So Much to Celebrate!

Now that National School Counselor Week has come and gone, it’s important to remain motivated to take on the remainder of the school year. Here are some reminders to keep you rejuvenated!

©      Celebrate the profession. We have the ASCA National Model; the framework from which we develop our programs. We have the state standards to provide us with the basis of our guidance lessons and group work. We also have specific methods used only by school counselors to deliver services to meet the needs of our students.

©      Celebrate community. You are an integral part of your community. It is your responsibility to educate others. Remember, you are the expert. What you contribute to your school should be shared with the community. In some cases, you may be the stakeholder in your community where counseling issues are concerned. Make yourself accessible to other agencies and entities that will help you create the community in which you want to live.

©      Celebrate accomplishments. We have all experienced what I like to call professional pinnacles. You know, that moment when you know that you are someone’s superhero? It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?

©      Celebrate students and their families. They are the reason we have a job in the first place. We matter because they matter. Never forget that you have a direct effect on the lives of your students. And never forget that what they bring to the job is a constant variable that is ever changing.

©      Celebrate coworkers. Create opportunities for everyone to benefit from your comprehensive school counseling program. Whether we work alone or on a team, the symbiotic relationships we build with staff and coworkers will result in a successful professional learning community.

©      Celebrate tenacity. What keeps you coming back day after day? What drives you to be the best school counselor you can be? What do you offer that is unique to school counselors?

©      Celebrate compassion. How many nights have you stayed awake, worrying about where a student slept that night, or what happened after you made that call to the authorities? Compassion is what fuels our tenacity.

©      Celebrate results. The assessments and surveys, and the planning and implementation of your school counseling program will ultimately prove to be the effect we have on student achievement. This is paramount to our purpose as a school counselor.

©      Celebrate fortitude. It takes a unique educator to be a school counselor. It takes stamina to be able to develop and follow a plan, while still thinking and acting on our feet in any given circumstance. You know you’re always ready to take on that new project that will be hoisted onto your (already) taxed work load.

©      Celebrate YOU. You need to occasionally check in on yourself. Take time to notice that you are a highly trained educator and community member, and you have much to contribute.

No matter the economy, robust or frail, we rise above and accept the challenges of our work. Regardless of student-counselor ratios, we treat each child with the respect and dignity he or she deserves. We work side by side with families and administration to create safe, healthy, learning environments. So…let’s celebrate!