Take Your Career to the Next Level with CASC Campus

Introducing our latest initiative: CASC Campus is the newest addition to CASC's training endeavors! We've collaborated with a diverse group of experts to provide an array of field-specific training modules. This article describes why CASC has expanded in the area of online and in person professional development. Our courses are unique and specifically designed to meet the needs of busy school counseling professionals.

Ongoing education has never been more necessary. Whether you're an established school counselor or just starting out, investing in yourself is an important step on your professional journey. Professional development is all about you and your commitment to evolving your knowledge, skills, and abilities. Participation in advanced training demonstrates your dedication to school counseling excellence, and can meet your needs for career advancement, improved job performance, staying current and personal growth.


We cannot overstate the importance of professional development for school counselors, as seen in the inclusion of professional development in the California Standards for the School Counseling Profession (Standard 1; Element 1C). Furthermore, CASC’s Strategic Plan has included the category of “professional development” since our inception 24 years ago. Although many of you have attended our regional trainings, webinars and conferences, the size of California often prevents counselors in remote areas from attending our trainings. Likewise, school counselors often have difficulty leaving their school site for any extended period due to their job demands. Consequently, we have expanded our operation to reach every school counselor with convenient and accessible professional development. Below are a few of our offerings.
 

District Support

We have contract with several Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to provide consultation support and in-person professional development. This includes supporting LEAs with their Residency Program. We are also providing extensive training support toward implementation of the new California Standards for the School Counseling Profession (CSSCP). For example:

Mastering the California Standards for the School Counseling Profession: Strategies for School Counselor Excellence
This one-day training walks participants through the California Standards for the School Counseling Profession. It is designed to support school counselors in aligning their practice within a performance-based format. The CSSCP defines the scope of practice for school counselors within six core areas, serving as a guiding compass for working within a comprehensive school counseling program.

E-Learning
CASC recently secured four extraordinary school counseling experts who have designed several courses we think you will find of great value. These individuals are Dr. Caroline Lopez, CSU Long Beach; Rachel Andrews, Redondo Beach USD; Dr. Molly Strear, San Francisco SU; and Dr. Angela Tang, University of San Francisco.

Supervision
Dr. Tang and Dr. Strear designed the CASC-certified training program for the School Counseling Supervision Certificate. This course was developed in 2022 and meets the changes in requirements issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Mental Health
Dr. Lopez-Perry and Rachel Andrews are the key designers and trainers for the new series of online courses, Integrated Framework for School-Based Mental Health. These online courses are tailored for busy professionals to strengthen the delivery of mental health services to California’s youth, many of whom are struggling with their mental health and well-being. These self-paced courses include the option of earning graduate-level credit from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Topics range from school-based mental health systems to training in counseling techniques.

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• Access the registration portal

Each course takes approximately 15 hours to complete. Upon finishing, participants are awarded a certificate. Individuals may opt for a single course or purchase the entire series. Currently three courses are available with plans to offer a total of 12 courses by the end of 2025. School districts are also encouraged to invest in their staff's professional development needs at a discounted group rate.
 

CASC Conferences

CASC Annual Convention and Expo will continue to be held in Riverside on October 23–25, 2024. We have expanded from a two-day format to a two-and-a-half-day format this year, with dynamic keynote presentations and more than 80 breakout sessions. Registration is open – please keep in mind that we typically sell out by late August. In early 2025, CASC will be partnering with the National Education Association to offer a conference dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community.

CASC is committed to delivering high-quality training programs that integrate evidence-based methodologies and best practices. We hope you will take advantage of these training opportunities this summer and throughout the school year.

Combining daily work experience with committed professional growth is a surefire path to success!

Contact Loretta Whitson, Ed.D., CASC executive director, at executivedirector@schoolcounselor-ca.org.