Feb 5-9 marks National School Counseling Week, dedicated to shining the spotlight on the numerous contributions of school counselors in U.S. school systems.
National School Counseling Week was started in 2011 by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). There is an annual theme that the ASCA releases a few months prior to school counselor week. This year the theme is ‘School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused.’This organization has promoted this week since its inception with posters, stickers, promotional videos, and certificates. Certain districts have joined in on the celebration at the administrative level, with schools reaching out to governors or mayors to formally announce the week. This year, the A.S.C.A reached out on social media to allow students to promote and join in on recognizing their counselors.
The American School Counselor Association published a website with corresponding events and challenges for students to take part in. Students posted on social media with the hashtag #NSCW24 to enter into contests that recognized their counselors at the national level.
At Poolesville, department heads are organizing acts of kindness and methods of giving back to our counselors. The English department created gift baskets with tea and other treats, and the math department will be providing a pizza and salad lunch for the counselors on Friday. The Technology department has planned a breakfast of bagels with cream cheese, donuts, fruit, coffee, and juice.
The Poolesville Pulse produced a video featuring the unique contributions of each of our counselors, and students from every grade gave thanks and special shoutouts for the work they do, which was aired on the morning announcements on Feb 8.
