It's the end of the year...

Graduation was last week and it sure was emotional.  The class of 2013 were sophomores when I started at the school and I was their counselor up until senior year.  Witnessing the culmination of all of their hard work as they walked across the stage to receive their diploma was rewarding.  I was filled with emotion because it was sad to realize that they would no longer be my students, but so happy for them because they will begin a new journey.  As the ceremony went on and on I found myself reflecting on some of the things that I remember about these students.  In three years, they have touched my life and allowed me to grow as an individual, educator and school counselor.  It is because of them that I do what I do.  It was my dream to become a teacher and I did that.  As I learned how much of a difference I could make, it was my goal to help adolescents to be the best selves they can be.  I do not expect anything in return and usually I do not get the recognition (as I once did as a teacher), but that simple calling of their name at graduation is all that I need along with their college acceptances and pure joy that they will now go on to do other things with their lives.  

With that said...

The school year is over, but my work year continues until June 28th.  During this time, I am reviewing the rising seniors' transcripts to see what credit recovery options students need, what schedules will look like next year and calculating their college GPA.  In California, we have two public university systems- California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC).  Students who apply to any of these schools must meet the eligibility index.  Also, I am meeting with the rising seniors to discuss their transcript and college.  

I am looking forward to the 2013-2014 school as I have some new ideas and have learned what works and what can be improved upon from this past year. I will share those ideas in future blogs. I also get to teach a college seminar course!  I love teaching so this will be awesome.  I am still deciding if I am going to bring back the Peer Mentoring Program that I started in 2011.  

I am cleaning my office as well.  I am a hoarder  because I think that I will need that piece of paper or that book sometime in the future- and I have a couple of times!  However, I share an office and I need to organize a little better.  I am cleaning and organizing files, binders, and creating some new storage.  I have a huge desk, but no storage.  One thing I have been working on is creating a school counselor planner which is inspired by the fact the school counselors do not have a planner of our own and http://jyjoynercounselor.blogspot.com.  I will share that in another post since this one is so long.  

I would love to hear about what other school counselors do when the students are gone and the work continues!