Virginia School Counselor Association

The VSCA annual conference provides school counselors with relevant professional development with sessions focusing on student mental health, behavior, and academic achievement in addition to other areas that enhance school counselors skills and practice. The March and October events were both highly successful. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA) holds a Spring Symposium in March of each year. In 2023, the Symposium was held at the Virginia Crossings Center in Richmond, Virginia on March 5-6, 2023. The Symposium attracted counselors from the state to learn from a noted speaker, Dr. Russ Sabella, who shared with them tools for their toolbox in the areas of Solution Focused Therapy. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - The VSCA Summer Summit was held at the Skelton Conference Center and Inn on the Virginia Tech Campus in Blacksburg, Virginia on June 22, 2023. The Summer Summit provided networking opportunities for counselors from Southwest Virginia. Several sessions were offered on how to ensure that our counseling programs are providing equitable opportunities for all students. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - Monthly podcasts from various professionals in the field are made available to members. These podcasts keep counselors informed on updated methodologies and techniques, especially for those who are not able to travel to onsite events. ADVOCACY, LEGISLATIVE DAY - Each January, VSCA hosts a Legislative Day in Richmond, Viriginia to lobby and meet with legislators of the General Assembly. This time is used to meet with as many legislators as possible to provide information on bills concerning school counseling including budgets and regulations. This advocacy work has been instrumental in the reduction of School Counselor caseloads, improved effectiveness in the use of School Counselor time, and additional guidance on direct and indirect School Counseling services.

VSCA ANNUAL CONFERENCE - VSCA holds its annual conference at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia typically in October of each year. The October 2021 conference was postponed due to the global pandemic, so a virtual conference was held in March 2022 to provide counselors with timely professional development during a difficult time. VSCA resumed its regularly scheduled October conference in October of 2022.