School Counselors' Network

"School counselors are key agents, both directly and indirectly, in promoting advocacy with and for students with disabilities. Directly, school counselors can support students with disabilities in helping them recognize their strengths and develop self-advocacy skills. These skills can assist students in navigating through systemic barriers and difficult experiences imposed on them due to stigma and/or ignorance about disabilities."

From Advocacy for All: Serving Students with Disabilities By Taqueena Quintana, Ed.D., and Jenna Alvarez, Ph.D. | October 2019

Welcome to YOUR School Counselors' (SCN) Network!!

We want YOU to know that this is YOUR network. This is about what YOU need and that OUR job is to facilitate that in the best, most effective way possible.

Access Resources Here

Timely Resources & Opportunites

"The VCU Autism Center for Education is inviting Virginia residents to enroll in Evidence-Based Practices to Teach Students with ASD, a free online course running from September 8 to October 13, 2025. Designed for educators, this course provides an overview of effective instruction, appropriate skill selection, and evidence-based practices, focusing on the “foundational five”: antecedent-based interventions, visual supports, systematic instruction, and strategies to promote social and communication skills."

Register Here

REGISTRATION OPEN!!

Section 504 Training: From Eligibility to Implementation

Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Where: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center:1 Partnership Cir., Abingdon, VA

Download Flyer

REGISTRATION OPEN!!

Section 504 Training: From Eligibility to Implementation

Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Where: The Village Center at Warm Hearth, 2387 Warm Hearth Dr, Blacksburg, VA 24060

Download Flyer Here

Supporting Students & Families Amid Immigration Policy Changes

Hatching Results gathered a collection of trusted immigration resources for school counselors, classroom teachers, and other educators and leaders to support immigrant and mixed-status students and families during this time.

Access Resources Here

Register Here

The Importance of College & Career Planning for Freshman & Sophomores

"When we think about college and career readiness, it’s easy to assume that planning begins junior or senior year. In reality, the foundation for postsecondary success is laid much earlier. Freshman and sophomore years are critical times for students to explore interests, build strong academic habits, and begin connecting their choices today to the opportunities they want tomorrow."

Access Resources Here

School Counselor Role Clarity: How to Advocate for Your Duties

In this post you’ll learn:

Why role misalignment leads to burnout (and how to spot it)
Three actionable strategies to advocate for your counseling duties
How to use a one-page role guide an elevator pitch without feeling awkward
Bonus tools—including a free School Counselor Role Clarity Guide you can print and share

Read Post Here

"Crisis isn’t on your calendar—but it will find its way into your school year. From grief to suicide risk to behavioral outbursts, these moments change everything in an instant. In this episode, I share how to build a Crisis Toolkit so you’re ready to respond with care, structure, and sanity when the unexpected comes knocking."

Listen to Podcast Here

Join our ABC ~123 Behavior Change email group . The purpose of ABC~123 is to share three ideas that teachers can use to support students with challenging behavior. These three ideas will be delivered to your email box each week! We hope these ideas help you to more effectively address challenging behaviors. Please join and invite others who may benefit from these weekly helpful strategies. You can email jebaldw3@vt.edu with any suggestions on topics you would like to see more about in the future.

Join the growing Region 6 & 7 Network of support and professional learning for School Counselors in Virginia. Receive weekly updates connected to our SCN website, where we work to keep you aware of important information from the VDOE and as well as the latest resources and leadership opportunities specifically for YOU. As a network, we want you to be able to connect and learn form one another, so please share your ideas for future SCN sessions and let us know what resources you need. Thanks for all you do!

Join us for an incredible interview with Traci Smith, Coordinator of Student Support and Mental Health, with Washington County where she shares about her journey & their amazing school counselors !!

LISTEN HERE - School Counseling Week

School Counselors' Network

Welcome to YOUR School Counselors' (SCN) Network!!

Timely Resources & Opportunites

REGISTRATION OPEN!!

Section 504 Training: From Eligibility to Implementation

REGISTRATION OPEN!!

Section 504 Training: From Eligibility to Implementation

The Importance of College & Career Planning for Freshman & Sophomores

School Counselor Role Clarity: How to Advocate for Your Duties

In this post you’ll learn:

SIGN UP FOR OTHER AMAZING RESOURCES!!!!

CLICK ON THE ARROW TO SEE ALL OF THE GREAT RESOURCE NEWSLETTERS

Level Up (SCHEV and VDOE)

Anxiety & Depression Association of America Newsletter

Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities National Training Center Newsletter

CASEL's SEL Inbox weekly newsletter

SAMHSA's National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC) Newsletter / (NEW NTTAC Website)

National Alliance on Mental Illness/Virginia

National Center for School Mental Health Newsletter and Listserv

Center on the Developing Child: Harvard University

Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center Newsletter

Progress Center

Please let us know if you would like to see additional resources added to the tabs listed above so far.

Jen Baldwin at jebaldw3@vt.edu and Natalie Mey at nmey22@vt.edu