#NSCW23 for Procrastinators and Counselors Who are Struggling!

No joke, National School Counselor Week caught me off guard this.  Ok, it's not that I didn't know it was coming...it comes every February.  Also, it is not like I have not seen or shared #NSCW23 posts on social media since January.  Or, since December, I made a pledge that I was going to promote #NSCW23 at my school and do some simple activities.  But, again, I failed.  Yes, I can make every excuse in the book to myself to make me feel better...I was busy, too tired, and consumed with life; all true.  Well, here I am on Sunday afternoon with nothing planned at all.  So, maybe you find yourself here at the last minute on Sunday afternoon reading this post (thank you by the way).  What can you do at this point?  Well, I am going to share my last minute plans and maybe you can share you plans with us procrastinators as well.  😁

So, let's clarify what National School Counselor's Week is and what it is not.  I think knowing what it is all about will help you with your focus.  

National School Counselor's Week, as defined by ASCA, focuses public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors. So, in essence, we are sharing with our stakeholders how we benefit our students, staff, and parents. In fact, ASCA has provided a promotional kit for school counselors to "plan" their activities. In addition, here are all the downloadables including templates, logos, and other great materials.  

Ok, at this point, I am too late for the promotional kit and many downloadable images.  So, here are my thoughts of what I can emotionally and physically put together at this point.

First, I am going to use the profile #NSCW23 template made by Dr. Danielle Schultz to upload on my social media. If you want to use her template, here is the link. 

#NSCA23 Social Media Profile template

Second, I am going to make an announcement each day describing the role and contributions of school counselors.  This one is easy because ASCA has provided sample announcements that are ready to use.  Of course, I will try to personalize the announcement for my school. Here the the announcements below for you to view. 

Monday 

Good morning. This is [insert name], your school counselor, and today is the first day of National School Counseling Week. The theme of this year’s week is “School Counselors: Helping Students Dream Big.” Did you know that my number one goal, as a school counselor, is to help you succeed? Whatever you need to be successful at school – whether that’s learning how to stay motivated to complete your work, having positive relationships with your fellow students, advocating for yourself or overcoming barriers – I’m here for it. You’ve probably heard of actor and producer Tyler Perry. He said, “I don’t think the dreams die. I think people give up. I think it gets too hard.” Sometimes achieving your dreams IS hard, but I’m here to help you not give up. As your school counselor, I want to help you achieve your dreams. What are your dreams? How can I help you make a plan to achieve them? Let’s talk about it. Have a great Monday! 

Tuesday 

Good morning. This is [insert name], your school counselor, and this week, we are celebrating National School Counseling Week. Yesterday, I talked about how my job is to help you be successful and work toward your dreams. But did you know that I’ve achieved one of my dreams just by being your school counselor? It’s true. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn said, “Follow your dreams. If you have a goal, and you want to achieve it, then work hard and do everything you can to get there.” My goal was to become a school counselor so I could support students like you. And I couldn’t be happier to be here. Every day is different, but I can tell you that I get tremendous joy in seeing you succeed. Your dreams are my dreams. Thanks for helping me make my dreams come true! Have a great Tuesday! 

Wednesday 

Good morning. This is [insert name], your school counselor, and this week, we are celebrating National School Counseling Week. As you know, our theme for this week is “School Counselors: Helping Students Dream Big.” Today, I’d like to talk about my dreams for our school. My dream for our school is that every student feels supported and welcome. That we treat each other with kindness, embracing and celebrating our differences, listening and learning from each other. Author Audre Lorde said, “Tomorrow belongs to those of us who conceive of it as belonging to everyone, who lend the best of ourselves to it, and with joy.” How can you help me meet my goals for our school? Can you reach out to someone today to ensure they feel like they are part of our school community? Do you feel like you belong? Let’s talk about how we can make our school a safe and nurturing space for all of us. You know where to find me. Have a wonderful Wednesday. 

Thursday 

Good morning. This is [insert name], and we are still celebrating National School Counseling Week. As we talk about “dreaming big,” how can our school help YOU dream big? Yesterday, I mentioned that my dream was that everyone in our school feels like they belong and that we create a welcoming and inclusive community together. When we build that kind of environment, our school is even more ready to help you discover and work toward your dreams. One of our goals here is to help ensure you’re ready for what comes next –whether that’s college or a career. Did you know that starts as early as kindergarten? As you engage in your school work, you’re discovering what gives you joy, what sparks your interest and what your talents are. At our school, we want to ensure you have access to learning and extracurricular opportunities to help you dream your dreams. Singer Suki Waterhouse said, “Don’t stop yourself from doing something you want to do because of what others might think. Only you know yourself best.” Is anything stopping you from trying something new? A new challenge could be the first step to discovering your dreams. If you’re uncomfortable about stepping out of your comfort zone, let’s talk about it. I can help. 

Friday 

Good morning. This is [insert name], and today is the final day of National School Counseling Week. I’ve enjoyed talking with you this week about “dreaming big.” Whether it’s your dreams for yourself or for our school, dreams are the fuel that keep us moving forward. Author Carl Sandburg said, “Nothing happens unless first we dream.” Take a minute, and think about your dreams. Dreams don’t have to be about a career. Dreams can be about feelings or even helping someone else achieve their dreams. What’s one thing you can do today that moves you one step closer to a dream – any dream? Write it down or draw a picture of it. Look at it when you need encouragement. My dream for you – for everyone one of you – is that you feel successful here at our school and that you learn all the skills you need to reach your goals in life. I am here for you every day. Thank you for celebrating National School Counseling Week with us. Have a safe and fun weekend.

Next, I am going to download and display a #NSCW23 logo.  There are many to choose from on the ASCA site. Here are a few that I like and then I will put one or two up on my door.

NSCW23 Logos

In addition, I may use this great template created by Dr. Danielle Schultz to display how I can help my students dream big.

Dr. Danielle Schultz #NSCW23 Template

On Wednesday, I am going to do a little staff appreciation for my staff and teachers in each workroom across our campus.  I will get some candy and put out a catchy sign thanking them for their support of my position at the school.  Also, I may (depends on my energy level) download and print off the Staff Certificate of Appreciation certificate and put in their boxes. 

ASCA Certificate

Here is an idea from the Savvy School Counselor from last year in case you need inspiration.

Sometime during the week, I will shoot for the beginning, I will create some type of communication about me and how I can benefit students and parents.  I really like this simple newsletter this school counselor put together.

Ok, here are some other simple, but great ideas for I am considering for the future.

ASCA gives a great template to use for a NSWC Photo Challenge to post each day. I may do an activity for the students each day as well so they can get involved too. Here is the template here for the photo challenge.

 Photo Challenge Template

Again, Dr. Schultz never fails to provide some great ideas.  She actually gives other counselors in her district a coffee.  Here is the template for you to use. I don't have a colleague at my school, but I would like to recognize some of the other local independent school counselors in our area.  

Coffee Template - Canvas

Counselor Clique is giving away a 4-day email series template to advocate for #NSCW23.

#NSCW23 Email Template Series

Well, that is all I have for this blog.  You can always go back when I was more energetic to find other ideas for National School Counselor Week from 2014-18.  I hope you have a great NSCW23!!