President’s Letter: Never Stop Growing

For my entire career as a school counselor, I’ve had access to amazing professional development that has increased my knowledge and skills. I know that not everyone is so lucky. I encourage all of you to keeping growing as school counselors in whatever way works best for you.

First of all, if you have never attended our Washington School Counselor Association (WSCA) Annual Conference, then you need to do so. From the keynotes to the sessions, from the exhibitors to the social events, our conference committee does an amazing job. During our 2019 conference, one of our guests from the American School Counselor Association (who has attended conferences in every state) remarked how large and well organized our conference is. As many times as I’ve been, I always learn something new, meet talented school counselors and leave feeling energized.

Along these lines, the 2020 ASCA Annual Conference will take place in Seattle, June 27-30, 2020. If you haven’t been to the national conference, this is a can’t-miss opportunity. Mark your calendars and make your plans now.

Another great experience is the Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference. The EBSC provides school counselors with critical information about successful practice, evaluation, and relevant research to create dynamic and powerful school counseling programs. It’s typically held in March and it rotates around the country. Next year’s location is in Florida.

Dr. Trish Hatch’s organization hosts a National School Counseling Leadership Conference. This event targets district directors, school administrators, and regional and state coordinators who support and oversee school counseling programs in schools. If you’re in such a position or you’re working toward one, this is another great opportunity.

Again, I know I’ve been fortunate and not everyone has the professional development funds to travel. A less expensive way to go is a book study with colleagues. In my district we had a great experience reading and discussing “Hatching Results for Elementary School Counseling: Implementing Core Curriculum and Other Tier One Activities” together. (The secondary version will be released this May.) I just bought and I am looking forward to reading “The School Counselor’s Guide to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support” with colleagues.

Finally, although it might seem strange to some of you, I learn a lot by following and interacting with school counselors on Twitter. If you have other ideas for professional development, let me know with a direct message at https://twitter.com/MathiesonBri

Contact Brian Mathieson, Ed.D., NBCT, WSCA president, at brianmathiesonwsca@gmail.com or on Twitter at @MathiesonBri.