Celebrating International School Counselor Week

by Daniel Inman, ICS Elementary School Counselor

February 2-7 was International School Counseling Week. We want to take a moment and reflect on what the ICS Counseling Team has accomplished over the past year.

At ICS Addis, we are committed to supporting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of our students and community members, and this year has been filled with meaningful programs, impactful initiatives, and strong connections with students, staff, and families. 

Supporting Students: Programs & Counseling Initiatives

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Lessons: with the use of curriculum like Second Step in the elementary and advisory program through middle and high school, we have covered topics including emotional management/regulation, empathy, and conflict resolution, plus safeguarding and protection lessons
• Small group and individual counseling working on social skills, academic skills, emotional regulation, and coping strategies to name a few
• Student leadership with peer ambassadors, student council, and new student ambassadors
• School-wide events like assisting the Belonging Committee in rolling out the Speak Up protocol with staff and students and planning for school-wide Career Week

Empowering Educators: Staff Training & Collaboration

• Workshops for staff on safeguarding practices, strategies for working with youth, and supporting neurodivergent students 
• Collaboration with staff on supporting students in the classroom and integrating SEL into other parts of the curriculum

Engaging Families: Strengthening the School-Home Connection

• Parent workshops on managing behaviors at school and home, supporting one another through transitions
• Collaboration with PTO & Community Partners with Career Week and university fairs

Growing as Professionals: Training & Advocacy

• Conferences & Workshops like ISCA, SENIA, AISA, Adaptive Schools, Cognitive Coaching, CIS workshops, etc. 
• Attitudes and Behaviors Survey 
• Pulse SEL Survey

Looking Ahead: What’s Next?

As we reflect on this year, we are incredibly proud of the impact we’ve made in supporting our students, staff, and families. Looking ahead, we aim to expand our peer mentoring program, increase mental health awareness initiatives, and continue advocating for student well-being. We are grateful for the collaboration of our entire school community and look forward to another year of growth and meaningful support!

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for making this year such a success.