School Counseling

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School counselors play a critical role in ensuring schools provide a safe, caring environment and that students have the necessary mindsets and behaviors to advance academic achievement outcomes. School counselors deliver programs that have an impact on student growth in three domain areas: academic development, career development, and social / emotional development. Read the American School Counselor Association position statements on the role of the school counselor.

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School Counselor Leadership Awards

Honoring Excellence in School Counseling Leadership is a program that recognizes and celebrates school counselors who are leaders in our profession. We also recognize one School Counselor Advocate of the Year, one Administrator of the Year, and one Community-Based Organization of the Year.

Surprise Visits to Announce Honorees

2023 School Counselor Honorees

Heidi Saupe

Monte Vista Elementary School

Heidi Saupe is the lead elementary school counselor in the Vista Unified School District. She has been a school counselor for 17 years and is currently at Monte Vista Elementary. Her superintendent of schools, Dr. Matthew J. Doyle, says, “Mrs. Saupe is first and foremost a dedicated counselor. She prides herself on her ability to work side by side with educators to design individual, small- and large-group lessons that engage students in activities and discussions to strengthen their behavioral and social and emotional capacity.”

Karena Haro-Esparza

Feaster Charter School

Karena Haro-Esparza has been a school counselor for eight years. She has been with Feaster Charter School for the last four years and has served as the lead school counselor for the last two. “Karena is the kind of counselor that goes above and beyond what is expected of her to connect the students and do her job as effectively as possible,” said her nominator, Feaster Charter School Principal Jimmy Gordilllo. “Oftentimes, I see her working after school to seek new ways to reach out to students and families and provide the best support possible.”

Graphic of High School Counselor of the Year

Christopher Toomey

San Pasqual Academy

Christopher Toomey started his journey as a school counselor in Hawaii. In 2005, he came to San Diego where he found his passion working with students in SDCOE’s Juvenile Court and Community Schools at San Pasqual Academy. His nominator, Bruce Petersen, says, “Chris is a highly skilled counselor with the ability to immediately connect with students. Working for many years in Juvenile Court and Community Schools, Chris understands the trauma and adverse conditions many of our students have experienced.”

Lezya Weglarz

San Marcos Unified

Lezya Weglarz has been a counselor since 2018, and is currently a counselor on special assignment, coordinating the districtwide Multi-Tiered System of Support rollout as well as supporting the districtwide school climate initiatives. “Lezya has been instrumental in coordinating and championing the work of counselors throughout SMUSD, and bringing this important work to new heights,” said Andy Johnsen, superintendent of San Marcos Unified. “Through our programs here in San Marcos, her leadership and advocacy at the State level, and in her daily interactions with staff and students, her leadership and passion shine.”

The San Marcos Promise

North County San Diego

The San Marcos Promise has supported all schools in the San Marcos Unified School District for almost 10 years, especially those at the secondary level. The group’s executive director and programs coordinator are former district school counselors who have great relationships and partnerships with school site employees. Because of their counseling background, they are acutely aware of the academic, social, college, and career needs of students. The group created Future Centers onsite at the three district high schools to assist with college and career readiness support. These Future Centers empower students to graduate college and be career-ready with foundational job skills, self-confidence, and a clearer idea about their career path.

Greg Mizel

Poway Unified School District

Greg Mizel, assistant superintendent at Poway Unified School District, has overseen school counselors in the district and has invested time and money into professional growth, hiring more school counselors at all levels, adding social workers to middle and high school sites, and putting the work of school counselors in front of the board and all stakeholders. Fran Hjalmarson, school counselor at Los Penasquitos, and 2022 Elementary School Counselor of the Year, writes, “Greg has been a strong advocate for our district’s school counseling program. He has promoted and advocated for school counseling and mental health from day one since accepting the position as the associate superintendent for Student Support Services.”

Dr. Lonnie Rowell

Retired Professor, University of San Diego

Dr. Lonnie Rowell has been an educator for more than 50 years. He is a retired professor at the University of San Diego, where he directed the counseling program and the school counseling emphasis. The collaborative action research model he created for school counseling has been widely cited in school counseling literature. Dr. Rowell is a co-founder of the Action Research Network of the Americas and was program chair for the Action Research Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association from 2012 to 2014. He was founding chair of the research network’s Coordinating Group from 2013 to 2015 and served as coordinator of knowledge mobilization from 2015 to 2017. Dr. Rowell has received numerous awards, including the Eduardo Flores Leadership Award from the Action Research Network of the Americas, the H.B. McDaniel Foundation Individual Award for Outstanding Contributions to the field of Counseling, and the Advocate of the Year award from the California Association of School Counselors.

Recognized ASCA Model Programs (RAMP)

RAMP recognizes schools committed to delivering comprehensive, data-informed school counseling programs aligned with the ASCA National Model framework. The RAMP designation demonstrates to administrators, school boards, families and the community at large that the schools are committed to supporting the mission of the school and district. To date, approximately 1,200 schools have earned the RAMP designation.

2022 RAMP Recipients

Greenfield Middle School, Cajon Valley Union School District
Patrick Henry High School, San Diego Unified School District

2022-23 Race to Submit Champions

Race to Submit is a statewide campaign that aims to increase the number of financial aid applications for California high school seniors who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application. Filling out these financial aid applications is the first step towards college success and helps students qualify for federal and state aid to help pay for college. In 2019, San Diego County started their first Race to Submit campaign countywide to encourage schools to monitor and support students through these efforts.

SCHOOL CHAMPIONS

Categories are based on 12th grade (Class of 2023) enrollment:

CATEGORY I — Enrollment of 49 Seniors (Class of 2023) or Less

100% Completion - Options Secondary, SUHSD
100% Completion - East Village Middle College High, SDUSD
100% Completion - Monarch School, SDCOE

Highest Growth in FAFSA/CADAA Completions: Borrego Springs High, BSUSD - 31% to 79%

CATEGORY II — (50-99 Seniors)
95.8% Completion - High Tech High, North County

Highest Growth in FAFSA/CADAA Completions: Ivy High (Continuation), FUHSD - 17% to 61%

CATEGORY III — (100-299 Seniors)
100% Completion - The Preuss School UCSD

Highest Growth in FAFSA/CADAA Completions: Health Sciences High & Middle College, 0% to 46%

Category IV — (300-499)
84.7% Completion - Mission Vista High, VUSD

Highest Growth in FAFSA/CADAA Completions: Fallbrook High School, FUHSD - 43% to 67%

CATEGORY V — (500-699 Seniors)
80.6% Completion - Mission Hills High, SMUSD

Highest Growth in FAFSA/CADAA Completions: Valhalla High School, GUHSD - 51% to 68%

Category VI — (700+)
80.9% Completion - San Marcos High, SMUSD

DISTRICT CHAMPIONS

Small District — Enrollment of 500 Seniors or Less
59.6% Completion - Coronado Unified School District

Medium District — Enrollment of 501-1,999 Seniors
72.9% Completion - San Marcos Unified School District

Large District — Enrollment of 2,000+ Seniors
63.7% Completion - San Dieguito Union High School District

Previous Award Honorees

San Diego County, High School Counselors of the Year

2022 Christine Araki, Launch Virtual Academy, Sweetwater Union High School District
2021 Cherryl Baker, Mission Hills High, San Marcos Unified School District
2020 Lysabeth Luansing-Garcia, Sweetwater High, Sweetwater Union High School District

San Diego County, Middle School Counselors of the Year

2022 Nicole Roman, Twin Peaks Middle, Poway Unified School District
2021 Bonnie Hayman, La Mesa Arts Academy, La Mesa Spring Valley School District
2020 Edward Gigliotti, Pepper Drive, Santee School District

San Diego County, Elementary School Counselors of the Year

2022 Fran Hjalmarson, Los Penasquitos, Poway Unified School District
2021 Ann Pierce, Campo Elementary, Mountain Empire Unified School District

San Diego County Advocate of the Year

2022 Tami Johnson, School Counselor Coordinator, Cajon Valley Union School District

San Diego County Administrator of the Year

2022 Tracy Wilson, Director II, College and Career Readiness, Grossmont Union High School District

San Diego County Lifetime Achievement Award in School Counseling Leadership

2022 Dr. Trish Hatch, Professor Emeritus, SDSU, CEO & President, Hatching Results

Professional Organizations, Ethics, and Standards

College / Career Domain

Explore this curated list of resources that school counselors and others can use to aid and support students in preparation for their post-secondary options.

SDCOE College Planning Guides and Resources

Choosing the Right College: This report looked at postsecondary enrollment and completion rates for San Diego’s college going students with a special focus on areas that contribute to higher retention and completion rates in our most commonly attended colleges and universities (May 2021).
College Checklists: Individual checklists for all local community colleges, UCs, and most applied to California State Universities (CSU), to ensure that students are aware of important deadlines.
Financial Aid Resources for School Counselors: List of resources, contacts, and trainings for school counselors
Is a 4-year College Right for Me?: Brochure that educators can use with students to support them through the college application and decision process.
Make it Easier Guide: From College Applications to Summer Melt: A K-12 Field Guide for Supporting Low-Income Students through the College Enrollment Process.
Scholarship Database (coming soon)

SDCOE Career Planning Guides and Resources

Career Technical Education (CTE): Resources for school counselors on implementing successful career pathways.
College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCI) Chart: Infographic of the seven components to indicate that students are prepared for post-secondary options.

Other College and Career Resources

Personal / Social Domain

Explore this curated list of resources that school counselors and others can use to aid and support students in personal and social, and mental health issues.

SDCOE Health and Well-Being Resources

SDCOE Special Populations Resources

SDCOE Systems of Support

CASC Personal/Social Lesson Plans by Level

Community-Based Organizations

Online Resources

Webinar Recordings Library

SDCOE WEBINAR RECORDINGS AND PROGRAM MATERIALS

2022 Spring Refresh: Professional Learning Series for School Counselors (Webinars)
2021 Kickoff to College and Career Readiness (General Session, Student Panel, Webinars)
2021 Spring Refresh: Professional Learning Series for School Counselors (Webinars)
San Diego School Counselor Con: Reboot 2021 (General Sessions, Keynote, Webinars)

Newsletter Archive

main contacts

Tanya Bulette
School Counseling Coordinator
tanya.bulette@sdcoe.net

Lezya Weglarz
Project Specialist
lezya.weglarz@sdcoe.net

Aislinn Olivarria
Office Assistant
aislinn.olivarria@sdcoe.net

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