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coordination, special education meetings,
Response to Intervention, committees,
volunteer coordinator, etc. Though each
of these tasks is important and necessary,
and every faculty member must contribute
so that each school runs effectively, too
many of these hats being stacked upon
the counselors’ heads inhibit them from
doing the necessary and crucial work of
running comprehensive school counseling
programs from which students directly
benefit. Our current Virginia standard of
accreditation §8VAC 20-131-240 is for
school counselors to spend a minimum of
60% of our time to counseling of students,
though the national standard is a minimum
of 80%. One thing school counselors need
to do our jobs more effectively is to raise
this state bar legislatively so that school
counselors can spend 80% or more of their
time working with students to help them be
successful academically and emotionally so
that they can prepare for and successfully
pursue their future education and career
opportunities. We so value the relationship
we have with our legislators taking the time
to hear from and listen to those with boots
on the ground every day in our schools
and the hearts and voices of the students
foremost in mind. Thank you for asking
those questions and valuing our responses.
Thank you for working and advocating for
Virginia’s kids. Know that we, as school
counselors, strive to do the same with
passion and perseverance each and every
day to help each student reach high and
succeed.
Ms. Brett Welch, MA is a professional school
counselor and VSCA President-Elect.
Judy Wyatt
House
Steve Landes
Legislative Staff Directors
Not Pictured
Karla Williams Boughey
Senate
Walter Stosch
David A Bovenizer
House
R. Lee Ware
Margaret Dalton
House
Randall Minchew
Abbi Easter
Senate
Donald McEachin
Linda Gross
House
Manoli Loupassi
Gretchen Heal
House
David Yancey
James Heo
House
Mark Sickles
Jody Hopkins
House
Robert Bloxom
Glen Hudgins
Senate
Frank Wagner
Renee Hudson
House
Bobby Orrock
Kate Kruk
House
Bill Howell
Muriel LaMois
House
K. Rob Krupicka, Jr.
Gina Lauterio
House
Randall Minchew
Karen Papasodora-
Cochrane
House
James Leftwich
Jennifer Peters
House
Margaret B. Ransone
Rose Pruden
House
Joseph Lindsey
BJ Robertson
House
Chris Head
Judy Robinson
House
Bobby Orrock
Lisa Scott
House
Edward Scott
Cheryl Simmons
Senate
Jeff McWaters
Jason Stanford
House
Alfonso Lopez
Peggy Tyree-Wells
Senate
Charles Colgan
Rama Van Pelt
House
David Bulova
Matthew Weinstein
House
Richard Sullivan
Erika Williams
House
Joe Morrissey
When talking with our Virginia Senators
and Delegates, we often hear two key and
apropos questions: what role do school
counselors play in our schools and what do
we need to do our jobs more effectively?
Professional school counselors are in every
school level (Elementary, Middle and High)
wearing professional hats of all shapes,
colors and sizes! First and foremost, we are
mental health professionals and licensed
educators trained in school counseling
with unique qualifications and skills to
address all students’ academic, personal/
social and career development needs. We
collaborate with school stakeholders to
advocate for students to feel safe, ensure
equity and access to educational rigor, and
encourage the leader inside each of them to
pursue what lies beyond K-12 education.
We are often the hearts and the historians
of the schools, as we work with multiple
children in a family, becoming the bridge
between home and school and advocate
for the whole child. We have the unique
opportunity to look at the big picture for
each student, as we are typically his/her
counselor over multiple years, and parents
rely on us to be their voices when they
cannot be present. Our goal and mandate is
to address the needs of all students through
prevention and intervention programs
that are a part of a comprehensive school
counseling program. [Adapted from VSCA
Professional School Counseling Program
Manual, (VSCA, 2008)] Unfortunately,
there are many other responsibilities
outside of these essential roles that also
fall to the counselor, though what those
responsibilities are differ in each school
building, i.e. lunch duties, state testing
Professional
School Counseling
By Brett Welch
Legislative Counsel
John G. “Chip” Dicks
FutureLaw, LLC
1802 Bayberry Court, Suite 403
Richmond, Virginia 23226
(804) 225-5507 (Direct Dial)
(804) 225-5508 (Fax)
Virginia C apitol C onnections, Winter 2015
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