Counselor Connection--August 1

If our emails from the ESC are going to your spam/junk folders or management systems, please talk to your IT Department. We are not able to fix this on our side as there are way too many variables on why it is getting marked as spam or blocked for our IT to be able to directly assist.

Emails were sent to counselors and superintendents in June, but if you have not completed the form so that your superintendent can complete the MOU when they come out, please do so. If you aren't sure--just do it again! 😁Please note that all Apply Texas accounts are being reset and all access is being removed. If you are getting emails about extending your access, it will be dependent upon these MOUs and will not happen until after September 1. Here is a copy of the email:

Dear Texas ISD Leaders and Counselors,

Your school district’s agreement to access the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite will expire on

August 31, 2024. To retain access to the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite, your school district must complete a new agreement with The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

About the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite

The ApplyTexas System is maintained and managed by the THECB. In addition to hosting the state’s admission application for students, ApplyTexas also includes the Counselor Suite. The Counselor Suite is a dashboard that provides high school counselors at public schools – whose districts have entered into an agreement with the THECB – with select student-level information about ApplyTexas admission application and financial aid filing status for students attending their high school. Under a school district’s agreement, the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite shares Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Texas Application for State Aid (TASFA) completion data with the district, which can be used as a method of proof to report that a student has met their high school graduation requirement.

How Can You Help?

Act Now! We ask you to please complete the ApplyTexas MOU Contact Form with the required information for a new agreement. This will assist us in collecting the essential information we need to send the agreement to the appropriate staff at your district for signature.

Questions or Need Assistance?

We're here to support you every step of the way. If you have any questions or require assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at applytexasmou@highered.texas.gov.

Sincerely,

ApplyTexas MOU Counselor Suite

ApplyTexas MOU Counselor Suite

https://www.highered.texas.gov

(If you were at the Counselor Retreat, you should have completed this). Please help us as we begin this school year by completing a survey that will help us know which services you are using, what we can do to help you, and things that you would like/do like!

Register

The College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Tracker Part II is now available in the TEA Login (TEAL) Accountability application.

The CCMR Tracker Part II provides districts with a means to track CCMR indicator completion throughout high school for students reported as enrolled in grades 9–12 on the TSDS PEIMS October 2023 snapshot date impacting 2024 accountability ratings. Corrections cannot be submitted to TEA; this report is for informational purposes only.

The 2024 CCMR Tracker is released in stages:

• Part I March 29, 2024: CCMR outcomes reported through TSDS PEIMS, TSIA results, and OnRamps course completion through the 2022–23 school year; SAT, ACT, AP, IB and level I/II certificate results through the 2021–22 school year
• Part II July 26, 2024: CCMR outcomes for SAT, ACT, AP, IB, and level I/II certificates through the 2022–23 school year

Additional information regarding CCMR indicators can be found in the 2024 Accountability Manual. More information about the CCMR Tracker can be found in the CCMR Tracker One Pager as well as Interpreting CCMR Tracker Methodology and Sources Part II which are available on the Performance Reporting Resources webpage.

Instead of completing a full request for a classroom project you can shop from a list of everyday basics, recommended by EDUCATORS. Feel free to share with teachers on your campus, or create a request of your own to restock that supply closet before the year kicks off! Heads up: they might not ship the exact brand or size pictured. If you need something more specific, create a classroom

project to shop from the full catalog.

Stanford’s REACH Lab has launched a data dashboard where you can see, in real time, anonymous student responses to the curriculum and interventions you are implementing! Short pre- and post-surveys are now embedded in ALL prevention, education, and intervention materials, as QR codes and URLs on the first and last slides of every Canva (course) slide deck.

• FREE theory-based and evidence-informed resources for TOBACCO & CANNABIS PREVENTION!
  
• INCLUDES Healthy Futures, an Alternative-to-Suspension program!
• SPANISH AND ENGLISH options!

REGISTER HERE FOR AN ADMIN ACOUNT

The resources from TCB session:

• Recording
• Slides
• District Leader Training Quiz

College Scorecard is a free online tool to help students of all ages, families, educators, school counselors, and other college access professionals make data-informed decisions when choosing a college or university to attend. College Scorecard experts are offering several upcoming trainings to equip advisers with the necessary skills to help others use the scorecard. Register here for one of the following dates:

• July 30, 10 a.m. EDT
• Aug. 1, 4 p.m. EDT
• Aug. 22, 10 a.m. EDT
• Aug. 27, 4 p.m. EDT

The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), a university-level research center at Texas State University, has developed a Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Toolkit to support schools, parents, youth, and adults in addressing fentanyl use. The toolkit provides a list of resources that includes information on Texas laws, educational programs, awareness campaigns, tools for educators and parents, and free naloxone access, as well as other resources.

For questions, please fill out the Contact Us form located on the TxSSC website.

More Narcan Please, University of Texas Health San Antonio’s naloxone program, is now referred to as Naloxone Texas. Naloxone Texas is a statewide initiative that aims to end the state’s overdose epidemic through medication distribution, public awareness, and workforce empowerment. Free naloxone can be obtained through the naloxone request webpage. To access virtual, on-demand, training in evidenced-based strategies for overdose reversal and prevention, please visit the training webpage.

For questions, please email naloxonetexas@uthscsa.edu.

Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 153, School District Personnel, Subchapter BB, Commissioner's Rules Concerning Professional Development, §153.1015, Mental Health Training
Summary: The proposed new rule would implement the mental health training requirement established by House Bill 3, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.
Resumen en Español: La nueva norma propuesta implementaría el requisito de capacitación en salud mental establecido por la Ley 3 de la Cámara de Representantes, 88.° Legislatura de Texas, sesión ordinaria, 2023.
Publication in the Texas Register: July 19, 2024
Public Comment Period: July 19, 2024-August 19, 2024. A form for submitting public comments is available on the proposed commissioner of education rules web page.
Proposed Effective Date: November 5, 2024

Please see the TEA website to view proposed commissioner of education rules.

Amazon offers a treasure trove of free educational resources to spark student engagement including Amazon Career Tours, free computer science courses, Scholarships and Internships, and more!

Are counselors leaders at school? It is one of the 10 competencies in the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs. Check out this blog post on 10 Tips and Tools for School Leaders.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Kaiser Permanente are hosting a live panel discussion on August 21 at 12:00 pm. The discussion will focus on how building a culture of caring schools can address chronic absenteeism. Participants will learn about concepts for addressing chronic absenteeism, including creating a personal caring presence and creating a caring classroom environment. A Q&A portion will follow led by students, educators, and other experts on building caring environments to ensure a sense of belonging. Register on the Healthier Generation webpage.

Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) provides telemedicine or telehealth programs to school districts to help identify and evaluate the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents and provide access to mental health services. TCHATT is available to any school district in Texas that wants it. If you’re a school district interested in joining TCHATT or have any questions, email tcmhcc@utsystem.edu.

Kids can develop anxiety from many things, such as interactions with new animals, separation from their parents, or doing something embarrassing. The Child Mind Institute created a resource page covering a variety of topics related to anxiety in kids. Anxiety can show up in a lot of different ways, including headaches, stomachaches, extreme shyness, and tantrums. Explore the anxiety resources page for topics including parenting anxious kids, anxiety in schools, specific phobias, and information on different types of anxiety.

TEA correspondence from July 18 - https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/correspondence/taa-letters/required-annual-notification-of-nondiscrimination-4

Reminder to post the annual notification of nondiscrimination before the first day of school. There are two components to this requirement for LEAs: annual nondiscrimination and the continuous nondiscrimination statements. This is a federal requirement for all LEAs.

If your school is selected for a MOA (Methods of Administration) Audit, evidence of these postings are required documentation to send to TEA. Typically, TEA announces the LEAs selected for MOA in September. Each ESC will have one or more LEAs selected.

Just a reminder, credit hours earned by a student in Career Preparation are dependent upon the number of hours worked (must be on training plan). TEA has created a General Career Prep and Career Prep Program of Study. Each of these are funded differently. Teachers assigned to Career Prep and Practicum courses are required to have WBL training. It is also a great training for counselors. ESC 15 will present WBL on August 1st or TEALearn offers an on demand training (please note the TEALearn training may not reflect most recent changes in SAAH). On August 1st we will also talk about the LEA requirements for WBL documentation if you are identified for a MOA audit.

Contact Traci Terrill with CTE Questions traci.terrill@esc15.net or 325-481-4074

A free, one-hour workshop designed to help caregivers support a child who has experienced loss. Participants should register for one session, as the same workshop is being offered in

English and Spanish on several dates listed below.

Monday, August 5th: 6-7pm CT Spanish

The workshop will be held virtually via Zoom. Register

September 10, 2024, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm CT | For more information and to register

🌟 NEW IN 2024-2025:

• District Leadership Cohort - August 2024 through June 2025 *limited spots available!
• Advancing Equity Conference for School Counselors - December 11, 2024
• Closing the Gap: An Action Research Cohort - September 2024 through April 2025 (five 1-hour webinars!)

💫 BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:

• Use of Data in School Counseling Institute: Overview & Foundations - 3 dates to choose from!
• New School Counselor Institute - October 3, 2024
• Use of Data in School Counseling 7-Part Series - September 2024 through May 2025 (register for individual workshops or the entire series!)

Check out our virtual events webpage for the full 2024-2025 calendar and event details!

Want to learn more about Hatching Results’ virtual events?

FACT: According to the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, employees engaged in professional development are also more likely to stay engaged in their work and to be enthusiastic about pursuing their goals.

General School Mental Health Resources: https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/

Mental Health Resources Database: https://schoolmentalhealthtxdatabase.org/

Mental Health Best Practice Repository: https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/best-practices/

This list is of known providers of particular services. The providers on the list are from a variety of sources. The list is being provided as a courtesy, for information only, and the user should understand that no assurances or guarantees regarding the providers on the list are being made by providing this list. We do not endorse, approve, or recommend any specific provider listed below. This list is not inclusive of all community agencies, services, or organizations that provide the particular service, and the omission of an agency, service, or organization from this list does not imply disapproval. It is the responsibility of the user of this list to determine whether any of the content is of value to them and whether or not the agency, service, or organization meets their specific needs.

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National

• Emergency: (24/7): 911
• Referral Services: (crisis counseling, housing, food, health care, family services): 211 | https://www.211texas.org/
• Suicide Prevention: 988 | 988lifeline.org
• Self-Injury/Cutting: 1-800-366-8288 | selfinjury.com
• Eating Disorders: 1-800-931-2237 | nationaleatingdisorders.org
• Runaway Hotline: 1-800-231-6946 | 1800runaway.org
• Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453 | childhelp.org/hotline/
• Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 | rainn.org
• Domestic/Relationship Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | thehotline.org
• Trevor Hotline for LGBTQ Youth: 1-866-488-7386 | thetrevorproject.org
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline | samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
• Other resources for developing healthy lifestyles, including mental and emotional help: helpguide.org

Email: mentalhealth@esc15.net
Website: https://www.esc15.net/
Phone: (325)658-6571
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Region15ESC/
Twitter: @Region15ESC