ve ever wanted to spend more meaningful time in the classroom but you weren’t quite sure how, look no further. Civics teachers will willingly collaborate with you when you integrate vision boards into the microeconomics unit, enabling you to reinforce what students have learned and provide an opportunity for further career exploration and goal setting. Learn how to do the same with other teachers and content, as well.
TBD
Lead Presenter: SCUTA
Description: Coming Soon
Black American Community Connections
Lead Presenter: Krystal Clemons
Description: Coming Soon
DBT in Action: Practical Tools for School Counselors
Lead Presenter: Robert Martinez
“DBT in Action” equips school counselors with practical DBT tools to support students’ emotional growth. Learn skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Gain confidence to lead DBT groups and individual sessions. Empower students to thrive!
Depression Education is Suicide Prevention
Lead Presenter: DeHaven Sawyer-Mays
This session will discuss the current status of youth mental health, how to promote inclusive school cultures through help-seeking skills, reducing stigma, and normalizing mental health conversations. Attendees will learn to leverage free Tier 1 resources; classroom education, student empowerment, family engagement, and staff development to ensure early identification, prevention, and shared common vocabulary around mental health.
Empower Students with Emotional Literacy
Lead Presenter: Sarah Bazemore
Teaching students how to identify and express their own emotions and consider those of others empowers them and sets them up for learning. Emotional literacy, the ability to understand, talk about, and eventually manage the biological information supplied by our emotions, and to empathize with other people’s emotions and feelings involves a sophisticated set of learned social and emotional skills. Attendees will walk away with several direct counseling strategies to help students at any grade level develop the vocabulary and practice the emotional literacy skills to better understand and more effectively participate in the world around them.
Is College the ONLY Ticket to a STEM Career?
Lead Presenter: Ashley Gastel
We have been telling students that they need a college degree to be successful. While we push students into college at a 70% clip, the economy tells us that 70% of careers in demand today do not require a college degree. The skills gap in this country is real and you need to understand the Rule of 1-2-7. Skilled trades are in demand and provide students with a great career that pays well. Come join Ashley Gastel to learn what those careers are and how you can reach more of your students. Learn what Gen Z students are looking for in a career. Discover ways to get more parent involvement. Learn how you can get industry more involved in your school. See what UTI is doing to get girls involved in STEM Careers. Finally, learn how students can make school more affordable to avoid debt after graduation.
Keeping Calm Through the Storm: Best Practices for Crisis Management
Lead Presenter: Crystal Hatton
School counselors often intervene in crises that impact individual students, as well as entire school communities. Crises are often unexpected and require swift action while balancing ethics, school, and district policies, and even the law. In this session, participants will learn how school counselors can implement best practices for crisis management in schools.
Learning Social Emotional Skills to Prevent Bullying
Lead Presenter: Kiria Cora
Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects many individuals, particularly children and adolescents. One of the most effective ways to combat bullying is by equipping individuals with social emotional skills. Social skills not only help individuals manage their emotions and behaviors, but also foster empathy, respect, and understanding towards others. This presentation aims to educate participants in order to prevent bullying.
Let’s Use Wellness to Educate, Energize, and Elevate!
Lead Presenter: Donna Dockery
Let’s Educate ourselves about unrealistic and toxic “shoulds and oughts” of today’s wellness messaging;
Elevate each other with healthy wellness strategies we can apply with students, caregivers, and colleagues; and
Energize ourselves with prevention and wellness plans that work. You deserve it!
Multilevel Support for Newcomer English Learners
Lead Presenter: Dr. Amy Carroll
Our diversity is our strength! If your school is like ours, you are now serving more Newcomer English Learning High School students than ever before. Learn how our schools and district increased equity in educational opportunities and decreased dropout rates for our Newcomer students. Participants will leave the session with educational and counseling interventions for Newcomers that are ready to implement.
Navigating the A.D.D. (Anger, Desensitization, Depression) of Grief
Lead Presenter: Tiffany Hillian-Sullivan
This session will delve into the profound effects that sudden and traumatic deaths can have on urban adolescents, as perceived by school counselors. Urban youth often face several challenges, and the occurrence of sudden and traumatic deaths can substantially disrupt their emotional well-being, and much more. Through insightful research, this session aims to investigate the unique perceptions of school counselors regarding this phenomenon.
School Counseling, the Evaluation Process, and Program Advocacy
Lead Presenter: Loreisha Cooper
School counseling has evolved within the last 30 years. As the world comes off a global pandemic, school counselors can adjust how the role meets students’ needs effectively. Why not use what is already available to communicate your program’s needs? This presentation will review the evolution of the school counselor role in the 20th century, the school counseling evaluation process, and how to utilize ASCA components to advocate for the program.
SEL Student Seminars
Lead Presenter: Michelle Jenkins
Do you feel constrained in your ability to offer widespread SEL lessons to your entire student population? Do you have a high needs group that’s difficult to reach (such as 5th grade during middle school preparation and registration or conflicting teacher schedules). If so, this session is for you! We will share the framework of how our team prepared and provided seminars for students to attend during their lunch to receive needed support on various topics, that the students identified as areas of need. You will leave this session prepared and empowered to implement your own SEL seminars!
VSCA FLASH: Get the Scoop on School Counseling Timely Topics- in a Flash!
Lead Presenter: Emily Goodman-Scott
Heard of ASCA’s Flash Sessions? Timely, quick, and important school counseling topics: in a FLASH! Come to this VSCA FLASH for the same. Hear from ODU school counselors (alum), as well as students and faculty. Learn concrete strategies on school counseling topics, i.e.: trauma and grief; social justice; neurodiversity; LGBTQ+ students; military-connected youth; antiracism; SEL; AI; multi-lingual learners; mental health; counseling strategies, etc.
What Has/Hasn’t Worked in Classroom Management
Lead Presenter: Yi-Yun Minnie Tsai
A role of a school counselor is providing direct services, which involves teaching whole-class lessons in order to efficiently reach large caseloads. Classroom management becomes essential. However, school counselors have indicated lack of sufficient training. Research on classroom management strategies will be presented and discussed in this engaging program.
TBD
Lead Presenter: DialCare
Description: Coming Soon
Black American Community Connections
Lead Presenter: Krystal Clemons
Description: Coming Soon
Bullying to Broadway: Using Music and Storytelling for Bullying Prevention
Lead Presenter: Kristina Wallace
Are you looking for an innovative Tier 1 intervention to increase student knowledge and understanding of bullying prevention? Join us as we share how to collaboratively create a student-led dramatic and musical performance through the intentional selection of literature, art, and music. You will walk away with a detailed plan to support implementation within your own building.
Counselors Supporting LGBTQIA+ Students: Framework and Recommendations
Lead Presenter: Morgan Meadowes
Recent shifts in state and local legislation have altered how school counselors can follow best practices to support LGBTQIA+ students. This presentation will provide a framework for counselors to evaluate their advocacy standpoint and their school to determine how to best provide a safe, more inclusive school environment for LGBTQIA+ students. We will share effective strategies, best practices, and recommendations for educators in all settings.
Creating School Programs to Support Populations Placed at Risk
Lead Presenter: Robert Martinez
In this era of limited resources and high politicization, school counselors face challenges in supporting vulnerable students. Drawing from the experiences of immigrant and refugee youth, this presentation outlines a plan using the ASCA model and trauma-informed care principles to address core stressors, identify community resources, and implement multi-tiered interventions applicable to any student group.
Empowering ALL Students: A 4E & Virginia ACP Framework for K-12
Lead Presenter: Shannon Wingert
Spotsylvania County Schools ensured ALL students (5-12) chart their future with a K-12 documented plan. Join us to explore this framework where we will showcase how Virginia’s ACP & our 4E’s (Enrolled, Employed, Enlisted, Engaged) work together to educate, elevate, and energize students through self-awareness, early interest exploration and personalized pathways. Learn how to implement similar programs for smooth student transitions – middle to high school and beyond!
Lead Presenter: Shannon Price
Are you looking to create a school counseling program that utilizes play therapy techniques to support students, then this is the session you don’t want to miss! You will leave immediately with tips and techniques to use with students in individual sessions, groups, and classroom lessons. We will also share how we have set up our school playroom. Come see how using play therapy techniques has energized our program to support our students.
Finding the Balance: Devices and Mental Wellness
Lead Presenter: Lauren Ellenberger
Educators see the effects of a necessary tool during the pandemic becoming a mainstay of the school day: the Chromebook. Technology helps us learn creatively and provides individualized learning opportunities; yet, it has the potential to create gaps in social-emotional skills, contribute to dysregulation, and create feelings of isolation. Expect to leave with specific steps to implement a technology initiative that promotes student wellness.
Get On My Level
Lead Presenter: Teresa Chambers
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to switch grade levels? Join us as we share tips, tricks, pros and cons from our experience at elementary, middle, and high schools. We will also provide tools and resources needed to be successful at any level. Come and join us for a presentation/roundtable discussion as we aim to answer any questions and address any fears or doubts you may have about changing grade levels.
Help Me, Help You!
Lead Presenter: Jazmin Coleman
The chronic absenteeism rate is troubling for all educators; however, economically disadvantaged populations are at a greater risk for drop out and a continual decrease in academic performance when they are absent from school. In this session, attendees will learn how a school located in an economically disadvantaged area reduced chronic absenteeism over 10% in one school year. Educators can translate our attendance group model to fit the needs of their school.
Let’s Explore Careers! Elementary Play-Based Career Discovery Stations
Lead Presenter: Sarah Ritchie
Research shows that early exposure to various careers positively impacts students’ academic achievement, career aspirations, and overall success in the workforce. Through play-based learning, children engage in hands-on experiences that enhance their cognitive, social, and emotional development, making it a unique approach for introducing them to the world of work. Learn how to implement fun career discovery into your elementary school program!
Lead Presenter: Eve Montavon
Learn about one year SEL Peace Theme curriculum that encourages students to incorporate peace concepts in a variety of aspects of their lives. Discover how to integrate concepts like conflict resolution, communication, and tolerance/inclusivity into all your lessons and activities through the year! The curriculum includes collaborative, peace focused Lunch Bunches, art projects (Pinwheels for Peace), career focused “Peace-ter Egg” Hunt and more.
TBD
Lead Presenter: ACT
Description: Coming Soon
Trauma-informed and Play-based Crisis Intervention Strategies for Schools
Lead Presenter: Anne Stewart
Join us to explore and practice using trauma-informed, play-based interventions to help students regulate, relate, and reason in troubled times (Perry and Winfrey, 2023). In times of crisis, school counselors serve a vital role in enhancing the resilience of their students by encouraging social support, making meaning, understanding emotions, and promoting positive coping strategies with attention to approaches informed by cultural humility.
Utilizing Existing Data to Design Equity-Driven Interventions in Schools
Lead Presenter: Sarah Henry
Interested in learning more about how to use existing data to better contextualize your interventions? In this session, we will discuss several existing datasets (ex: NCES, GLSEN, VDCJS, etc.) and how you can use this information as a school counselor to design context-specific interventions to address inequities in our schools and communities. Possible interventions include school-wide programming and additional opt-in services.
Your Brain is a LIAR: Helping Anxious Kids
Lead Presenter: Tori Stone
Child and adolescent anxiety is ubiquitous and on the rise. Working with anxious kids (and their parents) is stressful and can feel like a never-ending battle. In this fun session, participants will learn more about the mechanics of anxiety and will build skills so that they can better support anxious students (parents and teachers too).
Elevating our Work: Using an Antiracist Advocacy Framework for Change
Lead Presenter: Marsha Rutledge
The ASCA National Model outlines four essential themes guiding comprehensive school counseling programs, with advocacy as a cornerstone. Advocacy is vital for school counselors as they address systemic issues, including racism, within educational settings. This session focuses on introducing the Antiracist School Counseling Advocacy Framework and practical strategies for implementation in school counseling programs.
Empowering Students: Integrating Zones of Regulation and Kelso’s Choices
Lead Presenter: Erin Crane
Explore our approach to nurturing emotional regulation and problem-solving skills in students through integrated school-wide counseling curriculums. Learn practical strategies, implementation techniques, and the positive impact on student well-being and academic success through the Zones of Regulation and Kelso’s Choices. Leave with classroom lessons and small group/individual activities, as well as materials for teachers to use in their rooms!
Firefighter to Fire Marshall: The Power of Regulating through Mindfulness
Lead Presenter: Patricia Kreseski-Lisi
Do you feel like you are constantly putting out fires? Dysregulated students with frequent outbursts can take a toll on the student, classmates, and school staff. In this session, you will learn how we can collaborate with teachers to use mindfulness as a classroom intervention. You will have the opportunity to practice mindfulness strategies to help students and teachers co-regulate, while increasing students’ ability to self-regulate.
Grit and B.E.A.R. It (Building Emotional/Academic Resilience in Teens)
Lead Presenter: Tracy Wood
Navigating the teen years can be tough. It is a period of significant changes, physically, mentally, and experientially. Resilience is the ability to cope with difficult situations in a healthy way; but, it is more than just coping. Resilience can present as being realistic, thinking rationally, looking on the bright side, finding the positives, expecting things to go well, and moving forward, even when things seem difficult or challenging.
Innovative Strategies to Motivate and Build Resilience in Every Student
Lead Presenter: Christian Moore
How do you help students bounce back from what they have been through? From trauma, isolation, and poverty, to mental health challenges, our students have faced many obstacles over the last three years. Come see a formula to help you guide students through the challenges that destroy motivation and make it difficult to find success.
Maladaptive Daydreaming—What School Counselors Need to Know
Lead Presenter: Rita Schellenberg
Conservatively, over 100 million people suffer from an under-recognized, under-treated debilitating addictive-behavioral disorder known as Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) that begins as early as the elementary school years. Maladaptive Daydreamers (MDers) spend 60% or more of their lives immersed in highly vivid, complex, imaginary worlds within their own minds that ultimately devour reality. Lets discuss MD and how school counselors can help.
Mental Wellness
Lead Presenter: Emily Ellinghausen
This presentation covers how anxiety and stress can affect our work, health, personal well-being, and relationships. We will discuss short-term coping skills, as well as how we can create healthier patterns for long term health and wellness.
Pathways to Success: Designing Your School’s Senior Information Fair
Lead Presenter: Renea Coley
Uncover the blueprint for planning a dynamic senior information fair! Learn how to create a festive atmosphere packed with essential resources…from graduation requirements to community services, colleges, and career pathways. Gain insights on vendor coordination, layout design, and logistical strategies for a successful event. Don’t miss this opportunity to empower students and parents in navigating the crucial transition post-high school.
Pushing Back: Supporting Queer Students in the Face of Adversity
Lead Presenter: Harley Locklear
Supporting queer students can be challenging when stakeholders oppose school counselor’s efforts to provide affirming care. We will discuss how school counselors can use leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and systemic change to respond to this opposition. In this session, participants will learn best practices in generating buy-in, offering support, and navigating legal/ethical issues to generate positive outcomes for queer students.
School Counselor Advocates: Cultivating Resilience and Addressing Burnout
Lead Presenter: Morgan Meadowes
This presentation will focus on how school counselors can cultivate resilience and address burnout related to advocacy and social justice. This session will discuss self-awareness around advocacy and social justice, identify potential stressors, and uncover strategies and recommendations to build longevity as advocates in school counseling.
Supporting Military-Connected Students Through MTSS and Purple Star Program
Lead Presenter: Ashlee Erestain
Do you serve military-connected students? Familiar with the Purple Star program? How do these fit into a comprehensive school counseling program and MTSS? Let’s educate, elevate, and energize ourselves as we answer these questions, and more. We’ll talk about using MTSS to build, utilize, and maintain an ASCA-aligned, Purple Star school counseling program. Presenters will share their experiences and provide resources for K-12 military students.
The Perfect Pair: Developing Positive Administration Relationships
Lead Presenter: Claire Copeland
Come join Gordon Elementary School’s principal and school counselors as we discuss our framework for creating positive working relationships between school counselors and administrators. This session will focus on advocating for the role of school counselors with the use of bi-weekly meetings with administration and participation in weekly academic/behavior meetings. Walk away with tools that you can bring back to your building!
TBD
Lead Presenter: Eastern Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters
Description: Coming Soon
Advocacy Through an Effective Program
Lead Presenter: Kara Hart
One of the best ways to advocate for our profession is by having an effective comprehensive school counseling program. When stakeholders see the impact of the work we do, they will naturally advocate for us! This session will highlight how ASCA RAMP components can lead to a more effective data-driven program and will provide tips, tools, and resources that support best practices.
Advocate for Your Role with Data
Lead Presenter: Rebekah Souther
This session will encourage school counselors to gather regular data to better advocate for their role in the school building. Attendees will learn examples of what kinds of school counseling program data to collect, practical tools to collect it (such as the Go Green Project), and ways to share out data to stakeholders in spaces such as an Advisory Council.
AmeriCorps as a Post-Secondary Pathway
Lead Presenter: Analise Gammel
For community-minded students seeking post-secondary alternatives to higher education or planning a gap year, serving as an AmeriCorps member can be a great way to grow personally and professionally, while earning financial support for future education or career training. This workshop will cover the basic benefits of AmeriCorps and provide guidance for trusted adults on how to help young people determine if AmeriCorps is the right post-secondary option for them.
Feel Better Do Better
Lead Presenter: Ronica Turner
The Feel Better, Do Better program is a trauma-informed, culturally responsive program to ensure that students are in a mental space where they feel good about themselves, both physically and emotionally. This program combines the use of a product closet with targeted lessons about self-esteem and self-efficacy. This is NOT your average counseling closet! Take yours to the next level or learn how to start from scratch.
Fostering Inclusive School Environments: Supporting Non-Traditional Families
Lead Presenter: Carla Mahn
This presentation aims to empower school counselors and administrators with practical strategies to effectively support and embrace non-traditional families within educational settings. Participants will gain insights into the diverse structures of modern families, a deep understanding of the unique challenges these families may face, and offer evidence-based approaches to foster an inclusive and supportive school environment.
Integrating Polyvagal Theory into Social-Emotional Learning
Lead Presenter: Tatyana Cottle
Understanding the science behind emotional regulation is essential for effective intervention. This presentation aims to explore the integration of Polyvagal Theory into social-emotional learning (SEL) frameworks, providing counselors with practical strategies to support students’ emotional well-being and academic success.
Substance Use/Abuse/Prevention…Do We do That too??
Lead Presenter: Regina Brown
I do academic/social emotional and career counseling, but surely I don’t have anything to do with substance use/abuse and prevention… or do I? According to ASCA, “School counselors collaborate with staff, school teams, other students, families, and the community to identify students participating in harmful behaviors and intervene with these students to limit or eliminate the risk of harmful or negative consequences”. Come learn how you can help!
The Perfect Duo-Intern and Site Supervisor Relationships
Lead Presenter: DeLisa Joseph
Getting ready to be placed for your internship/practicum experience? Stop in to learn ways you can assist in fostering a great working environment that will benefit you and the students you serve. The counseling relationship we work on developing with our students can be used to support intern/site supervisor relationships. Learn how we incorporated Spanish further in our developing relationship that translated to our counseling program.
TBD
Lead Presenter: Harmony
Description: Coming Soon
Building Strong Relationships with Students and Families in Poverty
Lead Presenter: Michael Crabtree
Across the nation, schools struggle with making connections with kids in poverty. This encouraging presentation offers useful insight to cultural differences and applicable ideas for bridging the gaps to make and create meaningful relationships with both students and families living in poverty. Participants will leave with the knowledge, ideas, and inspiration to make a plan of impact for these students and families.
Circumventing Student Apathy
Lead Presenter: Jamie Wyss
Apathy, the elephant in the room. How do we teach students who do not want to learn? How do we teach students who do not see a purpose in academics? Has education reached a climax where the kids no longer care and are unwilling to meet the standards? Let’s talk about apathy; what is apathy? How do we find the root cause and what can we implement today?
Food Insecurity and its Role in Student Success
Lead Presenter: Seth Enderson
A hungry student is an absent student. Food insecurity is a barrier to educational equity that takes away opportunities for students to reach their full academic and social potential. This presentation explores the implications of food insecurity on a student’s ability to succeed in school and proposes school counselor interventions to address and ameliorate the negative outcomes associated with inadequate access to food.
Fun With Tier 1: Engagement Strategies for Whole Group Instruction
Lead Presenter: Danette Jewell
Looking for fresh activity ideas to incorporate into your Tier 1 lessons? New to whole-group instruction? Join us as we discuss and model a variety of ways to make your Tier 1 content engaging and memorable for elementary students. This session will be interactive and full of movement, music, and fun. You will leave with ideas and resources to take back to your school and use immediately!
I Know I’m Supposed to…but HOW? Data-driven School Counseling
Lead Presenter: Erica Holt
Is your desk covered with sticky notes of to-do’s, notes, and names of students to check-in on? Do you struggle to keep track of the important details of the day? Do you need an effective way to keep track of what you do all day long? This session is designed to help you collect data on what matters each day quickly and efficiently. Whether you are a veteran, or new to the profession, this session is designed for you to come away with something new!
Juntos
Lead Presenter: Kristen Tuxbury
People of Hispanic/Latin heritage are the fastest growing ethnic group in Virginia and across the US. In this session, participants will learn about some differences between Latin American and US school systems from a presenter who has spent two summers studying Spanish culture and historical context in San Salvador. We will then apply this information to discuss culturally responsive practices for working with Latin American families.
Medicaid and Schools for School Counselors
Lead Presenter: Randal Queen
VDOE licensed school counselors can now participate in the Medicaid and School Program, allowing your school division to seek reimbursement for the mental health services you provide. This also provides an opportunity for you to help increase access to and improve the quality of mental health services available to our youth. This session will cover important program details, services, and documentation requirements from a provider’s perspective.
Orchestrate a Design Success with Student Centered Academic & Career Plans
Lead Presenter: Claire Handville
Success for every student at the secondary level is achievable through a collaborative and personalized academic and career plan developed through the principles of human centered design. Discover how to bring the design thinking approach to academic advising, multi-tiered systems of support, and college and career readiness.
Paperwork, Paperwork, Paperwork – OH MY!
Lead Presenter: Katie McWilliams
The UN-FUN side to high school counseling! This session is geared towards counselors who would like some ideas and strategies on how to organize the beast that is high school counseling! I will share various resources on how to keep up with paperwork throughout the year. From Scheduling and Registration, to Academic and Career Planning, to College Applications to Graduation – I hope to help bring you a sense of organization and calm!
The Best Plan You Hope to Never Use: Building a Crisis Plan
Lead Presenter: Molly Hudgens
Description: Coming Soon
Uniting Elementary and Secondary: Kindness in Leadership
Lead Presenter: Sarah Ritchie
Learn the power of kindness by emerging elementary and secondary students’ realms to create a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and leadership. Through kindness clubs and student empowerment programs, discover how intertwining the experiences of students from diverse age groups can foster meaningful relationships, nurture responsibility, mentorship, and collective growth. Empower students to become leaders of positive change in their school community.
A Collaborative Approach to School Based Mental Health
Lead Presenter: Erica Daniels
Schools face a unique challenge when it comes to providing mental health support to students. While they employ professionals who are trained to do so, there is still a gap in the needed services for students demonstrating serious mental health concerns. A model of collaboration for school counselors and licensed professional counselors to provide school based mental health services using the interconnected systems framework will be provided.
Addiction-Proofing Our Student in an Addictive World
Lead Presenter: Kriya Lendzion
Opportunities for addictive and risky behaviors are escalating for our students, including drugs and alcohol, screens, disordered eating, social media, self-harm, and more. School counselors can play a powerful role in preventing and intervening in self-destructive choices, starting in preschool. We’ll explore the toxic forces influencing our students, and learn proven individual and systemic approaches for fostering addiction resistance.
Brag Tags
Lead Presenter: Tamara Schubart
Interested in growing future ready learners? We combed through Virginia guidelines for SEL, VBCPS SEL scope and sequence, as well as the Compass to 2025 for our division. The result: a series of brag tags! We developed a list of 20 skills, by grade level, that all students will develop and master by the time they leave Elementary School. Students will earn a tag after mastering each skill…so, sign up to learn and earn your first brag tag!
Cultivating Culture of Leadership with a Student-Led Diversity Club
Lead Presenter: Rebecca Fletcher
Does your school struggle with kids who could use guidance on issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, or ability? We have piloted a group called the Student Diversity Leadership Council that we’d like to share with you! The club’s objective is to have a diverse group of students meet to determine how to make positive changes within the school around the issues of race and other areas of diversity. Come see how!
Exploring School Counselors’ Role in Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth
Lead Presenter: Emily Kitching
School counselors play a critical role in supporting mental health in schools, especially given students’ rising mental health needs and increases in the prevalence of childhood trauma. We will share findings from a national survey of school counselors that explored their current practices in addressing trauma and facilitating posttraumatic growth with their students, and discuss implications for practice and training moving forward.
HELP! I Have To Do a Lesson in a Self-Contained Class!
Lead Presenter: Rashad Rodgers
So often counselors are included in the rotation to teach a lesson with resource teachers. You will leave the presentation with an explanation of the different categories in special education, along with some pointers on how to work with the students. Examples of lesson plans will be provided at the end of the presentation. This presentation is to build your self-esteem when working with different needs.
Supporting Students Living with Continuous Traumatic Stress Experiences
Lead Presenter: Brandy Richeson
Continuous traumatic stress can be detrimental to students, causing disruptions in their academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health. School counselors are ethically bound to support students from all backgrounds and circumstances, advocating for, and contributing to, an optimal learning environment. School counselor advocacy and support can be instrumental in a student’s recovery journey.
Supporting Students Returning to School After Psychiatric Hospitalization
Lead Presenter: Elena Savina
School reintegration following psychiatric hospitalization can be challenging for students, families, and schools. Successful reintegration is essential for reducing inpatient recidivism and promoting youths’ mental health and academic success. The presentation discusses school reintegration practices, including: school reintegration plan, interventions to support students, preparation of teachers and peers, and cross-systems collaboration.
Tackling Senioritis: Connecting to Real World with High School Externships
Lead Presenter: Claire Handville
High school is traditionally a series of requirements with limited choice. Through work-based learning, the end of senior year is redesigned. Students gain exposure relevant to their future and find meaning transitioning from high school. This approach fosters autonomy and motivation, increasing student engagement, attendance, and college and career readiness.
Tracking, Teaching, and Taming Attendance Data
Lead Presenter: Kristen Hudman
Are you overwhelmed with monitoring attendance data? Do you struggle to get staff members to assist with attendance interventions? Do you wonder how attendance data can support your counseling program? If so, this is the presentation for you! We will teach you the most effective ways to track your data, teach your staff how to utilize attendance interventions, and how to use this data to support the work you are already doing!
What I Didn’t Learn in Grad School: Navigating the First Year of Counseling
Lead Presenter: Kalise Weeks
Join our inspiring panel session on navigating the first year of counseling. Gain practical insights to overcome potential challenges that present themselves during the first year and how to maximize your graduate school experience. This session is meant to foster professional growth and empower upcoming/new counselors. Be sure to bring your questions and a notebook for an interactive discussion!
TBD
Lead Presenter: SchooLinks
Description: Coming Soon
National Center for Youth Issues
ATTN: VSCA
P.O. Box 22185
Chattanooga, TN 37422-2185
