Info from ASCA

Student-to-School-Counselor Ratios on the Rise The National Center for Education Statistics has released the latest ratio data, showing the nationwide average student-to-school counselor ratio increasing to 491-to-1, from 482-to-1 the previous year. Clickhere to see how your state compares.

Are You on the SCENE? Are you looking for creative intervention and curriculum ideas? Are you interested in sharing best practices with fellow school counselors? Are you exploring new career and/or advocacy opportunities? Log on to ASCA SCENE, the go-to online community for ASCA members to connect and network.

New & Noteworthy NSHSS Conference Grant Offering: NSHSS, in collaboration with ASCA, is pleased to offer three $1,000 grants to enable ASCA members to attend the 2016 national conference in New Orleans, July 9-12. The funds may be used to defray the costs of conference registration, travel and accommodations. Eligibility: Any high school counselor and ASCA member currently employed at a public or private high school in the United States. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2016. To apply, register as an educator online. Click the Grants link at the top of your dashboard after you log in. If you are already registered as an educator with NSHSS, log in to your dashboard to apply for the grant. Grant recipients will be announced in April. Bully Prevention Online Course: StopBullying.gov recently launched a new Bullying Prevention Online Course, a self-directed training that features the newest research, statistics and best practices on bullying. The course is a free professional development tool for everyone engaged in addressing bullying. Learn how to lead communitywide bullying prevention initiatives to make a difference today.Learn more. Disaster Preparedness Toolkit: Youth Service America has partnered with the Corporation for National and Community Service and Save the Children to release We Stand Strong: A Disaster Preparedness Toolkit, a resource for planning a Prep Rally or other preparedness project. A Prep Rally is an event for children grades K–5 that covers the basics of disaster preparedness, including skills like recognizing risks, planning ahead and gathering supplies. Learn more. Learn About Your Students' Experience in School: Local School Climate Survey (LSCS) in an easy-to-use online and free tool developed by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to learn about what students are experiencing in school. The LSCS allows you to customize your own surveys by choosing from a set of validated questions from GLSEN and creating your own questions, if you desire. Learn more. Scholarships for Hispanic College Students: The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities is pleased to offer scholarship opportunities to assist in defraying college expenditures. Review each scholarship’s criteria carefully to determine qualifications and eligibility. Learn more. Resources for LBGTQ students: Affordable Colleges recently updated its guide to campus and community resources for LGBTQ students. The guidebook provides information to LGBTQ students about the various on-campus and online resources they can use to make their college experience more welcoming and supportive. The guide extends to LGBTQ teens, especially those preparing to make the transition from high school to college. Learn more.