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• Advocacy Starts at Home Webinar

  • When
    15 Jan 2026
  •  
    10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  In schools across the country, school counselors often find themselves overwhelmed with non-counseling duties that detract from their ability to provide critical support to students. Advocacy at the local level—within schools, districts and communities—is key to ensuring school counselors can focus on their primary roles as outlined by the ASCA National Model. This webinar will empower attendees with strategies to mobilize stakeholders, use data effectively, and drive systemic change. By advocating for appropriate school counselor duties, we can amplify the impact of school counseling programs and improve student outcomes.

  LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Highlight the negative effects of role confusion and non-counseling duties.
  • Emphasize the importance of local action to influence policies and practices.
  • Describe how to use focus groups, surveys and data-driven presentations to elevate school counselor voices, identify priorities and propose solutions that lead to systemic change.

  ABOUT THE PRESENTER

  Dr. Larson is an award-winning school counselor and adjunct professor who brings passion, innovation and more than two decades of experience to supporting students at the elementary, middle and high school levels. A Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS), Dr. Larson integrates creative interventions into her practice, including play media and canine-assisted interventions. She works alongside her beloved therapy dog, Winston, using his calming presence to foster emotional well-being in students. Dr. Larson earned her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the University of Florida in 2004 and has since become a trailblazer in the field. Her expertise includes advocacy efforts at the state and local levels, ethical and legal considerations in school counseling, artistry in practice and using technology to enhance data-informed practices. As a dedicated leader in school counseling, Dr. Larson served as a board member of the Florida School Counselor Association for more than a decade, including two terms as chair of the Board of Directors (2015–2016, 2022–2023). She also served nationally as the ASCA SCA Advisory Committee chair (2023–2024). A sought-after speaker, Dr. Larson has presented at numerous local, regional and national conferences, delivering engaging, practical and humor-filled sessions that leave audiences both informed and inspired. Whether tackling serious topics or sharing real-world school counseling insights, she brings warmth, relatability and a deep passion for supporting students and fellow counselors.

  
  

  
  

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• Got Attendance Issues? Leveraging School Counselors to Improve Attendance Rates

  • When
    02 Feb 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

  School districts across the country are struggling with the increased number of students who are labeled as chronically absent, meaning they miss more than 10% (typically 18+ days) of the school year.  The growing number of students chronically absent started prior to the pandemic, was exacerbated by the pandemic and while better, is still an issue for most schools. This session will focus on how school counselors, along with school administrators, can move the needle to improve attendance rates. Participants will learn about the root causes of chronic absenteeism and hear about specific strategies that schools can implement to assist chronically absent students get to school, such as warning systems, family engagement tactics, and community partnerships. We will also share best practices and resources and everyone will leave the session with an action plan to implement upon return to their schools/communities.

  ABOUT THE PRESENTER - BOB BARDWELL

  Bob Bardwell has been a school counselor and school counseling director for 32 years.  Most recently he was the Executive Director of School Counseling for the Boston Public Schools, a position which oversaw 132 counselors in 36 schools.   Previously he has worked at Southwick-Tolland Regional High School, Monson High School, Tantasqua Regional High School and Dean Vocational High School.  He is a former Board Director of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).  He is a Past President of New England ACAC and MASCA.  He became the full-time Executive Director of MASCA in July 2025 after having done that part-time since July 2019.  He was the former Team Lead of Reach Higher Massachusetts, an initiative of the former First Lady Michelle Obama. He received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Springfield College (MA), his M.Ed. in school counseling from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and his C.A.G.S. in education leadership from American International College (MA).  In addition to his counseling duties, he is an adjunct professor at Westfield State University and American International College, teaching both school counseling and college admission counseling courses for aspiring school counselors.  He has published numerous articles and presented at over 80 national, regional and state conferences and in 16 states addressing school counseling and college admission counseling topics.

  
  

  
  

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