National School Counseling Week

National School Counseling Week - February 1-5

ALL in for ALL Students

National School Counseling Week is celebrated yearly to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors and highlight the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve social, emotional, academic, and college and career success.

Often school counselors feel that they are “tooting their own horn” by celebrating National School Counseling Week (NSCW). However, we encourage school counselors to instead view National School Counseling Week as a way to advocate for your school counseling program. It is a week dedicated to showing students, caregivers, educators, administrators, school boards, the community, and other stakeholders the vital services and supports provided by school counselors!

We encourage you to begin preparing for NSCW now. Here are some ideas:

National School Counseling Week Activities

Proclamation – Ask your superintendent, mayor, or other dignitaries to sign a proclamation declaring Feb. 1–5, 2021, as National School Counseling Week. Download a blank proclamation for free.
Appreciation Certificates - Show your appreciation to those faculty members, parents, and other stakeholders who help you promote your school counseling program throughout the year. Download a blank certificate of appreciation for free. Prep your certificates now and then present them during morning announcements or an assembly thanking those who support your school counseling program.
Press Release - Send a press release to your local newspaper. You can customize this sample press release with information about what your school or district is doing to celebrate National School Counseling Week.
Morning Announcements - Get your school excited about each day of National School Counseling Week by promoting the week during morning announcements.
Daily Photo Challenge -

⃞ Monday, Feb. 1: I’m All In for students because…

⃞ Tuesday, Feb. 2: I’m All In for my professional development because …

⃞ Wednesday, Feb. 3: I’m All In for collaboration because …

⃞ Thursday, Feb. 4: I’m All In for building an equitable and inclusive school because…

⃞ Friday, Feb. 5: I’m All In for school counseling because…

Daily Webinars-

⃞ Monday, Feb. 1: TeacherTalk: School Counselors Collaborating for Student Success, 3:00 p.m. CST

⃞ Tuesday, Feb. 2: State of the Profession: Protecting the School Counselor Role, 1:00 p.m. CST

⃞ Wednesday, Feb. 3: State of the Profession: School Counselors Respond to COVID-19, 1:00 p.m. CST

⃞ Thursday, Feb. 4: State of the Profession: School Counselor Demographics and DEI, 1:00 p.m. CST

⃞ Friday, Feb. 5: State of the Profession Q&A, 1:00 p.m. CST

All webinars and events (except the Monday TeacherTalk webinar, which requires registration) will be available for viewing on ASCA’s Facebook Live or ASCA On Air)

Post on Social Media - Post about your NSCW activities using the hashtags #NSCW21, #OklahomaSchoolCounselor, and #OklaEd
Bulletin Board - Decorate a bulletin board sharing all the components of your school counseling program.
Stickers - Print stickers that say "I came to see my school counselor during National School Counseling Week! Ask me what I learned!" and give out to students you see throughout the week including counseling lessons.
Cards - Send cards to your favorite school counselors or school counseling mentors thanking them for all they do for the profession of school counseling.
Data Display in Teacher’s Lounge - Set up a display in the teacher’s lounge sharing data from your school counseling program. Think you do not have any data to share? Share the number of students you serve vs. the recommended ratio (250:1) or share the number of counseling lessons taught this school year or share the number of small groups or share the number of individual student counseling sessions.
Fun Puns - If you have a small budget to use for NSCW (ask your admin. if you don’t, you never know!), consider showing appreciation to the school staff for the ways they support the school counseling program:
- “I donut know what I would do without your support of our school counseling program!” OR “If you donut know a lot about the role of the school counselor, please take a flier!” (with donuts and a handout about the role of the school counselor)
- “I am EXTRA thankful for the ways you support our school counseling program!” (with Extra gum)
- “Thank you for being so M&M (marvelous and magnificent)!” (with M&Ms)
- "You brighten our school counseling program!” (with a highlighter)
- “Thank you for your commitMINT to our school counseling program!” (with mints)
- “Our school counseling program is BERRY lucky to have you!” (with berries such as strawberries, blueberries, or a berry-flavored candy)

We would love to hear how YOU are celebrating

National School Counseling Week

and advocating for your school counseling program!

Email us with your ideas and photos - sarah.kirk@sde.ok.gov

We will be spotlighting school counselors participating in NSCW!

To stay in the know about all things School Counseling in Oklahoma, make sure you are signed up for the

"Counseling & School-Based Mental Health Integration" and "Counseling" Newsletters

through the Oklahoma State Department of Education!