President’s Letter: WSCA Is Here for You

On April 6, we all received the news that we were not returning to our brick and mortar schools this year. Education as most of us have known it throughout our lives will need to change. As we grapple with this shift in thinking, I would like you to know that the Washington School Counselor Association has formed a committee to address this issue. This strictly volunteer committee composed of school counselors just like you will work to provide help and resources as we forge on to provide services for our beloved students and their families.

Please know that we have added COVID-19 Updates and Resources to our WSCA website. This additional tool will provide you with information to use in planning your school counseling programs for the remainder of this school year. Know that WSCA has been in contact with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the American School Counselor Association and other state counselor associations. We are partnering to provide support for school counselors across our great state. When you using any resources that you find on the WSCA website, always remember that school counselors, first and foremost, must follow their district directives and their locally bargained contract's MOU (memorandum of understanding) before implementing any school counseling services for students. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your local association's union president and your district office. This is especially important to ensure your continued employment and protect yourself from possible liability and certification issues. Use only district-approved devices and pre-approved communication procedures with your students and families. Please remember that resources WSCA provides are only a beginning step in program planning that must always be approved first by your district administration.

Continue to direct specific questions or concerns to the WSCA executive director, Chris Kelly at chriskellywsca@gmail.com. Our committee will work to help address your questions, as soon as possible.

I hope this letter finds you and your family well. This is a challenging time, but we have each other and WSCA for support. I have faith and confidence that school counselors from all over our state will rise to the occasion. I believe that school counselors are the bright light for many of our students and staff. Stay strong and continue to shine that light!

Contact Jenny Morgan, WSCA president, at jennymorganwsca@gmail.com.