President's Letter: Welcome Back!

August is always an exciting time of year for me personally. Each year, a small part of me always gets nervous about going back to school, but a larger part shares our students’ excitement and energy from being back with friends and starting a new year. There truly is something special about those first few days and weeks, even as the honeymoon and glamour fade as we become fully engulfed in our normal routines.

I welcome you back to another school year and I hope that over the summer you were able to relate, recharge, realize and reflect, whether that meant traveling, meeting up with friends, pool time or professional development (Denver ASCA Conference!).

As we start the 2017-2018 school year, please be sure to mark your calendar for the following dates:

• November 3-4, 2017: 9^th Annual Counselor Connections Workshop, at SDSU Brookings. Registration details coming soon!
• February 2, 2018: Day on the Hill. Join us in advocating for our profession and the importance of a school counselor.
• February 5-9, 2018: National School Counseling Week:
  Helping Students Realize Their Potential
• April 19-21, 2018: SDCA Annual Conference, Best Western Ramkota Hotel & Convention Center, Pierre
• July 14-17, 2018: ASCA Annual Conference “Reach for the Stars,” in Los Angeles, California

Please don’t miss any of the excitement as we continue to unite, support and empower South Dakota’s school counselors. If you don’t already, please follow us on Facebook (SDCounselors), Twitter (@SDCounselors) on Pinterest (SDSCA Board), and of course check our website often (www.sdsca.weebly.com)

As we start the school year. I share this quote, “All coaching is is taking a player where he can’t take himself.” – Bill McCartney. As school counselors, this thought is exactly what we should strive to do on a daily basis with our students! Have a great school year.

Contact Alyssa Krogstrand, SDSCA president, at Alyssa.Krogstrand@k12.sd.us.