Helping school counselors find community resources to meet the needs of students will be the theme of a daylong conference for counseling professionals on Wednesday, Jan. 26, sponsored by the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development at the University of Rochester. All sessions, including lunch, will be held in Wilson Commons on the River Campus.
"Today's counselors are confronted with issues such as drug use, physical and sexual abuse, and student violence," said Edwardine Weaver, RSM, a former school superintendent and director of the Warner School's Office of Professional Development. "They must become collaborators with other community agencies in helping students cope with their problems. Counselors have to be much more knowledgeable about and collaborative with community resources and agencies."
To address the conference's theme of counselors collaborating with schools, the community and society, Rose M. Bell, senior community investment associate for the United Way of Greater Rochester, will be the featured speaker. At United Way, Bell oversees how contributions support communitywide programs.
Open to elementary, middle and secondary school counselors, the conference begins at 9 a.m. with a networking session, followed by workshops on such topics as assisting at-risk adolescents, dealing with anxiety in students, and using the Internet for enhancing students' career choices.
The conference fee is $45 with registration due by Jan. 17. The conference has the support of the New York State School Counselor Association; the Monroe County School Counselor Association; Upsilon Rho and Nu Chapters of Chi Sigma Iota; the Comprehensive School Health and Wellness Center of Genesee Valley BOCES; the Department of Counselor Education, SUNY Brockport; the Counseling Department, Rochester City School District; and the Counseling and Human Development Faculty of the Warner School.
For more information, call the Warner School's Office of Professional Development at (585) 275-7833.