From the Chair: Strengthening Our Synergistic Partnerships

It’s fall y'all. My favorite season!

The crisp morning air, clear night skies, the smell of cinnamon that begins permeating stores this time of year, and pomegranates (my favorite fruit!) in season. Now, more than ever, it is critical that we make time to enjoy the little things that fill out lives with joy. These fall months are often the most difficult months in education. School is full-steam ahead, student academic and behavioral issues begin to surface, and the winter break is weeks away. Although many educators have turned their backs on the term “self-care,” I have come to embrace the term “self-love.” The dictionary definition of self-love is “the instinct or desire to promote one’s own well-being; regard for or love of one’s self.” I know you are giving it your all to support the varying needs of both your school communities and your own families, but I invite you to not forget the power of taking time for yourself to show yourself some “self-love.” In education, one of the best ways to show yourself some self-love is by recognizing that you cannot do this work alone.

With the 2022–23 school year in full swing, counselors across the state are, once again, faced with supporting the increasing mental health needs of their students. From anxiety and depression to suicidal ideation, school counselors are responding to the critical needs of their students by providing direct and indirect services across a multitiered system of supports.

During the sold-out CASC conference held October 6–7 in Riverside, school counselors and other educators learned strategies to support the wide range of mental health needs among our students. One critical and recurring theme that arose through the various workshops is the need to collaborate, consult and synergize student services support to promote student wellness. Participating in multidisciplinary team meetings to discuss both student wellness prevention and intervention strategies is one way to strengthen synergistic partnerships. Creating opportunities to elevate parents and guardians as partners in conversations around student wellness is another critical step we can take.

Here are a few resources that I frequently use when discussing how school counselors support and collaborate with others to address the mental health needs of students:

• Fostering the Whole Child Guide: A Guide to School-based Mental Health Professionals, published with our partners from the California Association of School Psychologists and California Association of School Social Workers
• The CASC “Heartbeat” video which is great to share with education partners
• The School Counselor's Role in Student Mental Health is a great resources that aligns with our multitiered system of support

The importance of student mental wellness and support was also discussed by keynote speakers Megan Bergeron and Graham Wiseman. Megan shared the trailer to her short documentary, "Messengers,” a film about the lack of mental health counselors in California public schools and students and families trying to do something about it. The powerful film shares the personal story of Mr. and Mrs. Wiseman, who lost their son, Colin, to suicide. Be sure to check out the film trailer. If you are interested in seeing the full short film, feel free to contact Megan at mebergeron97@gmail.com.

As you continue to wholeheartedly support the varying needs of your schools’ communities, remember, you are not alone. You have a community of California school counselors who are with you every step of the way.

Contact Lezya Weglarz, CASC Board Chair at lezya.weglarz@schoolcounselor-ca.org.