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, 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.”
CEA’s annual back-to-school survey this fall found that student mental health issues remain one of educators’ top concerns, with 88% of those surveyed indicating it’s a major issue. Despite the growing need for mental health supports for students, 56% of all educators and 68% in urban districts say there are not enough resources to meet students’ mental health needs in their school buildings.
Make sure legislators know what’s going on in your school building and understand why it’s so important that schools have enough school counselors, social workers, and psychologists. Register for CEA’s Breakfast with Legislators this Saturday, February 8, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., for a unique opportunity to talk directly with legislators about what you and your students need to be successful.