School Counselor Connection

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:

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

Education and Career Action Plans were due by April 30, 2024. If your plans were not submitted, you will receive automatically generated messages saying your plans are overdue until they are submitted. Please reach out if you need assistance uploading your schools plans.

SafeTALK is a four-hour face-to-face workshop featuring powerful presentations, audiovisuals, and skills practice. At this workshop, you'll learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support.

To register for our in-person session on June 12 from 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm, please fill out this form. The trainings will take place in-person at 100 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix, AZ, 85007.

If you have any questions, please contact Melanie Durden at melanie.durden@azed.gov.

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.

Want to learn more about Hatching Results’ virtual events? Join their team for a brief information and Q&A session on May 8th from 9:00 to 9:20 a.m. PT. Please register in advance for this Zoom meeting.

• 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!)
• 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!

The Arizona College Access Network (AzCAN) has opened registration for the Fall 2024 College Access Professional (CAP) Training courses. All courses have been updated and shortened to a 4-week asynchronous format with a highly qualified instructor. All CAP Training courses can also be taken for graduate credit through an HLC-accredited institution (for an additional fee) to resolve the 6-credit hour deficiency for school counselor recertification under option B or C through the Arizona Department of Education. Please reach out to Dr. Jennifer Murphy with any questions at jmurphy@educationforwardarizona.org.

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.

Join the Arizona Pathways to Prosperity Team at Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) and Arizona Business and Education Coalition (ABEC) for career exploration professional development this summer. All participants will receive a $250 stipend per day.

They are offering three tracks:

1. Administrators on July 10, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

2. Middle School Educators on July 9 and 10, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

3. Elementary School Educators on July 11, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

All tracks will be held at Arizona Western College. Please see the flyer below for additional information including a link to registration.

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! Registration is currently open until July 2.

School Counselor Track Sessions

Hotel Information

ADE/ESS is excited to announce the opening of registration for Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve. This year’s conference will be held from September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix. Please visit the IDEA Conference website to learn about our keynote speakers: Valerie Williams, Perry Zirkel, Pamela Schuller, and Dr. Erik Carter. Additional national speakers and exciting conference events will be shared soon.

The conference registration fee for professionals is $575 per person and can be paid by credit card, check, or purchase order. ADE/ESS is aware that PEAs may have approaching procurement deadlines related to issuing purchase orders, so please do not delay in registering for the conference. Registration is anticipated to fill quickly.

Register for the 2024 IDEA Conference in the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD). Interested participants must have an ADE Connect account to complete the registration. See the APLD Learner Guide for detailed steps to complete registration.

Please visit the IDEA Conference Registration web page to learn more about registering, including making a Save My Seat request, Lodging, and Frequently Asked Questions.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you and looks forward to this year’s conference. Stay informed by visiting the IDEA Conference website for updates, including announcements about keynote speakers. Questions can be emailed to the IDEA Conference inbox

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. Click here to view all registration rates. Don't forget to make your hotel reservations. Click here to book.

This year, the Trauma Sensitive Schools Symposium will host a range of engaging sessions that will expand participants’ knowledge of trauma-sensitive school systems and educational approaches - particularly focusing on the foundational elements of what it means to be trauma-informed, how this shows up in school systems across the lifespan, and the wide-reaching impacts of trauma-informed education of students, families, staff, and our communities.

Strengthen your foundation, transform your approach, and make a lasting impact at the 2024 Trauma Sensitive Schools Symposium!

This year's theme is: Strengthening Our Foundation: The Building Blocks to Becoming Trauma Informed

This event will take place on June 4, 2024. Use this link to register.

The Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona Department of Education, and Education Forward Arizona invite you to submit proposals to present a breakout session during the 2024 FAFSA Symposium (formerly referred to as the FAFSA Kickoff). This conference-style event is scheduled for Friday, September 13, 2024 from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

If you are on the fence, here are a few reasons why you should consider presenting:

• Gain valuable insights to guide your future work
• Impact the work being done in Arizona to support students in applying to and enrolling in education or training beyond high school
• Share best practices and lessons learned related to FAFSA completion

Your experience in invaluable to others and your voice is essential if we want to achieve the Arizona 2024-2025 FAFSA completion goals. Session topics may include, but are not limited to:

• FAFSA completion best practices (FSA ID, events, etc.)
• Using data to increase FAFSA completion rates
• Parent and community engagement (FAFSA awareness, paying for education or training beyond high school, etc.)
• Capitalizing on partnerships to increase FAFSA
• Supporting special student populations (undocumented students, mixed-status families, foster youth, etc.)

If you are interested in presenting a breakout session, individually or with colleagues, please complete this brief form by 11:59 pm on Friday, June 7, 2024. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Jennifer Murphy (jmurphy@educationforwardarizona.org).

The 2024 FAFSA Symposium will be held on September 13 at ASU Tempe Campus, Memorial Union. This will be an all day event from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm. Please see flyer below for more information.

Cu at the Mine! is a four-day teacher academy to address the need for mining and mineral resources-related content in Arizona's high school science curricula. Participants will develop and take away lessons and lesson materials aligned to the Arizona Science Standards (AzSS). Multiple field trips and guest speakers will allow participants to identify resources and foster connections with other educators and experts within the mining and geosciences fields. These resources will facilitate the inclusion of mining and mineral-related content into teachers' existing curricula and instructional plans. Participants will receive a $1,000 stipend.

Dates: June 24 - 27

Location: University of Arizona, 1200 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721

Check out the event website for more information on the agenda and registration.

Do your students doubt their abilities when they experience challenges? Do they understand how to put forth effort and to make progress toward their goals? Self-efficacy instruction can increase students’ belief in themselves and can develop their ability to persist through learning challenges.

The Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, in collaboration with the University of Kansas Research Collaboration, is offering the College and Career Competencies Project, a free, one-year professional development series that includes:

• Free access to self-efficacy curricula at the primary, intermediate, and secondary levels with 25+ evidence-based instructional activities that teach 10 self-efficacy strategies.

• Virtual training across the school year to all staff, based on your PD calendar.
• Assessments to show student growth.
• Coaching support throughout the implementation process.

The College and Career Competencies Project is accepting 6 more schools (elementary, middle, or high) for the 2024–2025 school year!

To participate, have an administrator from your district complete the CCCs Project Interest Form, and schedule a 30-minute conference call about the project.

View our self-efficacy infographic, which includes the definition of self-efficacy and student impacts resulting from instruction.

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.

Check out these Summer Resources to promote student, family, and educator engagement. Feel free to share with your networks.

ADE/ESS Assistive Technology Team offers a short-term loan library to test out assistive technology devices, including fidgets and sensory tools. School personnel can loan the items for up to a month and parents can loan items for their students for up to two weeks. Please view the flyer below for contact information.

Touchstone Health Services is stating a Community of Practice (CoP). They want to create a practice of passionate professionals from across Arizona. This can include a variety of representatives from school districts, behavioral health agencies, community agencies, AHCCCS Complete Care Contractors with Regional Behavioral Health Agreements (ACC-RBHAs), government agencies and/or offices, and many more. Whether you're working directly or indirectly with youth, your insight can shape this CoP. If you are interested in joining, visit their website to get registered.

The Johns Hopkins School of Education has been awarded a multi-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This grant supports the Skills for Secondary School Success (4S) curriculum that better prepares middle school students to manage their learning and navigate the transition from middle to high school. We are recruiting middle schools willing to participate in a study of professional development materials to support the use of the curriculum. The project will cover the cost of all the materials and professional development training. The first 60 7-8th grade teachers who implement the 40-day curriculum will also receive a $1,000 stipend.

The curriculum was designed to help middle school students:

• Learn to manage stress
• Explore future careers
• Get and stay organized
• Set SMART Goals
• Develop project managing skills
• Use effective communication
• Strengthen their emotional health
• Build a growth mindset

Please visit our website for more information.

Contact Drs. Marcy Davis and Martha Mac Iver to schedule a Zoom information session.

Funding Source

The ASU Interplanetary Initiative and Orion’s Quest are teaming up to offer a 1-day Microgravity Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers (Microgravity SIMST) in Summer 2024.

Excite and engage your students with the wonders of microgravity! Selected in-service Arizona middle school teachers will learn about the physical concepts underlying microgravity in simple terms. Teachers will also be trained on hands-on activities that bring microgravity and real research data from the International Space Station (ISS) into the classroom.

After fully participating in this professional development program, teachers can receive up to a $200 stipend ($100 after completion of the Microgravity SIMST, $100 after implementing a microgravity lesson in the classroom). Travel assistance is also available.

Date: Thursday June 27, 2024
Time: 8am–5pm AZ
Location: Arizona State University, Tempe campus

The National Center for Construction Education and Research created a FREE career exploration tool for careers in the construction field. Students are able to start their construction career exploration journey by taking the career interest assessment which will match them to careers within the construction field. They can explore careers, see training and employment opportunities, and get connected to a mentor. Check out the CareerStarter website today!

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

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.

Education Forward Arizona is proud to partner with Freeport-McMoRan in a new scholarship program to provide education, training, and job placement in one of six critical technical areas. The program is open to ages 18+, and all educational and/or experiential backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Learn new skills that can lead to a rewarding career path and successful future in mining, an industry critical to the energy transition, with Freeport-McMoRan in one of its nine U.S. operations in AZ, CO and NM

There are six Skilled Trade Programs:

1. Diesel Mechanic

2. Electrician

3. Process Control/Instrumentation Technology

4. Fixed Plant Maintenance/Advanced Manufacturing

5. Heavy Equipment Operations

6. Welder

Currently accepting applications until June 21. For more details and application please visit the Future With Freeport website.

The Uniquely Abled Academy of Maricopa County (UAA) has launched an innovative program to prepare neurodiverse individuals for rewarding careers in CNC manufacturing. Working with GateWay Community College (GWCC), UAA will provide a comprehensive curriculum, apprenticeship opportunities, and ongoing professional coaching to support students along their journey. To jumpstart the program, First Place AZ will provide scholarships to the first 12 students through a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant.

Understanding the need for meaningful career paths for neurodiverse individuals and pressing CNC workforce shortages, the UAA program strives to bridge the gap and bring neurodiverse talent into the mainstream job market. "The UAA program is not just about training individuals, it's also about transforming lives," said Rodger Shepherd, Skill Up AZ Program Coordinator for UAA. "Our goal is to empower neurodiverse individuals with the skills and support they need to succeed in the precision manufacturing industry."

"This program goes beyond traditional training by offering scholarships, tuition assistance, and assistance with tools and transportation, ensuring every participant has the opportunity to thrive," added Rodger. With the support of GWCC and the dedication of its instructors and scholarships from First Place AZ, the UAA program is poised to make a significant impact in the Arizona community. The program also includes tuition assistance and job placement services provided by Skill Up Arizona.

For more information about the Uniquely Abled Academy of Maricopa County and how to get involved, visit www.skillupaz.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rodger Shepherd

Uniquely Abled Academy of Maricopa County, AZ

361 South 52nd Street, Tempe, AZ 85281

Email: rs@skillupaz.org
Website Address: www.skillupaz.org

Dave Zamora

Program Director & Faculty

zamora@gatewaycc.edu

Phone: (602) 286-8656

GateWay Community College | Washington Campus

108 North 40th St

Phoenix, AZ 850034 Website https://www.gatewaycc.edu/degrees-certificates/manufacturing

AZ Cyber Initiative is hosting one-week long Cyber Bootcamps throughout the state during the summer for high school students. This camp is FREE for students and they can receive $250 upon completion. Check out the flyer below for dates and locations.

College Depot will be holding the 2024 CollegePalooza event on Saturday July 20 from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. This event is geared towards seniors heading to college in the fall. This free event includes: interactive activities, a panel presentation, snacks, and raffle prizes. Please share the below flyer with your students so they can get registered.

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.

• Save the Date: FAFSA Symposium, September 13 at ASU -Tempe

• Save the Date: NCAN Conference, September 16 - 18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center

• Save the Date: ACT State Conference, December 9 - 10 at ASU -Tempe

• FAFSA Resource Hub: Regularly updated resource hub for school counselors, educators, college access professionals
  

• 1:1 FAFSA Completion Workshop: Saturday June 15th, 10:00-2:00 at the Capital One Cafe

• Governor Hobbs' Announcement of Investing $500L for Summer FAFSA Initiatives

Make sure you are tracking your school's FAFSA completion progress on Arizona College Connect! 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

Lunch and Learn presentation: 📺 Summer Programs (College & University Resources) | 📂 Slide Deck📂 (2/21/24)

For students with foster care backgrounds, there are early start programs at ASU and UA:

ASU - Bridging Success Early Start:

https://fosteryouth.asu.edu/services-support/early-start

UA - New Start Early Start:

https://newstart.arizona.edu/

The AFFCF Scholarship program application will be open from 6/1/24 - 6/30/24 for student who reached (or will be reaching) age 18 in foster care (DCS or tribal) in Arizona:

https://www.affcf.org/scholarships/

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