Student psychological stress in high schools and colleges increases yearly, as we know, but is it low resilience? College pressures? Social media? All of the above? Whatever the source, today's adolescents report widespread anxiety and continued unhealthy stress at unprecedented rates that we see front and center as they enter the college process. We've decided to address our students' psychological well-being through deliberate programming in our College Counseling curriculum, so we invite you to join the discussion and partner with us to implement the solutions!

Presenters:

• Jeffrey Durso-Finley, Director of College Counseling, Lawrenceville School

• Holly Burks Becker, Director of College Counseling, Lawrenceville School 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify indicators of student mental health issues

2. Refine and improve department communications to support student health

3. Incorporate deliberate skills and approaches to counseling curricula to support student psychological health.

Much of our work is creating systems of support for our students at a rapid pace. How can we find the space and time to ignite our resources when we don’t have the time and energy to keep up with a rapidly changing profession? Much of the work we do with students requires that we are prepared for a high level of standards of college knowledge. We ask that students be college-ready, but are we, as counselors’ college, college-ready? Do we have the necessary knowledge and resources to support the needs of our students? With limited budgets and access to professional development, how are we staying current with college admissions updates and processes? How can we create spaces of calm and support and ignite the work we do to meet the needs of our students?

Presenters:

• Diane Campbell, Director of College Counseling, Liberty Common High School

• Dana Matassino, Dean of College Counseling, Ranney School

Learning Objectives:

1. Counselors will walk away with ready made resources

2. Counselors will have new tools to support students in the college search and planning landscape

3. Counselors will create new programs for college ready success

Still on the fence about Slate.org? Or are you already a pro? Whatever your experience, join us to learn how this free tool can optimize your admissions process! This platform enhances collaboration among college counselors, cuts processing time, and offers enhanced transparency in admissions decisions. Don't miss this opportunity for a tutorial, guiding you through configuration settings from the college side.

Presenters:

• Francesca Borelli, Senior Program Manager of Slate.org

• Sarah Kochin, Senior Program Manager of Slate.org

• Sarah McInnis, General Manager of Slate.org

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how to use Slate.org in your day to day work with students

2. Discover how you can upload materials and view decisions within Slate.org

Apply early! The push to apply early for high school students is growing (i.e. direct Admit, ED, early apps, etc.) What about our students who are uncertain about where to apply, have limited funds, resources, and support, and come to the common app table late – is it truly too late? What engagement is ongoing? Is it necessary? Learn how Slate can assist in supporting students in completing applications and/or identifying the next steps. How can we support students where they are without making them feel they are left without options and still have time to apply? In this session we will discuss approaches from admissions and high schools and how we can communicate more effectively with our students. Let’s answer some of the questions that our students fear most if they apply late. 

Presenters: 

• Armen Sarkisian Director of Admission, Chapman University

• Diane Campbell, Director of College Counseling, Liberty Common High School 

• Heather Daniels, Director of Admissions, Colorado State University 

• David Weisbord, Director of College Counseling, Winchester Thurston School 

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how Slate can support high school counselors in tracking students in the application process

2. How colleges and high schools can work together in Slate to support students

3. Discover how Slate can support colleges in tracking engagement

The specific needs of undocumented students who may also be Black or brown and/or multilingual can be overlooked. Many practitioners need to be made aware of the preventative work that can be done to address the needs of students before, during, and after application season. By shifting institutional perspectives about working with undocumented students, practitioners can be better prepared to serve all students' needs. We will share strategies and better practices to help colleagues think outside the box regarding undocumented students so that school-wide and campus-wide programs can contribute to each student's ability to thrive.

Presenters:

• Alicia Oglesby, Associate Director of College Counseling, Winchester Thurston School

• Carmen Rodi, School Counselor, Furness High School

Learning Objectives:

1. Reframe institutional goals to include the needs of undocumented students

2. Understand the process of working with undocumented students from 9th grade - undergraduate completion

3. Guide practitioners to examine their current auditing, editing, and restructuring practices for a better program.

Ever wonder how all those high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and application materials seamlessly appear in your Slate Reader View? Attend this session to hear from veteran college counselors (and former Slate users) about the complexities and simplicities of document sending. Attendees will gain a first-hand look into the college counselor view of Slate.org and a preview of how we engage with this platform. Most importantly, we hope to utilize this time and space to create a meaningful dialogue about improving all of our best practices as Slate and Slate.org users.

Presenters:

• Lara Grieco, Sr. Associate Director of College Counseling, Episcopal Academy

• Julie Kerich, Associate Director of College Counseling, Episcopal Academy

Learning Objectives:

1. Highlight the various and complex ways that high school documents are sent to college admission offices

2. Illustrate how college counselors engage with Slate.org and what college partners can do to further support our work

3. Gain an overview of the strengths and drawbacks of students engaging in a Slate applicant portal

Scholars who are neurodiverse deserve to have the same opportunities that other scholars do. As a high school counselor, my role is to consult, advise, and support students with academic and social emotional struggles. I also am an educator who was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. I understand what it is like to go through life with a learning disability not knowing if you'll ever be smart enough to pass your hardest class, let alone attend college. This presentation will highlight ways to better support neurodiverse scholars through high school and on their path to college.

Presenter:

• Claire Keepers, School Counselor, Todd Beamer High School

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will better understand how learning disabilities such as ADHD affect scholars' brains

2. Participants will learn strategies to help scholars' on 504 plans or IEP's and the transition to college