National School Counseling Week 2023 (Feb. 6-10), sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the essential contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and the tremendous impact they have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. We want to thank our school counselors for all that they do.
School counselors work to maximize student success while promoting access and equity for all students. As vital members of the school leadership team, school counselors help create a school culture of success for all. School counselors help all students apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions, apply interpersonal skills, and plan for career options.
The duties of a school counselor include providing:
- individual student academic planning and goal setting
- school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards
- short-term counseling to students
- referrals for long-term support
- collaboration with families/teachers/ administrators/ community for student success
- advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
- data analysis to identify student issues, needs, and challenges
School counseling as we know it today began as vocational guidance in the early 1900s and has changed considerably over the years. Today’s school counselors provide many more services to students, staff, and families than the guidance counselors of the past.