President's Letter: Embracing the Journey, Leading Through Change and Transition

Hello, NJSCA members! I hope each of you had an opportunity to recharge, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy some well-deserved rest this summer. As we begin a new school year, I extend a warm welcome to both our returning members and those joining the New Jersey School Counselor Association (NJSCA) for the first time.

It is truly an honor to serve as your NJSCA president. I am excited for the year ahead and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such an incredible community of school counselors who are dedicated to supporting students, advocating for our profession and making a difference in schools across New Jersey.

Our theme this year, "Embracing the Journey: Leading Through Change and Transition," reflects the work we do every day. As school counselors, we guide students through academic, social/emotional and college and career transitions while continuing to grow as professionals ourselves.

As your president, my goal is for NJSCA to continue being a place where every member feels welcomed, supported, connected and empowered. This year we will focus on meaningful professional development, strengthening advocacy for the profession across New Jersey and mentoring both current and future school counselors.

This summer, many of our New Jersey school counselors represented our state at the ASCA Annual Conference in New Orleans (shown below). Seeing colleagues learn together, exchange ideas and bring new strategies back to their schools was inspiring and reminded us of the strength of our professional community.



I encourage you to get involved this year by attending professional development, joining a committee, connecting with your county association or taking on a leadership role. I also hope you'll join us at our annual conference on October 5–6 at the Hilton East Brunswick – register for the conference here. I look forward to serving alongside each of you as we embrace this journey together.
 
Contact Amy Lombardo, NJSCA president, at amyelombardo@gmail.com.