Please pass the love - community sessions!!

understanding minds. changing lives.

Exciting news!  First of its kind youth mental health partnership with Mercy, Unity Point and Broadlawns Medical Centers to provide FREE youth mental health caregiver educational sessions on a variety of topics.  The next session is October 10th at Broadlawns covering a huge challenge for parents... medication management!  We rely on schools and community agencies to help provide this information to families.  There is an immense need for these educational opportunities, so please hang this schedule, email it to your families, post it in your district's online flyer center, hand it out, post it in bathrooms if you have to, any way to help parents access a FREE support.  Free childcare will also be provided.  More information is available at www.pleasepassthelove.org.

Professional Learning Opportunities!

College and career counseling courses begin October 16

Iowa Go Alliance Academy will offer these three online courses beginning October 16:

• Building a College-Going Culture for All Students: How to remove barriers to higher education, especially for low-income, first-generation and minority students.
• Financial Aid and College Applications (Prerequisite: Building a College-Going Culture for All Students): How to support students and families navigating the complexities of filing the FAFSA and other financial aid and college applications.
• Maximizing Counselor Impact: A Module for Administrators: How school leaders can engage effectively with school counselors. Developed in collaboration with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Iowa Go Alliance Academy is a college and career counseling training program provided by Iowa College Aid in partnership with Southern Regional Education Board and AEA PD Online. See best practices in action and gain knowledge and resources that can be incorporated in your work with students immediately. Courses are offered for license renewal or graduate credit through Drake University, Morningside University and Viterbo University. Space is limited, so register today. For more information about Iowa Go Alliance Academy and course availability, e-mail Ashley McKenna. 

Iowa Youth School Climate Leadership Summit

understanding minds. changing lives.

Have you heard of the Iowa Youth School Climte Leadership Summit? Please Pass the Love is proud to announce the first annual Iowa Youth School Climate Leadership Summit November 17-19, 2017 at Camp Sacajawea in Boone, Iowa.  We are seeking nominations and/or applications from some of Iowa’s most amazing high school students.  No leadership experience is required, but a desire to be a leader is essential. The students selected will spend a weekend learning team-building, public speaking, leadership, advocacy, social-emotional learning, and much more.  The objective is that the leaders will take this back to their schools and districts to create a sustainable youth climate transformation "group/team.”  We will provide the team with ongoing support, but each group will have its own goals based on school/district/region needs. In order for a student to be considered for this summit, an educator (such as yourself) can nominate them, or the student can apply! If you know of a student or want to know more about this exciting new Summit, follow this link here to our website! APPLICATION DEADLINES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 22ND! Make sure to apply soon, spots are filling up! As always, feel free to email us at info@pleasepassthelove.org with any question!

Better Make Room ~ Reach Higher

With FAFSA registration starting soon on October 1st for the 2018-2019 school year, we want to make sure that you know about our great tool for you and your students. Up Next is a FREE, evidence-based texting tool that offers personalized support on all things related to college access and completion--college search and application, federal student aid, even student loan repayment--all through texting. It's quick and easy to enroll and costs you and your students nothing. And we won't spam users with unnecessary messages or ads; we only share the most important reminders to keep students and parents on track to college.

In fact, today we’re leading an Up Next “Day of Action” and will be sending out our first texts to students later today. We wanted to make sure that you and your students knew about the opportunity to enroll in our Up Next program! The call to action is simple, all you have to do is let your students know about this opportunity!

• High school seniors can enroll by texting their FIRST and LAST NAME to this phone number: (240) 623-8319.
• Current college students can enroll by texting their FIRST and LAST NAME to this phone number: (240) 623-2789.

Check out the impact this tool is already having on FAFSA completion, college enrollment and persistence HERE!

 

 

 

Share information about Up Next on social media! Below is some draft language that you’re more than welcome to use. Tag us and we’ll make sure to RT you!

• As you're getting settled this fall, it's time to start thinking about what's #UpNext. College apps. FAFSA. HS seniors, text your name to: (240) 623-8319
• .@BetterMakeRoom wants to support YOU on your journey to college! HS seniors, text your full name to 240-623-8319 for helpful tips!
• Hey college students! It's time to start preparing for your future. Text your full name to 240-623-2789 for helpful tips! #BetterMakeRoom

If you would like additional information about Up Next, please click HERE. If you have additional questions, please email Don Yu, the Director of Better Make Room, at: don@civicnation.org.

We also wanted to give you, our champion educators, a preview of what we have planned for the year ahead. We appreciate all the work you do each day to empower and inspire students, and we’re excited to continue our partnership in this new year.

Best,

The Reach Higher Team
reachhigher@civicnation.org
@ReachHigher & @BetterMakeRoom

ISCA Videos

Need another reason to join ISCA??? Here it is...

Each fall our ISCA Vice-Presidents provide a short video outlining the resources they use in their school counseling programs. You can access these videos at any time through the Members-Only portal on the ISCA website.

School Counselor Resources

• Elementary Level with VP Sarah Majoros
•  Middle Level with VP Amber Urbain
•  Secondary Level with VP Meri Edel
•  K-12 Level with VP Shelby Bryce

Visit www.iowaschoolcounselors.org/members-only to download the PowerPoint presentations.

And if you have additional questions each of the VPs are here to help. Feel free to contact them at any time with questions or concerns, requests for additional professional development, or to share resources you find helpful.

Have a great week!

Your ISCA board.

Career Conversations

I frequently get asked how to start conversations with students about careers. My response is varied, but basically includes how to get the community involved in these conversations as well. ASCA created three great resources at the request of the Colorado Dept of Education for this very purpose. They are brief and easy to read, yet pose great questions and area aligned with the Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success!!
Middle School Career Conversation Starters

High School Career Conversation Starters

Career Conversation Starters