Quick Links
WSCA resources should be used for everything related to WSCA.
Please do not use your personal or school accounts for you volunteer work with WSCA. WSCA staff needs access to content you create for the association as well as the ability to capture committee meeting information, etc.
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Doo Responsibilities
Specific Event Procedures & Action Items:
Professional Behavior & Image Policy
Professional Behavior & Image
WSCA appreciates and recognizes the very important role and service that volunteer leaders provide to the association. WSCA supports your autonomy and right to free expression as individuals.
As a WSCA leader, you are a representative of our association! Members and stakeholders are forming impressions of WSCA on how you treat them, how you act and how you welcome them. We know that WSCA leaders are wonderful role models representing our association and profession.
The ASCA Ethics Standards for Counseling Association Leaders speaks to Personal and Professional Conduct….
Misbehavior or inappropriate activity on the part of an association leader reflects badly on school counseling as a whole and can damage the credibility of all school counselors, school counseling associations and their members. This is particularly important and sensitive when an association is attempting to influence legislative, regulatory or judicial bodies. Association leaders have a responsibility to understand the boundaries of appropriate behavior in efforts to influence these bodies and should stay within these parameters and to take steps to ensure that members stay with them.
To further clarify professional behavior and conduct WSCA defines:
Perceived - How others see you. What they think about you or the impressions they form about you.
Credibility - The ability to inspire belief or trust. It is believability, reliability, authority and sincerity.
As part of this responsibility as a WSCA leader it is important to recognize that while you are officially representing the association, the way you look, speak, act or present yourself will either detract or enhance your perceived credibility as well as WSCA’s. People want to be a member of an association they perceive to be credible. For WSCA to be taken seriously, it has to be perceived as being credible. To be perceived as being credible, that comes from how WSCA leaders and staff present themselves to others.
What does this mean more specifically for you as a volunteer leader. When you are wearing any WSCA gear or actively representing WSCA, please consider the following:
Follow dress and/or appearance recommendations that would be appropriate in a school setting
Be mindful of your language (swearing, etc.), attitude (showing respect, welcoming, etc.) and behaviors (excessive alcohol consumption, activities that could be misinterpreted on social media, etc.)
SCA Ethics
ASCA has developed School Counselor Association Ethical standards that all SCA charter division leaders are expected to uphold in addition to the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
Ethical Standards for School Counselor Association Leaders have been adopted to promote and maintain the highest standards of association service and personal conduct. All elected and appointed leaders of local, state and national school counselor associations are expected to adhere to these standards to ensure public confidence in the integrity and service of their association and of school counseling.
DoO Monthly Collaboration with Executive Director
Executive Director Consultation
Directors should have a minimum of monthly contact with the Executive Director through committee meetings or scheduled consultation calls (scheduling link is under the web conference section of Quick Links). This ensures the Executive Director is updated on the status of projects and committee work as well as allowing the Executive Director to identify support and resources needed by the Director. If the Director emails the Executive Director and does not receive a response within 3-5 business days, the Director should resend the email due to the high volume of email the Executive Director receives. If the Director needs a same day response, they should text the Executive Director and/or call the business office if it is during normal business hours.
DoO Committee Meetings
Committee Meetings
Directors should have a planned committee meeting schedule for the year that is distributed to committee members in August/September. All committee meetings should use the WSCA zoom account and inclue an agenda/notes. Committee meetings, project timelines, tasks, etc. should be entered into Asana and shared with committee members.
Directors are responsible for supporting the organization through creating goals and objectives for their projects and committees. WSCA has been working to break down historical “silos” of committee work and Directors are expected to work collaboratively with other Directors on projects. Directors will use reflective logic models, data dashboards, annual budget projections, project management software (Asana) and annual work plans to support WSCA’s strategic planning to meet the Board determined ENDS.
WSCA resources should be used for ALL thinks related to WSCA (zoom account for meetings, WSCA canva account, WSCA kahoot, etc.)
Doo Leadership Team Meetings & WSCA Events
Directors are responsible for supporting the organization through creating goals and objectives for their projects and committees. WSCA has been working to break down historical “silos” of committee work and Directors are expected to work collaboratively with other Directors on projects. Directors will use reflective logic models, data dashboards, annual budget projections, project management software (Asana) and annual work plans to support WSCA’s strategic planning to meet the Board determined ENDS. Directors give voice to a diverse set of school counselors from across Wisconsin so it is an expectation that you attend all required meetings and events to not only share your focus area but to also fully understand how your work fits in the larger context of WSCA.
Communications with Members & Stakeholders
Communication
Messages to members
WSCA leaders should use the following guidelines when communicating information on behalf of the association:
Communication must be directly connected to WSCA business or functions and the individual must be writing only within the boundaries of their authority.
All surveys must be preapproved by the Executive Director.
The user must note their title within the Association's structure.
A finished copy must be sent to the WSCA Office.
Any other user must be directly authorized by one of the above and subject to the same requirements.
Messages & Engagement with Stakeholders
WSCA leaders are often required to speak with and interact with various stakeholders in order to progress their ongoing projects and commitments. It is especially important to uphold the integrity of WSCA’s perceived credibility with these groups and individuals, as they are often the same people who help move our association forward within relationships such as sponsorships, government relations, award recognition, amongst other things. WSCA leaders should use the following guidelines when communicating information on behalf of the association:
Communication must be directly connected to WSCA business or functions and the individual must be writing only within the boundaries of their authority.
All surveys must be preapproved by the Executive Director.
The user must note their title within the Association's structure.
A finished copy must be sent to the WSCA Office.
Any other user must be directly authorized by one of the above and subject to the same requirements.
Communication shall come from a WSCA associated account (either your Director WSCA email or the WSCA Admin account)
Support for reaching out to many contacts at one time is available through the WSCA administrative office if necessary
Support from the Executive Director on content should be solicited when the importance or the interconnectedness of projects dictate that need.
Politics
It is the policy of WSCA to comply with IRS regulations that restrict its direct or indirect participation or intervention in any political campaign activities in support of or opposition to candidates for elective public office at any level. Limitations and prohibitions include but are not limited to the following:
WSCA representatives will not make partisan comments in official organization publications or at official events, meetings or functions.
WSCA will not distribute statements prepared by others that favor or oppose a candidate.
The WSCA website will not be linked to other websites that deliver partisan or political messages.
If candidates appear at WSCA functions, equal opportunity must be offered to all opposing candidates and the WSCA must specifically state its “no endorsement” policy for each candidate. If candidates appear at a WSCA function, for other than political reasons, there should be no mention of the individual’s candidacy or the upcoming election and the reason/ capacity for the individual’s appearance should be clearly indicated.
When engaged in official WSCA business, WSCA volunteer leaders and staff will not engage in political discussions that appear to endorse a particular candidate or political party. If your personal opinion differs from the association’s stated official position papers, you must preface the post with “In my personal opinion.”
WSCA Privacy Policy
WSCA has a privacy policy that DoO should follow in all communications and interactions with members. The privacy policy is posted on the WSCA website https://www.wscaweb.org/about-wsca/wsca-leadership-team/bylaws-governing-policies/.
Member Engagement via Social Media/Eblast/Etc.
Social Media Policy
Policy & Use
Social Media allows WSCA to circulate resources, engage members and share information within the context of a globally distributed conversation. With that in mind, it is important for WSCA Leaders to understand what is recommended and expected when engaging in these spaces.
When engaging in any online format, follow the below policies:
WSCA prohibits posting of material that may be construed as discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, political views, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Similarly prohibited are posts engaging in personal insults or other defamatory behavior, as well as from posting obscene content.
All WSCA posts must abide by intellectual property and copyright laws and are prohibited from copying copyrighted material without express written consent of the owner.
Take care to avoid any statements that could be construed as defamation—that is, making a false statement, written or spoken, that harms (or potentially harms) another’s reputation—in any of your posts or comments.
WSCA holds no ability to ensure that these groups and any comments within them will not be made public, so please only share information that you would be comfortable sharing in any public forum.
WSCA material must not write about, post pictures of, or otherwise refer to any member, vendor, supplier, business collaborator or competitor without his or her permission.
Promotional content is not permitted in this group. If you would like to share a free resource - please do so. Paid resources (including professional development activities not sponsored by WSCA), especially those connected to you, are not allowed. Should you wish to promote a paid product to WSCA School Counselors - please contact the WSCA office at stacye@wscaweb.org.
A Note on “Free” Promotions: Please refrain from sharing free information such as test prep, webinars, and other "free" services where a registration is required. WSCA fears that the information obtained from any registration promoted on a WSCA hosted platform will be used as contact to sell the product in the future. This is not a responsibility we are able to take lightly as an association. With this in mind, any promotion of this type is not acceptable, and will be moderated.
Social Media Engagement
Leaders expected engagement in social media will be outlined as needed by the Social Media Director.
Politics
It is the policy of WSCA to comply with IRS regulations that restrict its direct or indirect participation or intervention in any political campaign activities in support of or opposition to candidates for elective public office at any level. Limitations and prohibitions include but are not limited to the following:
WSCA representatives will not make partisan comments in official organization publications or at official events, meetings or functions.
WSCA will not distribute statements prepared by others that favor or oppose a candidate.
The WSCA website will not be linked to other websites that deliver partisan or political messages.
If candidates appear at WSCA functions, equal opportunity must be offered to all opposing candidates and the WSCA must specifically state its “no endorsement” policy for each candidate. If candidates appear at a WSCA function, for other than political reasons, there should be no mention of the individual’s candidacy or the upcoming election and the reason/ capacity for the individual’s appearance should be clearly indicated.
When engaged in official WSCA business, WSCA volunteer leaders and staff will not engage in political discussions that appear to endorse a particular candidate or political party. If your personal opinion differs from the association’s stated official position papers, you must preface the post with “In my personal opinion.”
