It’s National School Counseling Week—a week dedicated to focusing public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. School counselors play an essential role in schools, helping students manage emotions and behaviors, learn interpersonal skills and academic achievement strategies, and collaborating with families and teachers to ensure student success.
While a thank you is always appreciated by your school counselor friends, family, and colleagues, Lisa Kilcourse, co-chair of the Connecticut School Counselor Association, says that this week is also a perfect opportunity to advocate for the mental health of all K-12 students across the state.
“You can help advocate by voicing the need to have equitable and appropriate access to school counseling in Connecticut,” she says. “We need school counselors in every building as well as appropriate duties for school counselors so we can provide 80% of service as direct time with students. School counselors provide academic, social emotional, and future planning supports. We also provide crisis intervention and become the connection between school and home.”
“Classroom teachers can’t do it alone and rely on our hard-working counselor colleagues for their expertise and collaboration with other school staff,” says CEA President Kate Dias. “We need to ensure schools have reasonable student to counselor ratios so that all students can have access to the services they need and deserve.”
“As we recognize National School Counseling Week, we honor the theme ‘School Counselors Amplify Student Success,'” says Seth Korn, co-chair of the Connecticut School Counselor Association. “To my fellow Connecticut counselors: your hard work is the heartbeat of our schools. You support families, guide academic journeys, and provide a safety net for our most vulnerable students. I encourage all educators to join us in advocating for increased counselor-to-student ratios. We do this because academic excellence is impossible without emotional well-being. By supporting access to school counselors, we are ensuring that every Connecticut educator has a partner in the classroom and every student has the social emotional support they need.'”
CEA’s annual back-to-school survey this fall found that student mental health issues remain one of educators’ top concerns, with 89% of those surveyed indicating it’s a major issue. Eighty-five percent of educators reported that they’ve seen increased stress and anxiety in their students over the last few years and name mental health problems as the biggest issue facing today’s students. Yet, 67% of educators say there are not sufficient mental health supports for students in their building.
Make sure legislators know what’s going on in your school and understand why it’s so important that schools have enough school counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Register for CEA’s Breakfast with Legislators Saturday, February 28, 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., for a unique opportunity to talk directly with legislators about what you and your students need to be successful.
