Ep 12: School Counseling Programs with Janine Menard

This week Scott was able to chat with a different kind of guest who had a lot of great insight on studying and later pursuing a career in school counseling.

Janine Menard is a school counselor in the Isaac School District in Arizona and is also the board chair of the Arizona School Counselors Association. Janine shared her thoughts on not only what it takes to be successful as a school counselor, but also what courses prospective students should be prepared to take.

Janine also shares her story of heading back to school to go from a Mortgage Broker to an educator. If you’re interested in a fulfilling career helping to educate students and prepare them for success, this episode is a must listen!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What “school counseling” actually is, and how it differs from other forms of counseling.
• The typical educational path and course requirements for counseling students.
• How great organizations like AzSCA can help you jump-start your school counseling career and are worth joining even as a student.
• The key differences between counseling elementary, middle, and high school students.
• What trends in school counseling will shape the field in the next 5 to 10 years.
• What common courses you’ll have to take in any school counseling degree program.

Arizona School Counselors Association At a Glance

The Arizona School Counselors Association (AzSCA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to support school counselors through professional development and resources at the state and national level. The AcSCA strives to keep school counselors abreast of current school counseling best practices, data, and research.

The AzSCA works to not only advocate for school counselors and their needs but to empower them to best help students to reach their academic, personal, and career goals. The AzSCA also motivates school counselors to lead change, improve counseling services, and support students transitioning in and out of school. The association is comprised of an elected board, several appointed positions, and community liaisons.

• Organization Type: Nonprofit
• HQ Location: Mesa, Arizona
• Mission: “The mission of AzSCA Inc., is to foster professionalism by leading, advocating, and collaborating for Arizona school counselors and the students they serve.”

Featured on the Show:

• Recommended School Counseling Blogs: Elementary School Counseling,
  Savvy School Counselor
• Connect with Dr. Janine Menard: Twitter
• Connect with AzSCA: Twitter
• Connect with the Show: Website | Twitter

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