Register for the conference here!

When you register you will be required to choose which sessions you would like to attend. Please reference the session information below.

7:00 am - 8:10 Open for registration and Continental Breakfast/Networking

8:15 AM – Welcome Remarks

Session 1 – 8:40 AM – 9:40 AM

A-1 Building a Collaborative School Counseling Team: Leveraging Expertise for Departmental Success

In today's diverse educational landscape, school counseling teams face a myriad of challenges that require a collective effort to overcome. This conference session aims to explore the concept of turning to each other for help within school counseling teams, where each member brings their unique expertise to the table. By building on each other's strengths, the entire department can thrive and effectively support students' academic, social-emotional, and career development needs. This session will provide practical examples, such as communicating with families who speak different languages and utilizing Naviance for data analysis, to demonstrate how collaboration can enhance the effectiveness of school counseling teams.

Faride Hernandez is a highly accomplished educator with a diverse educational background. She completed the School Leadership Program at NJ EXCEL in 2021 and earned a Master of Science with Distinction in School Counseling with Bilingual Education (Spanish) from Mercy College in 2009. Faride also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in Spanish from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Faride currently serves as the Supervisor of College, Career, and Personal Counseling at Piscataway High School. Her previous roles include serving as a School Counselor and Dean of Students at Dover High from 2016 to 2023.

Julie Badras is a dedicated school counselor with 10+ years of experience in education. Her journey began as a 5th and 6th grade math teacher in Baltimore, MD, through Teach For America. Julie has a Bachelor's degree in Human Services from the University of Delaware, a Master's degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master's degree in Counseling from Montclair State University. Julie has gone on to help students achieve their academic and social-emotional goals as a school counselor in Paterson, NJ before joining her current team at Dover High School where she has been since 2017. She also holds her LAC license and brings experience working as an IIC, offering therapeutic services to youth and families in need.

Audience: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Supervisors/Directors/SC Administrators

A-2 Increasing family engagement and college partnerships that support college bound Latinx students

Increasing family engagement and college partnerships that support college bound Latinx students

Nancy Reyes is a College & Career Counselor at North Plainfield High School. She has been a school counselor for 17 years and was a middle school teacher for 7 years. Mrs. Reyes is the president of Somerset County School Counselor Association. She was honored to be 2022 New Jersey School Counselor of the Year.

Audience: High School

A-3 Super Supervision: Best Practices for Empowering Your School Counselor Intern, While Maintaining Your Sanity 

During this presentation, professional school counselors will be informed of empirical literature regarding best practices of counseling supervision, realistic tips applicable to empowering an intern at their school site, and how to ease the supervisory process for the already-overloaded school counselor. This presentation will include best practices for interns, supervisors, and district leaders who are frequently asked to host school counselor interns. There will also be information presented for school personnel who are asked to supervise future mental health clinicians, such as social work or clinical interns. Issues like the supervisory relationship, confidentiality, intern expectations, and intern turnover will be discussed.

Chrysa Staiano is a certified school counselor in NJ & PA, and holds a license as an Associate Counselor in NJ. In her last school counselor role (school year 22-23), Chrysa oversaw an intern, and also engaged in peer supervision herself in order to receive further professional development. Chrysa currently works as a school-based clinician for Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare at North Hunterdon High School in Annandale, NJ. Chrysa holds a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Hawaii Pacific University, and a Master of Education in School Counseling from Lehigh University.

Audience: Supervisors/Directors/SC Administrators, All

A-4 Managing Anxiety In Elementary Schools

Anxiety is quite a common issue among students these days, and as a school counselor at the elementary level, it is what I deal with most of the time. Whether it's managing worried feelings, de-escalation, or somatic symptoms that send students to the nurse's office, educators must know how to deal with the various ways our students show anxiety. It goes beyond just telling them to breathe. As a school community, we need to have a deeper understanding of the types of anxiety affecting our students and how to address them effectively. Rob Maruca is a school counselor at Irving Primary School in Highland Park, NJ. This is his third year working as a school counselor. Outside of school counseling, Rob is a licensed associate counselor completing his hours for LPC licensure.

Audience: Elementary School

Session 2 – 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM

B-1 Building Bridges for ELLs- How School Counselors Can Support English Language Learners

While the Multilingual Learners (ML) population is growing by leaps and bounds within U.S. public schools, most school counselors don’t receive any sort of specialized training in how to work with these students or their families. School counselors are in a unique position to support the inclusion and success of Multilingual learners in New Jersey schools. 

This workshop will address best practices to connect ML students with people, opportunities, and resources that include:

Proper course placement and review of prior academic completion

Pairing with student representatives

Connections with clubs and extra-curricular activities

Family and community resources

School counselors will leave this workshop armed with new tools to be a bridge for ML students in their school.

Dr. Dana Karas- Director of School Counseling, South Plainfield School District

Jacqueline Schumacher- School Counselor, Franklin High School

Audience: All

B-2 Calming Corners and Zen Dens: Supporting Student and Staff Mental Health in Schools through the Implementation of a Wellness Center

How do we address the growing mental health needs of our students in schools today? Creating a climate of safe, supportive, and healing-centered programming for students and staff must be a commitment by district and school leadership. This workshop will provide an evidence-based framework and explore the benefits of creating safe and restorative spaces for students and staff. Get ready to be inspired to implement a wellness center in your school that aligns with the New Jersey Tiered System of Supports (NJTSS).

Hi! My name is Claudia Wolf. I am a School Counselor at a Regional high school in South Jersey, and a former Psychology teacher. I have been a School Counselor for over 12 years, worked in Higher Education since 2011, and more recently loved adding Teacher Educator to my resume. I am a proud Rowan University alumna, and the Past-President of Chi Sigma Iota, Zeta Pi Chapter, the International Counseling Honor Society.

I am a wife and mother of two adventurous and active kiddos. My hubby is a high school teacher and coach, and a huge Philly sports fan. I practice self-care by working out everyday, cooking, planning events and vacations, and creating beautiful spaces.

At work, you can find me in our Wellness Center; a safe and inclusive space created in the heart of our school building. It is my personal and professional mission to create equity and healing-centered learning environments where students feel seen, heard, safe, and supported everyday.

Audience: All

B-3 Students Empowered: Developing a Successful Tier 3 Program for High School Students

High School Counselors, Teachers, and Administrators will find practical strategies and resources to expand or enhance your high school's Tier 3 programs in 2024. Intensive interventions for all learners will be reviewed including students with I&RS, Section 504 plans, and Individualized Education Plans that may have lost credit, have a history of chronic absenteeism, or are experiencing a range of other barriers to academic success.

Jason Sabino: NJSCA President and experienced school administrator and director of school counseling with a history of implementing initiatives supporting students in NJ public schools, increasing graduation rates and promoting increased equity for all learners. Experience as a school counselor in middle school and high schools Additional years of experience as a Crisis Counselor supporting and working to stabilize individuals in acute psychiatric distress.

Dan Scanlon: Experience teaching high school English at the Basic Skills, College Prep, Accelerated, and Honors levels. For the past three years, I have worked in the Watchung Hills Regional High School Empower Program, where I provide Tier 3 support to students. I work with students to improve their academic and executive functioning skills, and provide emotional support as needed. I also oversee students' credit recovery efforts. I am in constant contact with teachers, school counselors, and administrators to ensure student success.

Audience: High School 

B-4 School Counseling to Close Opportunity Gaps

This session aims to equip school counselors with the tools and insights to effectively address opportunity gaps in their schools. The workshop will begin by exploring counseling and intervention planning strategies tailored to meet the unique needs of students of color, emphasizing culturally responsive practices and trauma-informed care. Following this, we will delve into the importance of consultation, both within the school community and with external resources, to provide holistic support to students and their families. Finally, we will discuss the essential role of collecting and utilizing data to challenge systemic racism and biases embedded in policies, procedures, and protocols. Counselors will learn to advocate for equitable changes within their educational settings. The goal of this session is for counselors to be better equipped to foster an inclusive and supportive environment that improves academics, attendance, and social/emotional wellness.

Laura Fortson-Williams-

This is Laura's 27 years in education. She is a former 1st/2nd grade teacher. She has counseling experience in all three grade levels (Elementary, Middle and High School)

Her work for NJSCA included being the BIPOC affinity group lead. She also has been the Gloucester County Elementary Vice President. Her commendation include the 2022 GSCOY and 2023 NJSCA School Counselor of the Year.

Florentina Crawford- This is Florentina's 19th year in education.

Prior to being a school counselor she was a fourth grade teacher.

her counseling experience includes elementary and Middle school. She is currently an elementary school counselor in Camden County servicing students in grades pre-k - 3. She is currently the professional development chair for the Camden County School Counselor Association and VP for the Elementary NJSCA in South Jersey.

Audience: All

Buffet Lunch – 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

12:10 PM - 1:10 PM : Keynote Address: Ghostwriting: Giving Voice to the Stories

Session 3 – 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM

C-1 Utilzing AI technology to support Data Driven Practices in School Counseling Programs

Through the utilization of AI technology, I've developed a Google email merge sheet that serves as an effective emailing tool, aimed at enhancing communication and fostering greater involvement from parents and the community. This tool is designed to uphold a school culture centered around collaboration and open dialogue.

Its primary function is to facilitate the collection and dissemination of data, demonstrating its utility in supporting the implementation of interventions tailored to the needs of students. To further this objective, I'll conduct an introductory session on the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, emphasizing the vital role of school counseling teams and sub-committees in crafting and executing tiered interventions that offer equitable access to all students.

We'll align these interventions with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) standards and explore the MTSS framework comprehensively, focusing on its various data elements pertaining to academic, college/career, and social/emotional domains. Throughout the session, I'll introduce time-saving strategies for data collection, the formation of data core teams, and methods to enhance teaching and learning practices.

By the session's conclusion, attendees will grasp the importance of utilizing data to drive interventions effectively. Counselors will develop proficiency in discerning the multiple intentional and diagnostic purposes of data, as well as gain insight into data collection methodologies. Specifically, we'll concentrate on student achievement data, achievement-related data, and standards-competency related data, explaining these concepts with model samples from experts like Trish Hatch and Julie Hartline.

Moreover, I'll emphasize the significance of collaboration through the academic home approach model, illustrating how it fosters effective dissemination of data, creation of interventions, and sharing of information with parents and staff members. Utilizing mail merge tools, we'll exemplify how communication can be streamlined, thereby fostering a personalized approach to student experiences and learning. This approach not only encourages parent communication but also highlights the benefits of conversation loops, ultimately enhancing communication and involvement within the school community.

Catherine Alvarez is the Director of School Counseling in Cedar Grove Public Schools and a professor of School Counseling at Centenary University. Through the use of AI technology I have created time saving and data driven tools that have improved my ability to connect with staff, students, and families, as well as extrapolate data that is invaluable to the financial and educational decisions we make in our district program development. Through the tools created using AI code, Excel spreadsheets, and googleforms; data driven counseling takes a new turn for progressive growth and future developement.

Audience: All

C-2 Growing Your Program

When plowing a field, the first row plowed is the most important. If you get the first row straight, the whole field will be straight. You can apply this simple allegory to having an effective school counseling program. Each year is a new opportunity to plow the first row straight by putting systems in place to effectively use your time, prioritize what students need most from you, and measure the effectiveness of your school counseling program. In this session you will be equipped with checklists, stories from the field, and practical “rubber meets the road” tips that will help you carry out your big school counseling dreams while making you invaluable to your administration and positioning you as a leader within your school and community.

Laura Rankhorn and Kim Crumbley have been school counselors in Alabama with combined educational experience of over 30 years. Together they host the Counselor Accents Podcast, which has been named the #1 school counseling podcast in the nation! They wrote the book, Growing Your Program for School Counselors, and recently released a children’s book, Hi, Gene! Most days Kim and Laura are “in the trenches” as school counselors, but they also work with school systems to help train school counselors on ways to run an effective school counseling program. Both Kim and Laura received the RAMP designation for their schools in 2023. Kim was also named the 2023 Alabama Elementary School Counselor of the Year! Their free time is spent focusing on their hobby: school counseling!

Audience: All

C-3 "Do You See What I See?": Why Representation Matters

In this session the audience will have the opportunity to assess the representation that is present in their current school environment. We will define and understand the importance of representation and its impact on the WHOLE CHILD as it relates to academics, behavior, and their mental health.

In this session the audience will be able to:

Have a clear understanding of representation in its’ many forms

Walk away with ways to create a sense of belonging for all students through a variety of resources which can include children’s books for literary representation, social-emotional resources, and other resources that lead to a positive climate and culture.

Tyhisha K. Henry is an Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging with a special focus on student support at a PreK-12th grade academic institution. She is also a NJ Certified School Counselor, has served as a Supervisor of Counseling, and holds Supervisor and Principal Certifications from the NJ Department of Education.

Deborah Mortimer is the founder and owner of Leap Forward Publishing, LLC a book publishing imprint dedicated to developing and promoting books that focus on diversity and representation in children's literature.

Audience: All

C-4

Join David Nash, Esq from NJ Principals and Supervisors Association/FEA, Geta Vogel, NJPSA Coordinator of Mental Health & Wellness and the Law and L2L Member, and Committee Chairperson Jessica Smedley, Director of School Counselor, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District in this crossover meeting of NJPSA's Mental Health Committee and NJSCA Members! This is an opportunity for school counselors and school counseling leaders/administrators to have an open discussion about hot topics around mental health in our schools. We will also be joined by special guest Lu Pereira and Kelly Allen from the NJDOE's Office of Student Supports to talk about statewide mental health initiatives.

Audience: All