School Counselor Connection

A big shoutout to the AZ School Counselors and Administrators who recently participated in the 2024 National School Counseling Leadership Conference in San Diego. The event not only offered us a great opportunity to connect with our fellow AZ colleagues, but also allowed us to network with professionals in similar roles from around the country. This conference focuses on providing professional development for those supervising school counselors who are interested in supporting comprehensive school counseling programs. If you're interested in joining next year, mark your calendars for February 25-27, 2025. Given that registration has been sold out in the past two years, secure your spot early to ensure you don't miss out. For more details, visit the Hatching Results website.

School Counselor Connection is brought to you by: Andrea Glenn, Director of Post-Secondary & Community Engagement and Emily Brown, School Counselor Director at the Arizona Department of Education.

ADE will be providing additional support to lead counselors by hosting quarterly meetings in which lead counselors can connect with others across the state in similar roles. We will have discussion topics set for each meeting, as well as time for networking and connection. The district/lead counselor may be someone who oversees the school counselors and student services staff, or is the point of contact for district college and career readiness initiatives. If you are a district/lead counselor and are not receiving communications regarding these meetings, please email Emily.Brown@azed.gov or Andrea.Glenn@azed.gov to be added to our list.

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming meetings which will be held on Zoom from 8:00 am - 9:00 am on the following Wednesdays:

2023-2024 Quarter 4: April 24

2024-2025 Quarter 1: August 28

2024-2025 Quarter 2: November 20

2024-2025 Quarter 3: February 26

2024-2025 Quarter 4: April 30

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://azed-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcuCoqzIvHNXx0ErqNbitqEiUVzXKjLdA

For those of you working with students in grades 9-12, Education and Career Action Plans will be due by April 30, 2024. If your plans are complete, you can submit at any time prior to the due date. We recommend logging into EMAC and familiarizing yourself with the EMAC system before the due date to ensure your tasks are submitted on time. ECAPs are required for all public high schools including charters. Plans need to be uploaded in the EMAC system. Please ensure that your current staff is assigned the correct role and anyone that has left your district has been removed. The two required compliance tasks are the Implementation Plan and the Student Sample Plan. Please note that the Student Sample Plan is only required for schools NOT utilizing the My Future AZ platform.

We have compiled a variety of resources to ensure you find success with ECAPs this year.

Questions about ADE Connect

EMAC Administrator Guide

Guidance Uploading ECAP into EMAC

ADE ECAP Website

ECAP FAQ's

ECAP Compliance Video

Sample Implementation Plan

Join us for El Valle Puede Celebration to tip-off 2024 Arizona Decision Day on April 8! The Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury Foundation and Helios Education Foundation invite all Arizona’s high schools to celebrate graduating seniors by joining us for this event at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. The agenda includes a college resource fair for students, Phoenix Suns entertainment, special guests and a live concert! Let’s celebrate Arizona’s high school seniors as they graduate and take the next steps to future success!

Date: Monday, April 8, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. – noon
Location: Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85004
RSVP: All Arizona high school seniors are invited! Schools MUST RSVP below to reserve their spot to attend.
This event is free for high schools to attend and parking for school transportation is covered.

LINK TO REGISTER

ADE, AZ Friends of Foster Children Foundation, & Earn to Learn are putting on a training pertaining to school stability for youth in foster care, the postsecondary resources available for youth in foster care, & a matched savings program for college going youth in foster care.

College for Youth in Care: Stability, Resources, & Financial Supports

April 2, 2024

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Zoom registration link

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAscu-tpjMvE9bTa-LeVmSEyzPWSYl_sC1t#/registration

Please check out the flyer below.

Save the Date for the 2024 AZ Counselor Spring Training Virtual Event

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Spring Training Event on Thursday, April 25th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. National and state presenters will offer tools and insight around FAFSA completion, supporting ALL students through an untraditional application cycle, and establishing strategies to celebrate the incredible resilience and hard work of the class of 2024. Register early to reserve your spot!

The EBSCC will be held March 8-9, 2024.

This conference has 3 areas of focus: 1. Identifying Effective School Counseling Program Components and Interventions 2. Using Evidence-Based School Counseling Practices 3. Innovations in School Counseling

For additional details and registration information, please view the flyer below.

FREE Webinar: April 5

We’re excited to share that our next FREE Hatching Hour webinar will be with Dr. Brett Zyromski! You might know Dr. Zyromski from his authorship and prolific work in evidence-based school counseling–he’s even a co-founder of an entire conference about it! We hope you’ll join us for this free opportunity!
Date/Time: Friday, April 5, 2024, 9am-10am Pacific Time / 12pm-1pm Eastern Time
Presented By:
Brett Zyromski, PhD
Associate Professor, Counselor Education
The Ohio State University
Description: Often, we are tasked with using evidence-based practices (EBP) in our work to support student success. It can be difficult to know what constitutes an EBP and which ones really help our students. In this session, we will define EBP and look at the (often hidden) oppressive history of EBP and assessment in schools. In light of that, we will talk about socially just interventions and practices that help students successfully navigate often oppressive educational systems. If your administrators are asking you to implement EBP, this is the session for you. Or, if you are just wondering how to be the most efficient, most impactful school counselor you can be while addressing inequalities in systems and supporting student holistic success - well, you won't want to miss this session either! Register Here

Virtual Events: https://www.hatchingresults.com/virtual-events

Use of Data in School Counseling Institute: Virtual learning sessions

March 11, 2024, https://www.hatchingresults.com/uodof-mar-2024

The Use of Data in School Counseling 2e: 7-Part Series:

• Wednesday, March 8, 2024 - School Counseling for Systems Change
  

• Wednesday, April 26, 2024 - Sharing Results and Flashlight Presentations

The Use of Data in School Counseling 2e: Intermediate/Advanced: April 19, 2024

Continuing Education Classes: https://arizona.hatchingorders.com/

We’re thrilled to introduce a NEW virtual cohort for district leaders taking place next school year, kicking off in August 2024! We have heard from so many of you that you find value in NSCLC because the content and networking opportunities are tailored specifically for your role and that there’s nothing else like it out there - and that’s exactly why we’ve created the District Leadership Cohort! This cohort will be an incredible opportunity for district leaders like yourself to continue learning and engaging in a space designed to support you and the unique needs and challenges of your role.
What the District Leadership Cohort includes:

• 5 Learning Sessions led by Hatching Results’ school counseling experts
• 4 Community of Practice sessions for networking, Q&A, discussion, and sharing of practices
• Toolkits, resources, strategies, and support for district leaders

Please view the flyer below for more information.

Sign up today for the monthly, virtual Lunch and Learn sessions presented by AzCAN and Ask Benji. Each session will be held from 11:30-12:30. Topics include:

March 27: ADE ECAPs

Please see the flyer below to get registered.

With the start of the 2023-2024 school year comes the opportunity to embark upon a new year of learning and impacting the lives of Arizona students. Consider taking advantage of one of the most valuable AzCAN member benefits by registering for one or more of the newly redesigned and updated College Access Professional (CAP) Training courses.

If you have not had the opportunity to become an AzCAN member, you can join here for free!

Some noteworthy features of the new CAP courses include:

CAP scholarships are available, and the request is built into each course registration.

• Courses are accessed on the Canvas platform.

• Courses are completely updated and redesigned to meet the needs of Arizona college access practitioners – course content is relevant, timely, and focused on immediate implementation with Arizona students and families, middle school through high school.

• Courses only require a maximum of 15 seat hours to complete.

The 2023-2024 CAP Training Course Schedule is now available and all fall courses are open for registration.

We offer two options for removing the 6 semester hour deficiency from your certificate.

• Hatching Results: Hatching Results partners with California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) to offer courses for school counselors for continued education. These courses allow Arizona School Counselors to complete the 6 semester (credit) hour deficiency to renew their certificates in the three-year window who apply for certification under options B, C, and D.

• AZCAN College Access Professionals Training Courses: AZCAN partners with Lindenwood University to provide CAP Training Courses. Arizona School Counselors can complete the 6 semester (credit) hour deficiency to renew their certificates in the three-year window who apply for certification under options B and C. If using the CAP courses to remove deficiencies, there will be an option to pay Lindenwood University $75 for each course to receive one graduate semester (credit) hour starting January 2024.

Option B: Completion of a graduate program in counseling, social work, or psychology; or Option C: A valid license as an associate counselor, professional counselor, master or clinical social worker, or marriage and family therapist issued by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

Options B and C require completion of six semester hours of courses in any of the following areas: school counseling, college and career guidance, or academic advising. These courses would fall under the categories of college and career guidance or academic advising.

The courses would not be accepted for the Standard School Counselor certificate under the

Option D: Completion of a graduate program in academic advising. This option requires six semester hours of courses in any of the following areas: social and emotional development, mental health counseling, trauma and disaster counseling, multiculturalism in counseling, theories of counseling, the foundation of school counseling, or child and adolescent counseling.

For additional certificate questions check out the ADE Certification Unit website.

Don't miss out on the ACTEAZ Summer Conference this year! Mark your calendars for July 12-17 in Tucson, AZ. Our School Counselor Track is back and will feature a range of sessions on different school counseling topics. There will also be a school counselor luncheon, a fantastic chance to network and connect with peers. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or new to the field, this conference is perfect for you. We're excited to see everyone again!

Hotels go live at 8:30 am on Monday March 11, 2024. More information can be found at: https://arizonactecon.com/hotel-information/

School Counselor Track Sessions

The Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services (ADE/ESS) is soliciting proposals for breakout sessions for Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference. The audience for this cross-stakeholder event includes special education administrative staff, youths and young adults with disabilities, family members and caregivers, state agency staff, educators, service providers, and community members who share a commitment to positive student outcomes.

Sharing your experience in meaningful planning and implementation will help us to offer hands-on sessions that include practical applications to support the important work of serving students with disabilities. For more information, please view the flyer below.

Discovery Education and Discover are hosting Arizona Day of Discovery: Dollars and Scholars: A FinLit Symposium for Educators at Mesa Community College on March 2. If you're interested in attending, please view the flyer below for the link to register.

Scholarships A-Z Annual Educator’s Conference will be happening on Saturday April 6. Our SA-Z Educators Conference disrupts the educator-student power dynamic by centering the lived experiences and knowledge of Undocumented youth. Educators in attendance will receive 4 hours of PD. Attendees who prefer to attend virtually will be sent the Zoom link the week of the event.

Students can attend the conference for FREE!!

We will have interpretation in Spanish available

We do not want financial barriers to stand in the way of your attendance, so please reach out to info@scholarshipsaz.org if ticket prices and site fees are an issue. We can definitely work with you.

The University of Arizona, Southwest Institute for Research on Women, is offering FREE presentations for students, educators, and counselors promoting the increase in gender nontraditional enrollment in Career and Technical Education. Topics for the presentations include:

• Gender, CTE, and Nontraditional Career Success (students and parents)
• Stopping Sexual Harassment (students, educators, & counselors)
  
• Digital Citizenship & Cyberbullying (students, parents, educators, & counselors)
  
• Recruitment & Retention of Nontraditional Students (educators & counselors)
  

Please view the flyer below for more information.

It's not too early to register for the 2024 ASCA Annual Conference, held at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and online, July 13-16. Take advantage of valuable discounts when you register by the early-bird deadline. Registration is $399 by March 1 if you're a member and $599 for nonmembers (in-person rates), a $50 savings. Click here to view all rates. Don't forget to make your hotel reservations. Click here to book.

The Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe is an evidence-based program that provides children with the skills to identify, prevent, and interrupt all forms of child abuse: physical, emotion, as well as neglect, bullying, cyber-bullying, and internet safety.

Thanks to a grant from the state, we are able to provide the curriculum for free—all the staff has to do is watch a module and then the scripted lesson plans, power point, and ‘swag’ box are provided.

The bonus: teachers and staff can earn the much needed Professional Development hours!

I’ve attached some information for you to look at—if you think this would be a fit for your school, we can set up a Teams meeting and I can answer any further questions you have! Please also check out these links for more detailed info:

http://joom.ag/gGKp

2023 CH SUBS Impact Report

www.childhelp.org/speakupbesafe

An exciting upcoming opportunity is an AHCCCS-funded training titled “IDD-MH Professional Development course on the mental health aspects of IDD for Care Coordinators” from the National Center for START Services with the University of New Hampshire. This course is designed to improve knowledge for care coordinators and care managers to successfully support children and adults with IDD and mental health service needs (IDD-MH) and their families. Speakers will include family members and people with lived experiences along with experts in the field within 6 weekly, webinar-style sessions via Zoom (105 mins each).

March 2024 course for Care Coordinators with the start date of March 4, 2024, Weekly on Mondays from 2:30-4:15 pm ET. Registration link:

https://learnforlife.unh.edu/portal/events/reg/participantTypeSelection.do?method=load&entityId=425284065 and coupon code of

AZACCC2024S. Plenty of space is available right now so please share with contacts.

Project AWARE is please to announce the Workforce Development for School Mental Health Professionals Grant. This grant provides school districts with funding to meet the unique workforce development needs of school mental health professionals (counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses) for safe and supportive schools that foster student academic success. To learn more information including how to apply, view the flyer below.

A huge shout-out to our amazing professional organizations in the collaboration of this one-page document outlining the roles of mental health providers within schools. The document was a collaborative effort of the Arizona School Counselors Association, the Arizona Association of School Psychologists, the School Nurses Organization of Arizona, the School Social Work Association of Arizona, and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. We hope you find this document useful in trainings and meetings with various stakeholders.

Do you have students that could benefit from tutoring? Study Smart Tutors is providing through ADE. Tutoring begins Mid-January. Please view the flyer below for more information.

Study Smart Tutors is also looking for tutors. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a tutor, learn more here.

AzCAN and Ask Benji will provide FREE FAFSA and financial aid advising office hours for students and families at the Capital One Cafe in Scottsdale Fashion Square between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 23rd.

Please share the flyer below with your teams as well as your networks as widely as possible so that we can encourage students and families to take advantage of this 1:1 FAFSA completion support with trained Ask Benji staff members.

The Horatio Alger Association Scholarship is for students who demonstrate financial need and display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity. We encourage your students to apply because we believe their possibilities are endless!

Scholarship Eligibility:

• Be enrolled full time as a high school junior in the United States.

• Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution).

• Demonstrate critical financial need ($65,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required).

• Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities.

• Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity.

• Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.

• Be a United States citizen.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS MARCH 15, 2024 at 12:00 NOON

• Application: Scholarships - Horatio Alger

To request a presentation or more information, please reach out to: Zulema Fragoso

Horatio Alger Field Director for Arizona

School Counselor at Nogales High School

zfragoso@nusd.k12.az.us

Please encourage your students interested in communications to apply for this $1,000 scholarship. Please see flyer below for more information.

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZ ROC) invites you and your junior and senior high school students to attend the third annual Construction Science Technology Apprenticeship Fair at Chase Field in Phoenix on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Come for a Career, Stay for the Game!

Participation in the event is free for students and school faculty. Those who attend the Construction Science Technology Apprenticeship Fair will receive a complimentary ticket to that afternoon's Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game against the Cubs. The game tickets are provided by the fair's exhibitors and will only be awarded to those who attend the Construction Science Technology Apprenticeship Fair.

The focus of the event is to connect students considering careers in construction science technology with construction companies that are actively recruiting for available apprenticeship positions and job openings.

Date: Wednesday, April 17th, 2024

Time:

• Construction Apprenticeship Fair: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
• First pitch (D-backs v. Cubs): 12:40 PM

Location: Chase Field, 401 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Registrations are Open!

To register, visit dbacks.com/AZROC

Careers in Construction Science Technology: A Pathway to Success

Career opportunities in the Construction Science Technology Professions are open to anyone wanting to have a meaningful career and earn high wages without the debt associated with a four-year degree. In fact, apprenticeship programs offer training and on-the-job experience while earning a paycheck at the same time. There are few industries that offer this type of earn-while-you-learn opportunity. AZ ROC, in collaboration with the Arizona Diamondbacks, welcomes you and your students to explore the exciting opportunities available to them as they find their own individual pathways to success.

About Us

Established by the Arizona Legislature in 1931, AZ ROC's mission is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public through a regulatory system designed to promote quality construction by Arizona contractors. AZ ROC licenses and regulates residential and commercial contractors and investigates and works to resolve complaints against licensed contractors and unlicensed entities. Before you hire, check the license at roc.az.gov!

Contact Us

Jessie Winter

Public Information Liaison

1700 W Washington, STE 105

Phoenix, AZ 85007

602-882-6084 (m)

Jessie.Winter@roc.az.gov

Cindy Casaus

Assistant Director

1700 W Washington, STE 105

Phoenix, AZ 85007

602-771-6899

Cindy.Casaus@roc.az.gov

In alignment with the goals of the nation's CHIPS Act, NAU is committed to developing a future-ready workforce that fuels microelectronics innovation and bolsters domestic production capabilities. Through our unregistered and registered Arizona Apprenticeship Programs in Phoenix and Flagstaff, we

offer exceptional training opportunities for individuals seeking careers in advanced manufacturing metrology, quality assurance and calibration roles, including:

• Calibration Technicians

• Quality Control Analysts

• Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Please click here and view the flyer below for more information.

FREE to all Arizona high school and home school students. Tuition, fees, books and instructional materials covered. Tribal colleges are fully accredited and meet the accreditation standards ensuring credits can be transferred to other post-secondary institutions. For more information, visit the Tribal College Dual Enrollment Program website.

FAFSA Updates:

• For those parents without an SSN, if they are unable to get verified through TransUnion, a case number will be auto-generated so that they do not need to call or email to obtain a case number, effective 2-28-24
• FSA has added additional staff to address the excessive call center wait times and additional staff who speak Spanish

Better FAFSA resources:

• Better FAFSA Resource Hub
• AzCAN CAP Courses (FAFSA courses in Spring 2024)
• NCAN Better FAFSA Toolkit
• Ask Benji Educator Toolkit
• Financial Aid Toolkit
• ABOR FAFSA Tips
• 2024-2025 FAFSA Guide
• 2023-2024 Arizona FAFSA Challenge

Exciting news! We're delighted to announce our second-year partnership with the Arizona Cactus League to boost FAFSA engagement for the high school class of 2024.

The first 750 Arizona high school seniors who complete the FAFSA and submit a spring training submission form will receive four tickets to attend a spring training game this season – a fantastic home run for all!

This promotion kicks off on January 8, with FAFSA submissions accepted before that date. Spread the word about this fun and exciting FAFSA incentive, and help your seniors score tickets to a memorable spring training experience!

Make sure you are tracking your school's FAFSA completion progress on Arizona College Connect! The student-level FAFSA data will be accessible in Arizona College Connect in early February. If you haven't yet gained access, it's easy to set up!

· Step 1: Have your principal set up a Data Sharing Agreement

· Step 2: Set up Authorized Users

· Step 3: Access your FAFSA Data

Upcoming Webinar:

Join the Arizona Board of Regents to learn more about Arizona Decision Day, a statewide celebration in May that showcases the postsecondary education decisions of our state's high school seniors.

This session will explore how Arizona Decision Day empowers students to take charge of their futures by committing to further education. Designed for school counselors, teachers and school leaders, this session will provide participants with a Decision Day toolkit, ideas to celebrate Decision Day on your campus, and ways to showcase the diverse array of educational pathways chosen by Arizona’s graduating class.

NEW DATE: March 13, 2024, 10am-11am

Register Here: https://asu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrcO6sqzgiHtO7IGRuY4yyx4UMWy5Zt7Px

Now is the time to Update Primary and Secondary Contacts for Your School or District’s Eligibility Center Account. To find your school’s primary and secondary contacts, visit on.ncaa.com/CCL and search for your school by high school code/CEEB, state, city or school name. Names of the primary and secondary contacts are in the High School Summary section.

• Reminder: Update Your Core-Course List
• Reminder: Upload First Semester Transcripts

National Letter of Intent Signing Period: The National Letter of Intent signing period for Division I and II football (regular period) begins Feb. 7! To sign an NLI, your student-athlete must have a paid Academic and Amateurism Certification account. Click here to view all upcoming NLI signing dates.

Bootcamp attendees can receive the beginning certification needed to start a career in wildfire. This camp will be held in April 2024 and is open for 18-37 year old (some exceptions may be made). Please see flyer below for more information.

Explore careers in mining on March 27 from 11:00am - 2:00pm. To get your school registered view the flyer below. RSVP by March 18 to secure your spot.

If you no longer want to receive these emails, please email me at Emily.Brown@azed.gov

Do you have colleagues who didn’t receive this email? Please use this form to add/update their information in our database.

Email: Emily.Brown@azed.gov
Website: https://www.azed.gov/cte/counselors
Location: Arizona Department of Education
Phone: 602-542-5353

Email: Andrea.Glenn@azed.gov
Website: https://www.azed.gov/ccr
Location: Arizona Department of Education
Phone: 602-364-4799