R10 Counselor Conversations

🔘 55th Edition: December 2024 🔘

December Reflections: Cheer, Gratitude, and Advocacy

As we embrace the magic of this holiday season, the 55th December edition of R10 Counselor Conversations brings you cheer, warmth, and a reminder of the powerful work we do together. This time of year is about hope, renewal, and kindness—principles we champion every day for our students.

Let’s celebrate our impact and continue to uplift and advocate for brighter futures, even in challenging times. This season is not only about giving to others but also finding moments to recharge and reflect on your own well-being.

Thank you for your tireless dedication—your impact is a true gift to our students and communities. Here's to closing the year with gratitude and care.

With gratitude and warm wishes,

Amanda and Nickisha

2024-2025 School Counselor Spring Training Calendar

Free webinar for ASCA Members - The School Counselor's Role in 504 Plans

Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 1:00PM - 2:00PM Eastern

TSCA Presents: The House of Mourning: Grief Strategies for School Counselors

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 12:00PM - 1:00PM

Friday, December 6, 2024 9:00AM - 10:00AM

Contact: rachell.lucas@region10.org

Saturday, February 1, 2025 10:00AM - 2:00PM

Virtual

Below you will find registration links to important financial aid training webinars. These webinars do reach capacity, so counselors should register for the ones that are needed and mark their calendars.

TASFA & ApplyTexas Counselor Suite

When: December 5 from 10:00-11:30

Description: TxCAN and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board are excited to collaborate and bring you the latest updates on the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) and the ApplyTexas Counselor Suite. This virtual session is designed to provide crucial insights and guidance for students, families, and educators.

Registration Link

FAFSA Completion

When: December 11 from 10:00-2:00

Description: This 4-hour virtual one-day training is meant for beginner & intermediate-level practitioners who wish to do a deep dive into the Better FAFSA application. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.

Registration Link

FAFSA Completion

When January 15 from 12:00-4:00

Description: This 4-hour virtual one-day training is meant for beginner & intermediate-level practitioners who wish to do a deep dive into the Better FAFSA application. This training will walk you through the online form, give you opportunities to practice with complex scenarios, and highlight the potential pitfalls all practitioners and students should be aware of.

Registration Link

FAFSA Q&A

When: February 13 from 10:00-11:00

Description: This participant-driven, peer-learning session is designed for practitioners who are supporting students with the FAFSA and are looking for a space to answer questions and work out tricky scenarios.

Registration Link

Region 10 Advanced Academics services is proud to connect you directly with many advanced academics partners at the state, national, and even international levels. We still have three incredible opportunities this semester for you to connect directly with these partners and explore advanced opportunities for students!

College Board: Understanding and Interpreting SAT Suite Knowledge and Skills Report to Impact Instruction & Student Outcomes

December 6, in-person at Region 10

This session will support educators in using SAT® Suite results to make data-driven decisions, inform student learning, and impact student outcomes. Designed to help improve student performance through curriculum review, participants will review the skill/knowledge statements tied to the SAT Content Domains, consider guided questions for further reflection, and complete an implementation plan. Educators will walk away with a clear understanding of how to interpret scores and benchmarks and deeper understanding of the skills and knowledge assessed on the SAT Suite of Assessments. Participants need to have access to K12 Reporting in order to review school/district Knowledge and Skills Report and to their district/school curriculum maps. A presentation from the College Board will occur from 9 to noon. You're encouraged to bring a team, and the room will be available for those wanting to return from lunch and work with thought partners, including the College Board representative and the Region 10 advanced academics consultant.

Whitewright ISD

Whitewright Middle School's Red Ribbon Week was a huge success, thanks to the incredible collaboration of dedicated counselors Ashley Womble, Victoria Purdom, and Lisa Rice. For the first time, campuses across the district—from Elementary to Middle to High School—worked together to create a powerful, coordinated week of learning, fun, and inspiration. The lessons shared and joy experienced throughout the week-long event made a lasting impact on students. This dedicated team truly exemplified what it means to uplift and support their school community!

Calling all counselors in Region 10! 🌟 We're on a mission to spotlight the incredible initiatives happening across our region. Whether you've orchestrated a stellar program, organized a memorable event, or teamed up with colleagues for a triumph, we want to hear about it! Share your success stories and let's celebrate the fantastic work happening in our schools. Your creativity and dedication deserve the spotlight – spill the details and inspire others in the process. Together, let's showcase the greatness within Region 10!

As we plan for the future, we want to know what needs you have in your districts. The following subjects are divided up by domains within the Comprehensive School Counseling Program. We want to make sure we are providing you with the professional development and resources you need to develop effective programs on your campus and in your districts.

The information in this survey is anonymous, and the data may be shared with stakeholders at the state level.

Please check all that apply.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this assessment!

School Counselor Work Time- FAQ

● 2nd Annual Audit on Counselor Work Time (80/20)

● The number of Region 10 randomly selected districts doubled this year.

Sample Assessment Submission

The School Counselor and Section 504 Plan and Process

Academic Achievement Record

Each school district must report the academic achievement record (AAR) of students who have completed a minimum, recommended, advanced (distinguished), or foundation high school program. The transcript forms must include the required standard content for the AAR. The words “academic achievement record” and “transcript” are interchangeable. The form must serve as the academic record for each student and must be maintained permanently by the district.

The following documents provide information regarding AAR minimum standards:

2024 Minimum Standards for the AAR (PDF, 446KB)
2012 Minimum Standards for the AAR (PDF, 315KB)
2009-2010 Minimum Standards for the AAR (PDF, 173KB)
2008 Minimum Standards for the AAR (PDF, 159KB)

Child Abuse Reporting

As mandatory reporters, Texas educators should review and refresh on child abuse prevention. Visit TEA for important facts and resources.

SCHOLAR 📩 School Counselor Handbook Online Resources

The site supports each aspect of implementing the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling, 5th edition. Bookmark and visit the site often for resources, templates, lessons, and more.

Texas Model Alignment Checklist

Plan your work and work your plan for the 24-25 school year.

School Counselor Requirement & Resource Document

A Multi-Tiered Approach to Promoting SEL

Internet Safety Presentation Request

Thank you for your interest in the Dallas Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Internet Safety Presentation. Our presentations are designed to educate and empower parents, schools, community groups, and organizations on the critical topic of online safety for children and teens.

To request a presentation, please fill out the form with your organization’s details and preferred dates. The team will review your request and get in touch to confirm the details.

Together, we can help keep our children safe in the digital world.

🎓Graduation Toolkit🎓

The foundation high school program and endorsements help students focus their interest, select their coursework, and better plan for their postsecondary training and education.

October 1st marks the date when districts that have an executed MOU will receive authorization for new counselors and updates for existing accounts within the Counselor Suite.

APPLY TEXAS - Counselor Suite Access

● Verify your district’s Apply Texas status here

● Contact Apply Texas for additional information: ApplyTexasMOU@highered.texas.gov.

For Apply Texas access or technical support, please contact Elaine Fackler at elaine.fackler@region10.org

TWU's new FAST Academy is a short-term, summer residential bridge program that is specifically designed to help foster-care alumni succeed and thrive! Through hands-on activities and experiential learning, TWU faculty provide specialized instruction in math and English that will help ensure you are prepared for the rigors of the college classroom.

Coursework is designed to catalyze creative and analytical thinking while providing space for first-time college students to learn how to successfully navigate college.

Verification Letter for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth for the Purposes of FAFSA

TxCAN Financial Aid Resource Hub

Online TASFA

Financial Aid Graduation Requirement - FAQs

Texas OnCourse Professional Learning Series

Effective Advising Framework

In a K-12 setting, effective advising is delivered through the individual student planning system of a comprehensive school counseling program.

The Importance of Meeting College Deadlines

Dictionaries define procrastination as delaying or postponing something. It is a habit common with both young and older adults. However, procrastinating and not adhering to deadlines for college applications, can result in serious disappointment at the end of the college admission process. Decision options vary from college to college:

Early Action Plans are nonbinding and the student receives the admission decision early.

Early Decision Plans are binding and usually require the student, parent and counselor to sign a form for their first choice school. The student will receive the admission decision early with the expectation that it will be accepted.

Regular Decision Plans are designed for students who want to apply to multiple colleges. They will usually receive admission decisions in the Spring.

Rolling Decision Plans are designed to provide students who submit their applications, to receive admission decisions within a certain time frame (Ex. 4-6 weeks) after submission.

As colleges have hundreds of students applying, submitting after the deadline may result in the application not being processed. College websites and application platforms will have deadline times for students.

Reminding our students to complete their applications in a timely fashion eases stress for everyone involved. They should also reach out to their colleges for accurate information.regarding deadlines and any college related questions.

November is College Application Month

Use My Texas Future’s 12th-grade timeline to keep seniors on track with their college applications.

TEA Fall Mental and Behavioral Health Newsletter

R10 Mental and Behavioral Health Newsletter

As the holiday season approaches, this offers a unique time to pause and reflect on the importance of wellness and gratitude within our school communities. This month, we focus on strengthening our support for students, staff, and families as we enter a season that can bring both joy and stress. In this issue, you'll find resources to help you foster a culture of care, insights on creating trauma-sensitive environments, and tools to empower your teams in promoting mental well-being for all. Thank you for your dedication to building resilient, compassionate school communities—together, we are making a difference every day.

Mental Health Resource Toolkit

Mental Health Resources in Spanish

Free Online Courses Related to School Mental Health

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

PAX Good Behavior Game

FREE RESOURCES AVAILABLE

PAXIS and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission have partnered to offer free training to those working with children or families in both in-school and out-of-school settings throughout Texas.

The PAX Good Behavior Game® (PAX GBG) is a school-based, classroom preventative intervention used by educators to teach self-regulation. PAX GBG is not a set of lessons or a curriculum but strategies teachers use throughout their day to build students’ behavioral skills and stamina for focused attention and on-task behavior. Training opportunities include live-virtual and online options. All Region 10 LEAs have free access to this resource.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kate Forisha - kate.forisha@region10.org

YAM Youth Aware of Mental Health

North Texas Behavioral Health Authority (NTBHA)

Region 10 Community Resources Database

TEA School Safety Resources

School Behavioral Threat Assessment: 88th Legislative Session Update

How to Recognize and Report Child Abuse or Neglect

The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC)

Texas Legislature Bills About School Counseling

As you know, the 88th Legislation recently ended and there were items passed that will effect all school counseling programs. Check out this resource to help you follow along with all the changes.

Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth

Resources and services to ensure that all Texas children living in homeless situations have the opportunity to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school.

Updated TEA Help Desk

The TEA Help Desk has a few new or updated buttons, such as curriculum, CTE, and certification. Find them all here: https://helpdesk.tea.texas.gov/

Texas Virtual School Network

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides online courses to eligible students through the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN).

Updated LOTE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

An updated FAQ document for LOTE curriculum and graduation requirements has been published on the TEA LOTE webpage.

Texas SPED Support Website

Discover resources and learning opportunities from experts in the field.

Career and Technical Education

Programs of Study Update

Refreshed Career and Technical Education programs of study will be implemented beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. The current programs of study went into effect in the 2020-2021 school year, allowing Texas to meet the federal program approval requirements within the Strengthening CTE for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). The Texas Perkins State Plan included a commitment to reviewing programs of study every four years to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the Texas workforce. As the culmination of that four-year review cycle, the refreshed programs of study are now final.

Resources that support implementation of refreshed programs of study beginning in the 2024-2025 school year are available on the TEA website.

Individual Graduation Committees

Updated guidance and frequently asked questions on IGCs are now available to provide districts and charter schools with additional support for implementation and documentation of IGCs.