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Counselor Connection
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Happy New Year!
As we embark on a new year, We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to you, an exceptional school counselor, for your unwavering commitment to your students' growth and learning journey. Your role in shaping the minds and lives of the next generation is truly priceless.
We hope this year provides abundant opportunities for you and your students to flourish and succeed both academically and personally. Whether it's helping a student cope with personal struggles or guiding them through career choices, you've got what it takes to make a meaningful impact in their lives.
Please remember that we are always here to offer any assistance or support you may need. Don't hesitate to reach out to us, as we are committed to providing the help you require in any way possible. - ESC Region 12 Counseling Team
Counselor Appreciation Luncheon
It's time to celebrate National School Counseling Week and appreciate all your hard work! On February 9th, 2024 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, we will be hosting the Annual ESC Region 12 Counselor Appreciation Luncheon. You can register for session #338194 at https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=338194. We encourage you to bring your administrator along.
The event is free of cost, but we need a head-count for meal planning purposes. Please let us know if you're coming. We also urge you to apply for the "Elite Counselor" status by completing the application/nomination form. The deadline for these applications is January 12, 2024.
If you plan to retire during or at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, please contact Jeni Janek.
The award winners for our 2024 ESC Region 12 Elementary, Secondary, and "Lone Ranger" Counselors of the Year will be chosen from these applicants. We appreciate your dedication to our schools and value this opportunity to thank you at one of the first ESC Region Service Center Counselor Appreciation lunches in the state. Let's keep the tradition alive and strong in 2024!
We're excited to share that the Texas School Counselor Associations have announced this year's winners of the CREST Awards in Region 12. The award recipients are House Creek Elementary and Martin Walker Elementary, both from Copperas Cove ISD, and Harker Heights High School from Killeen ISD. These schools have shown exceptional commitment to counseling and have made remarkable progress in the academic and personal development of their students. Congratulations to the winners and their hard-working faculty and staff for this well-deserved recognition!
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Wear Blue Day
January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, also known as Wear Blue Day. DFPS invites you to take photos of yourself or with friends, family, and colleagues wearing blue. Then, share those photos through social media. Please use #WearBlueDay, tag DFPS in your post using the handle @TexasDFPS, and email your photos to HumanTrafficking@dfps.texas.gov. Anyone can participate. All you need is something blue! Please see this participation guide to join the fight against human trafficking.
You can learn more about human trafficking at TexasEndHumanTrafficking.org.
Self Care Tip
As a school counselor, your role is crucial in supporting the mental health and well-being of students. However, amidst the demands of the job, it's easy to forget to prioritize your own self-care. That's why we're here to remind you of the significance of taking care of yourself, especially as we enter the new year.
During stressful times, it's essential to prioritize your well-being. Practicing mindfulness is a proven method to achieve this. All you need is a few minutes each day to focus on the present moment and clear your mind. This simple practice can effectively reduce your stress levels and improve your overall sense of well-being.
FAFSA Update
The updated FAFSA and TASFA have officially opened!
FAFSA Updates
Your students may encounter “planned pauses” without advanced notice. These pauses allow FSA to address issues that may affect applicant experience. It is suggested to plan FAFSA completion events for later in January or in February in the event that such maintenance is required.
It is anticipated that colleges and universities will need multiple weeks to load data and test systems before beginning to generate financial aid offers. Offers will likely reach students in mid-to-late February at the earliest.
TASFA Updates
The online TASFA is not currently available. Students are encouraged to complete the paper TASFA until the online application is available.
Helpful resources
A new FAFSA means new terms to learn! Check out the Quick Start Guide for FAFSA Simplification from Texas OnCourse that goes over the new terminology in the FAFSA and TASFA.
TASFA Resource Sheet
Need help with the TASFA? Check out the TASFA resource sheet from Texas OnCourse for helpful information, links, and updates.
Upcoming Conferences
Upcoming Training Session
1/8/24 - Stop The Bleed TOT -340690
1/8/24 - SEL Building Resilience Series -339012
1/11/24 - Ascender GPA, Class Ranking & Computation -338246
1/16/24 - Safe and Healthy School Series -338202
1/17/24 - Behavior Threat Assessment Training -338010
1/22/24 - Psychological First Aid -338034
1/24/24 - Youth Mental Health First Aid -338006
1/29/24 - SEL Building Resilience Series -339014
1/30/24 - Counselor Zoom # 3 -338179
1/31/24 - Getting Started with MTSS & PBIS - 338319
Updates
SB 2304
Starting from September 1, 2023, all public schools in Texas are required to provide information about the Texas Driving with Disability program to their students who meet any of the following conditions:
- Have a health condition or disability that may affect their ability to communicate effectively
- Receive special education services
- Are covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
This information must be shared every year with each student who is 16 years old or older until they graduate or turn 21. Additionally, the school must also provide this information to the parents or guardians of the eligible students. The school may include this information along with any other transition planning materials that they provide. For more details, you can refer to this link: SB 2304 (driver’s license bill for students with disabilities)
Dual Credit Funding
During the previous legislative session, the funding model for community colleges underwent a change. This alteration may have an impact on the way dual credit is provided funding. It would be beneficial to connect with your district's community colleges offering dual credit to understand how this change will affect the program.
UT Tyler Scholarship Opportunity for Future School Counselors
We just found out about a great opportunity for educators who are looking for a partial scholarship to pursue a school counseling degree with UT Tyler. This scholarship is specifically designed for those who attend small rural schools. If anyone is interested, they can contact Dr. Citlali Molina at her email address cmolina@uttyler.edu.
House Bill 3 Transfer of Student Records Update
During the 88th Regular Session, the Texas Legislature amended Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.002(a), and added TEC, §25.036(c), in House Bill 3, to require the transfer of a child’s disciplinary record and any threat assessments when a child transfers to a new school district. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has updated the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) and the Texas Records Exchange (TREx) Data Standards to include this new requirement. See the attached letter.
Due Date Extension - House Bill 3 College Preparation Assessments: TSIA Reimbursement
House Bill 3 (HB 3) college preparation assessment reimbursement, enacted by the 86thLegislature, permits the state to provide a one-time reimbursement to districts for the cost of administering one college preparation assessment (SAT, ACT or TSIA) per eligible student. Estimated funding is advanced to districts annually in the fall Foundation School Program (FSP) funding. Each year, TEA reconciles these funds for April settle-up.
More information about this policy is covered in depth in the HB 3 SAT, ACT, and TSIA Reimbursement FAQs. Importantly, for the 2022-2023 school year, eligible students are as follows:
- Seniors who take either the SAT, ACT, or TSIA from September 1, 2022 – July 31, 2023.
- Juniors who take either the SAT, ACT, or TSIA from January 1, 2022 – July 31, 2023.
Note: August 2022 test administrations will be submitted and considered in the 2022-2023 process.
SAT and ACT school day participants are automatically considered for reimbursement. TEA has a separate request process for districts who would like to request reimbursement for the SAT and ACT national day testing. If multiple records of a student are reported, TEA will reimburse the highest cost exam per eligible student. If multiple records of a student are reported from several districts, the first district will be considered.
If the TSIA is the highest cost exam for a student for which the district paid and would like reimbursement, then the district must request a reimbursement from the agency using the process outlined in this document.
A request for reimbursement does not guarantee a reimbursement will be administered. After receiving all requests for TSIA and SAT/ACT, TEA will validate requests and reconcile funding accordingly. TEA recommends that districts retain all back-up documentation on district policies, decisions, and payments in the event of an audit.
Only one file per district will be accepted. TEA will not accept individual campus requests.
The survey can be complete by utilizing this link:
https://tea.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5olFD4XAhDFpsvY
The extended due date for submission is January 30, 2024 at 11:59PM CST.
For additional information or questions related to this bulletin, please contact TSIAReimbursements@tea.texas.gov.
⏲️Region 12 Counselor Time Tracking Reporting and District Analysis Checklist
Please click HERE to learn more about it and print/download for your own use. You may make aa copy of the Google doc for your own use.
We also have a School Counselor Requirement & Resource Document that shows all the times that a school counselor is listed in statute (Texas Administrative Code and Texas Education Code). This was designed to help school counselors know and see when they are listed in statute.
Texas Scholar Website
The website offers a wealth of resources to help implement the 5th edition of the Texas Model for School Counseling, including templates and lessons. Be sure to bookmark and visit frequently.
January Stellar Counselor...
Lometa ISD School Counselor Sarah Figg is our Stellar Counselor for January. Sarah's dedication and commitment to her students is truly remarkable. She always goes the extra mile to ensure her students get the best guidance on their academic journey. Her caring and supportive attitude towards her students makes them feel comfortable and confident. We are thrilled to recognize Sarah's outstanding efforts this month and appreciate her contribution to shaping her students' future.
Each month, we'd like to highlight one of our Region 12 Counselors for the fantastic things being done to support students and teachers. We are thankful for the hard work put in each day and look forward to the great things happening! If you know a counselor deserving of recognition as our "ESC Region 12 Stellar Counselor of the Month", please get in touch with jennifer.serrato@esc12.net or jjanek@esc12.net.
If you need to update your Apply Texas Counselor Suite accessibility, please contact me at jennifer.serrato@esc12.net.
Visit Our Counseling Webpage!
ESC Region 12 Website Updates
We've added a few updates to the ESC Region 12 website. You can access the counseling webpage by clicking on Programs and Services.
ESC Region 12 Counseling Webpage
Feel free to check out the counseling webpage and other resources that are available.
My ESC Network
Did you know that you may already have access to free workshops and training? Don't forget to check out the My ESC Network to see if your district is apart of a membership co-op or SSA which gives you access to prepaid trainings.
Please Contact Us If You Have Questions!
ESC Region 12 Counseling Team
Jeni Janek, Education Specialist | Coordinator, M.Ed., LPC
o: 254-297-1124 | f: 254-666-0823
Jennifer Serrato, Counselor Specialist, M.Ed. LPC-Associate
Becky Lane, Counselor Specialist, M.Ed
Need Additional Information?
Migrant Education Program
Coordinator of Migrant Services & McKinney Vento
o: 254-297-1167 | f: 254-666-0823
CTE
Contact Tj Arndt for more information CTE services.
Coordinator of CTE
o: 254-297-1199 | c: 254-313-7225 |
ESC Region 12 Safe & Healthy Schools Newsletter
Coordinator of School Safety
o: 254-297-1166 | c: 979-324-1344
f: 254-666-0823 | e: hwheeler@esc12.net
Transition
Contact Monica Johnson for more information about transition.
Educational Specialist
o: 254-297-1158 | f: 254-297-2961
MTSS Newsletter
Contact Crystal Robinson for more information about Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
Education Specialist
o: 254-297-1217