Pierce Counselor Attends Annual Conference
by Angelica Volquardsen
PHS guidance counselor Mary Birch attended the Nebraska School Counselors Academy, which is an annual conference sponsored by the Nebraska School Counseling Association to promote professional growth development and to keep counselors updated on the best practices for school counseling.
This year the theme was “Growing Leadership.” Each day of the two-day conference, there was a nationally-recognized keynote speaker and 15-20 breakout sessions. The keynote speaker this year was an author and college professor Dr. Carolyn Stone, who spoke on ethical and legal issues. The breakout sessions lasted one hour and were about topics such as career exploration, grief in schools, bullying prevention, peer mentoring and leadership, and many others.
Mrs. Birch, has attended every conference for the last 20 years. It is an important time to meet and network with other school counselors and to learn how to be a better counselor.
Birch said, “I never want to miss counselors academy because I come home inspired to do my work well.”
