Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference

Over a month ago I attended and presented at my favorite professional development opportunity each year, the Evidence-Based School Counseling National Conference.  One of my favorite things about this conference is that the keynote speakers are very practical and members of our field (not someone on the national speaking circuit). This conference attracts counseling professionals that are on the cutting edge of our field. It is held at a University with a strong Counselor Education program so the graduate students help manage the event.

The ASCA National Model requires counselors to examine their beliefs and this conference the past few years has caused me to revise mine. I now believe that all school counseling programs should meet students' needs as identified through needs assessments, delivered using evidence-based programs, and evolved through data analysis of outcomes. 

Our district began the move to evidence-based core curriculum three years ago. Our presentation showcased our elementary and middle school programs which now deliver 50 - 80% the same lessons across all our schools. The elementary programs represent the high end because we have always been teaching tier 1 lessons. What is different now is all our elementary and middle schools now base our social-emotional lessons on Second Step which is an evidence-based program. This years conference is will be published in a special feature issue of the ASCA Journal. I strongly encourage all counselors to try to attend the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference next year!

Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference (EBSC Conference) 2017

The Fifth Annual EBSC Conference hosted by the University of San Diego was just as rewarding as the one last year at the University of Georgia. I think the only counselors who were disappointed were those who discovered they waited too long to register since it sold out several weeks ago. I learned about things I knew nothing about like the counselors' role in linked learning. A break out session I found very interesting was led by last year's host (the University of Georgia) on their research "Who Is RAMPing and Who Is Not?" They had very interesting data and facilitated an interesting discussion about the current state and what might impact who RAMPs in the future. The highlight of the Conference for me was the Keynote address by a practicing school counselor in Arizona, Christa Mussi.

Christa has RAMPed at multiple schools and shared many valuable practical tips to manage an effective Evidence-Based School Counseling Program.

Our district presented a break out session Districtwide Initiative to Rock Tier 1 with

Evidence-based Classroom Lessons to a packed room. As promised here is a link to our presentation Districtwide Initiative to Rock Tier 1 with Evidence-based Classroom Lessons https://www.livebinders.com/edit/index/280076# Go to the Evidence-based tab. 

I encourage you to watch for more information about this Conference that will be held in New York in March 2018!

Save the Date

I was so impressed last year with the quality of all the sessions at the Evidence-based School Counseling Conference. I was determined to go again this year. We found out last week our proposal to share our experience transitioning to evidence-based tier 1 lessons in every school K-8. Please check out the upcoming conference March 10-11 in California.
http://www.umass.edu/schoolcounseling

Evidence-Based School Counseling

I was fortunate enough that my PTA helped pay for me to go to the Fourth Annual Evidence-Based School Counseling National Conference last week in Georgia. The EBSC conference provide counselors with critical information about successful practice, evaluation, and relevant research to create dynamic and powerful school counseling programs.  The conference uses a unique format to incorporate both peer-reviewed research presentations and small group consultation with leaders in the field.It was my first time attending this conference even though I had followed it on the web the past few years. I have to say the sessions I went to were some of the best I have ever attended at counseling conventions and conferences in my 30 year career! Check them out yourself at http://EBSCConference/2016_presentations.html Since my return I have shared what I learned with my school psychologist, school counseling practicum student, and district level supervisor of counseling to disseminate some of the handouts to all the counselors in our district. One of my favorite session was led by some dotoral students who had us discuss a case using the Peeling the Onion: Developing a Problem Protocol from the National School Reform Faculty http://www.nsrfharmony.org/free-resources/protocols/a-z We are hoping to use this at our elementary counseling meetings in our district in case consultation. I think the location at the University of GA Conference Center was great and the size of this conference is very manageable.To get the perspective of a high school counselor on the conference go to http://forhighschoollessons-learned-from-evidence-based.html To learn more join Erin Mason for a Twitter Chat on March 8 at #scchat.