President’s Letter: School Counselors Unite

First and foremost, I hope this finds you and your families and loved ones healthy and well during this unprecedented time of worldwide crisis. Talk about things that graduate school doesn’t prepare you for! As of the time of this writing, we are about three weeks into school closure, and I have spent more time collaborating and sharing with counselors across the state and the nation via social media, Zoom calls and emails during this period than perhaps I ever have in my entire career. Within weeks – days in some cases – school counselors across the country modified their programs to continue to provide support to students, some of whom are facing challenges beyond our full comprehension. This is a true testament to the folks in our profession, and I am so appreciative of the professionals who have come together so quickly, willing to share ideas, documents, policies and, most important, support for each other. We will get through this no other way but together. If I haven’t said it recently, THANK YOU for all you do, and all you are.

If there is anything that NJSCA can do to assist you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at njsca.org@gmail.com.

Contact Jillian Shadis, NJSCA president 2019–2020, at jshadis@npsdnj.org.