ANNUAL REPORT
TO THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY
Pennsylvania School Counselors Association
Term of Office: One year : July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011
Website: www.psca-web.org
Membership as of 4/1/2011: 1304
President: Kathy Zboyovski, MS, NCC, LPC
President Elect: Michelle Brand
Summary of Year’s Activities:
Continued with the second year of a Policy Governance Structure to PSCA Governing Board Meetings
Completed the five year Strategic Plan
Continue to work on Membership IU updates and building data base
Built a budget on a declining membership and cut amount in the line items to be more fiscally realistic
Developed Annual Work Plan for Governing Board focusing on needs of membership
Continue to use conference calling through Dim Dim as a means of holding Executive, Conference and other committee meetings
Held four Governing Board Meetings in August, October, February and May
Formed task force to look at the impact on by laws if reducing governing board size
Published and distributed to all members the annual PSCA directory calendar
Rolled out new PSCA Logo
Rolled out the newly designed PSCA website
Task force completed and then rolled out The PA Companion Guide to the ASCA National Model
Rolled out the new electronic publication of The Pennsylvania Counselor in a joint venture with ASCA
Finalized and rolled out the work with the Special Assistant to the PA Secretary of Education to include the ASCA Student Standards on the PA Dept. of Educations Standards Aligned System (SAS) website.
Reviewed, updated and retired outdated position statements
Mailed revised Ethical standards to all School Counselors in the Commonwealth
Increased support and provided speakers for Professional Development at the regional, Intermediate Unit and local levels
Planned and completed a 3 day PSCA Leadership Development Academy at Gannon University in Erie, PA in August 2010 for new and returning Governing Board Members
Required all PSCA Governing Board Members to sign the Ethical Standards of Leaders
Planned and completed a PSCA Summer Academy at the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA focusing on SAS training and college and career readiness with Ms. Michelle Brand, Mrs. Jeanette Carter and Mrs. Jan Tkaczyk presenting.
Sent a delegation to the North Atlantic Regional Meeting in November, 2010 chaired by Stephanie LoBiondo
Work with Dr. Tim Poynton in the electronic election of the Vice President of PSCA
Planned and delivered the 55th Annual PSCA Conference in Lancaster, PA in February 2011. The theme of the conference was: “Navigating New Worlds” with keynoters: Dr, Norm Gysbers and Dr Joyce Brown Featured speakers included: Dr. Carolyn Stone, Dr. Alan Burkhard, Mr. Eric Sparks and Dr Sylinda Gilchrist-Banks and the Rachel’s Challenge Program
Sending Executive Director, President and Vice President to the ASCA LDI in Savannah, Georgia
Sending six delegates to the 2011 ASCA Delegate Assembly and Conference in Seattle, Washington
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Advocacy/Public Policy Activities:
Had consistent representation at the bi-monthly meetings of the PA State Board of Education
Maintained on-going relationships with and visits to individuals at the Dept. of Education, The Educational Trust, Learning First Alliance-Pennsylvania, and Transforming School Counseling whose responsibilities encompass and bolster the roles school counselors
The PSCA website to help members and non members keep current on issues and best practices
The completion, roll out, and placement of the PA Companion Guide to the ASCA National Model on the PSCA website
Continuing to participate with the PA Dept. of Education in discussion about standards and how counselors are a critical link part of student achievement
Through the PSCA annual charity project more than $3000.00 was raised so far for The Highmark Caring Place, a Center for Grieving Children, Adolescents and their Families
Summary of Future Plans and Goals for the Association for the Year:
Continue to offer best practices and varied professional development opportunities
Continue to rollout The PA Companion Guide to the ASCA National model
Train the trainers program in The PA companion Guide to the ASCA National Model
Provide training on use of The PA Companion Guide to the ASCA National Model
Provide resource sites and updates on the PSCA website
Adding a Legislative component to the PSCA LDA 2011
Finalize the updating of the membership database
Membership needs survey
Add IU wikis to the PSCA website
Summary of the Issues/Needs Confronting School Counseling in State:
Anticipated one billion dollar in education budget cuts at the State level
District level cuts in school counselor programs and positions due to state budget cuts
No release time or funding for professional development due to budget cuts for the next school year
Impact on release time on PSCA Governing Board meetings, PSCA Annual Conference and ASCA events
Legislation now proposed to eliminate /cut all professional development requirements already established by the Dept. of Education
Social Workers seeking school certification at the state level and possibly supplanting/ replacing certified professional school counselors
Ongoing professional development on the ASCA National Model and PA Companion Guide to the ASCA National Model
Ongoing professional development of the Standards Align System (SAS)
Need to advocate for the ASCA National Model as best practice to address the resistance to the “new” school counselor’s role
Implications/Recommendations of Issues and Needs Above:
Legislation proposed to eliminate certified school nurses the first of many potential other cuts in certified school counselors
Consider days and times of Governing Board meetings
Continue to maintain a face and voice at the PA Dept. of Education during these trying times
Contact local state House of Representatives and Senators
Explore alternative means of providing professional development to school counselors
Limiting the use of school day hours for professional development
Reflect on the state budget cuts when planning for the PSCA budget income and expenditures
ASCA’s on-going support and active leadership