Each year, we celebrate National School Counseling Week! Celebrated the first full week of February, this year’s theme is, “School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused" and aims to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within the U.S. school systems.
School counselors help students in more ways than many understand. Every day, they work to create a future world where all students thrive. For many students, this comes in the form of helping to plan academic goals throughout the school year. School counselors work to provide individual planning and guidance regarding academic achievement strategies, peer counseling in classroom instruction, and setting goals for postsecondary options, such as higher education, the military, and the workforce.
This is just one example of the impactful work that school counselors do! They invest significant time advocating for students both within and outside the classroom and are champions of student success, often promoting equitability, accessibility, achievement, and opportunities for all students.
Most importantly, school counselors are there to listen and work with students to promote student success. This can look like providing short-term counseling for students or working with individuals or peer groups that develop students’ emotional and interpersonal skills. This can also mean collaborating with families, teachers, administrators, and the community to ensure future student success for all students.
How can you get involved in National School Counseling Week? Throughout the week, National School Counseling Week has provided
prompts to interact with school counselors and others are celebrating across the country. Using #NSCW24, follow along to discuss, engage, and learn from others on how to promote student success within the sphere of school counseling.
You can also celebrate school counselors year-round by letting them know how much you appreciate the work they are doing. Something as simple as a “thank you” goes a long way for all the help they give to students across the Commonwealth, and nation, every day!