In celebration of National School Counseling Week, Amanda Culhan converses with school counselors, administrators, and other student service professionals in a 4 part series on the Home Grown Podcast from Keep Indiana Learning! Week 1 - Join in a conversation with Indiana’s School Counselor of the year, Lydia McNeiley. Lydia was named the Exemplary Middle School Counselor and the Indiana School Counselor of the Year at the ISCA Conference in November, 2022. Week 2 - Join Aimee Portteus, Director of School Counseling Initiatives for Inspire Success, as she speaks with Karen Santana, an elementary school counselor in Evansville, and Laura Robbins, high school counselor at South Newton! During this episode, you’ll hear about some data collection tools used, how & when to collect/analyze, why it's important, the impact data can have on a counseling program, & data usage for student advocacy! Week 3 - Join Ms. Flora Jones, director of student pathways for the Indiana Department of Education, and Mr. Allen Hill, the executive director of the Indiana School Counselors Association, will discuss why it is important for today’s PK-12 counselors to enhance their career counseling skills. Week 4 - Join Amanda Culhan as she welcomes Jon Acton, CEO of Broken Shells LLC, as they talk about educator wellness and school climate. As a former School Superintendent, USDOE National Blue Ribbon School Principal, Teacher, & Coach, Jon has a wealth of knowledge and experience in fostering a positive and healthy school climate, where relationships are critical, educators feel empowered, and students learn and grow. Thank you to all the school counselors and student service professionals! You are so essential to our students, schools, and communities!
