Coronavirus/COVID-19 – Counselor1Stop

BRIEF SUMMARY

This page will be used to share information, resources, and materials for school counselors, educators and parents to help serve and support students during the Coronavirus quarantine.

SHARED WISDOM

Indiana-specific information
- IDOE Graduation Flexibility FAQ
- IDOE Announces At-Home Learning Initiative in Partnership with Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations
- IDOE COVID-19 Remote Learning
- IDOE – Flexibility from Indiana Graduation Requirements in Response to COVID-19
- 21st Century Scholars Final Graduation Details (from Barbie Martin, CHE, April 6, 2020)
- IDOE COVID-19 Impact on Schools Frequently Asked Questions
- IDOE Further Details on Additional Actions Announced to Help Lessen COVID-19 Impact on Schools (March 19, 2020)
- IDOE COVID-19 Spring Testing Decision Letter sent home to parents
- IDOE COVID-19 Remote Learning Resources for Indiana Schools
- IDOE Guidance for Schools on supporting welfare of students with DCS
- IDOE Continuing Education Assignment _ Mental Health Suicide Prevention
- FAQs for CTE (Indiana) from the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet: CTE COVID-19 Update_ 3.25.20 and Ivy Tech COVID-19 Letter to Schools – Mar 23 – FINAL
- ISCA’s Response to School Closures

National (ASCA) Information
- Virtual School Counseling FAQs (from ASCA)
- Information and update from ASCA regarding the Coronavirus for schools and school counselors.
- The NCAA Eligibility Center will not require a separate review of distance or e-learning programs utilized by schools with NCAA-approved core courses that have moved to distance or e-learning environments for Spring/Summer 2020 terms due to school closures related to the COVID-19 situation. For more information, visit NCAA online.
- College Board Updates on AP Exams: AP exams will be given May 11-22 with makeup tests available June 1-5. Students can take exams at home or in schools if they reopen. For complete details, including guidance regarding how College Board is ensuring equity for students, click here and/or view a webinar with details.
- Virtual School Counseling Lessons and Tools Community: Share lessons, ideas and resources on ASCA SCENE in the Virtual School Counseling Lessons and Tools community and library. (This community is open to both members and nonmembers.)
Q: Have any of your schools made a decision on how to handle graduation “ceremonies”? Are you postponing them, holding them virtually, etc.?
- A: We just decided today to have graduation on June 6 (originally May 22). We will have a resorted ceremony with pre-marked seating IF we are allowed. Otherwise, we are going to do a parade threw town of the graduates and their families, ending at the school down where the senior can get out and walk across the stage to get their diploma. We are going to video it and burn it for all the seniors. We have an easier situation because we only have 41 graduates!
4th Grading Period
- Q: If the students still have access to complete the course, can we tell them they have to complete the course to earn the grade? Also, what if it is a dual credit class? I’m wondering about kids on track with AHD, but still need a C- in Pre calc or any other required course…do we still give them the AHD or do they have to have had a C- at the quarter?
- A: I just had that conversation that GRADES matter to post-secondary students for AP, ACP, GPA, etc. so our school will issue a grade. We are only going to waive credit if a student doesn’t pass a course, but was enrolled by March 19th.
- A: We are freezing grades as of 4/2. If a student wants to increase, they can keep working. If a student had an F, they will be given a D-
- A: I think the answer to your question is in the wording of the document re: the Honors Diploma grades. It reads: “OTE: Seniors who do not complete courses will be HELD HARMLESS with respect to those courses for purposes of the grade requirements in the honors diploma.”
- A: I don’t think grades from this semester will matter to colleges. They know everything is out of whack. Has anyone contacted any colleges to see what their thoughts are? I also am interested in the comment “waive credit.” Do you mean you will not award credit to a course if a student wasn’t passing by March 19^th? If so, I believe the state is telling us pretty explicitly we aren’t allowed to do that. If a student is enrolled in a course, he/she automatically is awarded the credit. But maybe I am misinterpreting that?
- A: So, enrolled by March 19th, means essentially that the student has “intent” to complete the required coursework, despite the grade that he/she had at the time of school closure. If it was in the plans for a student to complete additional required coursework on a credit recovery program, then that course would be waived as well. (this is my interpretation). Grades below expectations for AHD or THD following the school closure date would not apply and could be waived as well. I think the dual credit institutions will each have to inform us of their decisions. . . .unless the DOE addresses these as well.
- A: I believe they’ve left it this vague so it’s a local decision.
- Q: What about seniors that had yet to enroll in an online class to complete a graduation requirement? Is their intent to enroll enough to grant a credit? If so, how is the grade determined?
- A: If they were not yet enrolled as of March 19, then the onus is that they must now enroll and complete the course as normal. (From Robin LeClaire, IDOE, April 3, 2020)
Q: Would anyone like to share how you and your teachers are supporting student mental health during these challenging days?
- A: We’re assigning times to meet via google meet. We also created a classroom page with lessons on relaxation/anxiety relief.
- A: I will also be having
- Google Meets to talk to students in groups.. and using Google Hangouts to speak with students individually.
- A: We sent a check-in survey to all students asking if anyone had needs or wanted to talk. Counselors are emailing the students who said they need to touch base with us. We then followed up with a slideshow full of resources and ideas to help them cope. We’ve gotten good feedback on both of them
- A: What is everyone doing about those kiddos who are not accessible via the internet? I have had success with Zoom and email but I am concerned about that percentage of students who have not completed any work online and we haven’t heard from them. Anyone else having this problem?
- A: I have that issue too. We have not received direction yet as to what we are supposed to be with students/parents that don’t login or respond to anything. I have a few I am very worried about.
- A: On those same lines, I have been trying to figure out if a personal Google Voice account is FERPA protected. Anyone know? I am looking for a way to simulate an open door where kids or parents can just call in. I know I have kids that do not have reliable, if any, internet, and I know phone will be the only way to reach them. At this point I can call out remotely through my school phone, but families and students cannot call me. Does anyone know if a personal Google Voice (or any other option) is FERPA protected? Or have another solution for families and students to call me?
Q: Resources for students who are experiencing anxiety from on-line learning?
- A: I really like the Worry Warriors that Counselor Keri has put together. There are resources from her on TPT and there are videos she has done on youtube. That is if you are looking for elementary students. There are also some great books (series) on several topics. The one I am thinking of is What do you do when you worry too much? I showed a student this book and she said that’s the book my therapist uses with me. (from ASCA Scene, April 2020)
Q: I am wanting to find a way to talk with my students face to face online during e-learning times but just found out none of our student devices will allow this…. what are others doing? Can your teachers communicate with students?
- - A: We are using zoom. They are allowing educational use of this for free. Can your students download this to their devices. We have used it the past few days for several of our classes and it has worked very well.
  - A: We are using Zoom and Google Hangouts. Your tech department may need to adjust settings for the students’ devices to allow this.
  - A: I used Google Hangouts/Meets last week. I scheduled students for the coming school year using it. Not only was I able to see my students and they see me, I was also able to share my screen with them. I took a picture of their grad checklists and then opened the pic on my screen to share with them. It was a really need process – and I am SUPER pumped that I figured out how to do that since I am old!!
  - A: You can record a Zoom meeting so that is good for classroom instruction. Hangouts is good to use for the chat or meeting feature. In our school, we use Hangouts for everyday instant messaging between staff and also use the hangout meetings when we need to meet with each other. Zoom allows you to not only meet live but also allows you to record the meeting.
Q: I have had four foreign exchange students go home over the course of the week and I have a regional coordinator asking about credits for this semester—since for some this year counts for credit. How are you handling this for your students who may be leaving?
- A: We had this question come to us and we ran it by legal. Since the schools have the ability to award the credit- even though we haven’t finished the semester, schools can have some local control to do what is in the best interest for the student. Can the student still do e-learning abroad? Can you freeze grades. It seems like this is something that is out of the students control and we have some wiggle room to do what is right for them. (From Michelle Clarke, IDOE, March 2020)
- A: Our student that returned is requesting to continue doing online work (eLearning) from her home country. I still have to get approval from our principals about that.
- A: We have decided to freeze the grades at the point that we left school for break and award the credits for the semester. We were 11 weeks into our semester.
Q: How is everyone handling e-learning with their students? Does anyone have any creative ideas to share to support our students during this very stressful time?
- A: Google Classroom has an Amazing site. Especially for Art. Some of our teachers are using that others are using Youtube and still others are using Schoology there is a whole video section in Schoology that you can open and record. Also, Quicktime is another option.
- A: A few of our teachers are using Google hangouts to chat with students and allow them to chat with each other. Topics of discussion are not educational and more a check in on how things are going.
- I am using zoom.com to do virtual morning meetings and SEL lessons. I am also using getepic.com to access online books. I can show the books with zoom.com. Both of these resources are free right now. I have asked a question in the video and have invited students to send me their response through posting on the video, email, or Google voice. I even had one family video their child’s response. It was so cute. It is a great way to stay connected.
- Some counselors have been using FlipGrid – https://info.flipgrid.com/ – in a similar way. They have free accounts for educators too, I believe.
- Resources for grad students and K-12 (from ASCA Scene, March 2020)
Q: What are your favorite apps for student use?
- A: I have been using Google Voice as a way to communicate with my students. I downloaded the app on my phone. It then creates a generic phone number so that students and parents may call or text my number, which is run through my phone, but they never get my real (personal) number. I like it because I can also set my own hours and can put the number on Do Not Disturb whenever I don’t want to be contacted.
Q: Does anyone know if students are able to work outside of the work permit laws while schools are on an extended closure?
- A: I wrote a letter on our school letterhead stating the student was in good standing and grade level. I had her check first with the employer and they said they would accept that.
Q: We have several senior scholars who were planning to take the SAT in May. (They did not apply to a college with a testing requirement, but they were taking it to fulfill the 21st Century requirements.) Will that requirement be waived in light of the fact that May and June testing have been cancelled?
- A: Yes, we will waive the college entrance exam requirement for graduating seniors in the class of 2020. They will still need to complete the other activities. For the campus visit requirement, they do have the option of doing a virtual visit online. (From Barbie Martin, CHE, March 20, 2020)
I am a school counselor in Virginia and I have been making videos with my daughter and her friends based on Counselor Keri’s Kindergarten Social Skills lessons which I purchased on Teachers Pay Teachers. I have also recorded several read-alouds of books I use in school counseling. Please feel free to share my YouTube channel with your primary grade level students who would like to work on social and emotional skills: www.youtube.com/user/MrsHyltonCounselor (from ASCA Scene, March 2020)
I am thinking about using Zoom for virtual counseling.https://zoom.us/ . It has 256 bit encryption for security purposes. I know someone who is using doxy me which is designed for counselors https://doxy.me/ I have used WebEx in the past and google hangouts for classes and meetings. All of these tools are free at some level of service. (from ASCA Scene, March 2020)
Q: What if we have a staff member or student die from COVID while we are still in a time of social distancing? Students usually tend to gather at the school to grieve together when there is a loss, so I was wondering if there were ideas for what schools can offer in case this unfortunate scenario does happen during a time that we can’t physically gather together.
- A: A wake or funeral can be done virtually. At this time10 or less family members/ minister can attend and film a funeral. I saw one done on Facebook live. Flowers/ cards can be sent. Doing a balloon release is my favorite for kids. I believe Dollar Tree is still open and has helium balloons on occasion. Grocery stores with a floral department miggt be an option. Although many ask for donations for a charity instead these days. We plan at this time to refer counseling services that are ongoing to an outside establishment such as a therapist who can telework. I might do a guidance lesson or have a link on my website with a document that families can access if they need this information. (from ASCA Scene, March 2020)
- A: Unfortunately, anybody dying right now has to deal with this. If you look at the obituaries, they all say either “a private service will be held” or a “memorial will be held at a later date”. So a memorial at a later date would be appropriate. That being said, we have all of this great technology available! You could do a google hangout and have students write notes about the student. I think students can post pictures if they want to. You could also make yourself available on Zoom for students to get together. You could send out information on grieving either through email or through a Powerpoint presentation (like Screencastify).
- A: We had a student die this past weekend – not from Covid but in an accident. We put a Google form on our district website so that students and families could sign up for a Google Meet or a phone call.
- A: Maybe there could be an email address created where students could email messages for the staff member’s family, either telling what they appreciated about that person, a funny story, or just a message. If they make a card or a poster, they could take a picture and email it. A designated person could then share the emails and pictures with the staff member’s family or put them in a scrapbook. If the family is asking for donations to a specific charity, you could also make school families aware of that.
- Our school community recently had a parent pass away (not from COVID), and the parents’ business employees suggested we line the path from the funeral home to the business (they’re along the same street and about a mile apart) for the procession to the cemetery. They ran this past local authorities and the police gave permission as long as anybody standing outside was only with their live-in family group and groups stayed 6 feet apart. Many chose to park on the side of the road with hazards on and remain in their cars since it was a little chilly. It was a nice opportunity to still physically be present for the family while still being safe. It’s in the vein of the videos you see going around of parades of cars driving past someone’s house to celebrate a birthday or some other milestone.
Q: I am wondering if there is any information on best practices regarding how to respond in crisis virtually. For example, if we should have the death of a staff member or student but are still working virtually what are some ways we can respond and offer support in an effective and ethical manner?
- A: Our district’s safety team is emailing all when we know of a threat and will meet via zoom regularly, just like we met face to face. We also use Social Sentinel, which has been very helpful. It flags any messages on social media and emails that are suspicious and our entire team gets the alerts. We can then email each other to find out who is going to investigate and keep us abreast of potential next steps. Even though it is more difficult to communicate now, we seem to be able to respond to issues that are happening. My worry is for those students who are NOT saying anything and feel isolated. The teachers are staying in contact on a weekly basis with each student, but it’s not the same as noticing changes in behavior in a school hallway or classroom. (from ASCA Scene, March 2020)
- A: One of our school districts had a student that died in a house fire just a couple days after the schools closed. Their counselors developed an online referral form and sent it out to all the students and put it on their website. The form was a way for the students to request a call or virtual meeting with a counselor, specific teacher, or other school staff. (from ASCA Scene, April 2020)
- Virtual Crisis Team Response Options (from ASCA Scene, March 2020)
Q: Does anyone know if hospitals are still seeing students for suicide evals?
- A: Telehealth (or online therapy) is what seems to be becoming the norm. I have found talkspace.com, which allows individuals to choose an online therapist. It appears to be well-reviewed. There is always 1-800-273-TALK for crises, as well as texting HOME to 741741.

RESOURCES

Professional Development
- Counselor Professional Development Opportunites for Indiana School Counselors from Michelle Clarke, IDOE
- Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools training – FREE from STARR Commonwealth
- ASCA Webinars available for on-demand viewing: Ethical Considerations: School Counseling in a Virtual Setting (parts one and two), School Counseling in an Online World, The Power to Motivate and Celebrate College Signing Day Online are all available for online viewing on ASCA On Air.
Resources and Links from ASCA – access them here. Links to COVID-19-related resources, a list of digital tools, remote lesson ideas, and free resources to assist in virtual school counseling.
Resources from the Indiana School Counselor Association (ISCA)
- Family Resources
- Self-Care for Staff
- Virtual/Online School Counseling Resources
- Chat from April 7 Elementary School Counselor Zoom Meeting
- Chat from April 8 Middle School Counselor Zoom Meeting
School Counseling Resources (from West Virginia Department of Education)
Parent Resources
- Family Resources (from ISCA)
- guide_to_living_with_worry_and_anxiety_amidst_global_uncertainty_en-us
- COVID19_advice-for-parents-and-carers_20.3_
- FACE COVID – How to respond effectively to the Corona crisis – by Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap
- IDMH COVID19 Community Stress Management Tip Sheet 2020 Final
- mental-health-considerations
- outbreak_factsheet_1
- Talking to children about coronavirus
- Talking to Children a Resource for Parents
- Example of Resource for Students and Families – Resource Organizations (from Wisconsin)
- Child Mind — This article offers ways to give support to kids and to structure time at home during this period
- Symptom checker feature at Child Mind Institute for parents to investigate: childmind.org/symptomchecker
- How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus – PBS Kids
- Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus – from SAMHSA
- Talking to Children About COVID-19: A Parent Resource– National Association of School Psychologists
- Taking Care of Your Family During Coronavirus and Other Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks– Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress Fact Sheet
- Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 – National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Webinars for Parents from the Khan Academy, including Setting a Daily Schedule for Students
Career Counseling Resources
- Kuder is offering free Kuder Galaxy accounts right now-Kuder Galaxy is a PK-5 grade career awareness system. Visit the Kuder Success at Home page.
- Kuder is also offering a complimentary Career Advisor Training (CAT) Essentials course through the end of May. The CAT Essentials course is a 5-10 hour self-paced, on-line course that provides a great introduction to career advising. Direct link for the free CAT Essentials course here.
COPING with CHANGE series. This worksheet (School’s Out!) is designed to help kids who are out of school for an extended period of time. A fillable worksheet which allows students to click and type without needing to print (from Mylemarks)
College Board released updates on spring 2020 AP exams and is providing free AP review classes. Click here for more information on how to support student learning. Click here for a summary of AP exam changes.
High school students can use all or part of each Modern States AP course to prepare for an AP exam this spring.
Moving School Counseling Online – Tips from Virtual School Counselors – Resources
Indiana Virtual Academy Online Learning
Educator guidance scripts to support students during COVID-19 – Evansville Vandersburgh School Corporation
Free Learning Tools for e-Learning – courtesy of Calvalyn Day
Virtual Educator Survival Guide and Virtual Educator Survival Guide Facebook page– courtesy of Stephanie Austin, Indiana Connections Academy
School Counselor Resources -from the South Dakota Department of Education
Here is an excellent short video you may want to share with students: brainpop coronavirus video
Guide to distance learning with free access to Kahoot! Premium
GoNoodle.com – mindfulness and motion videos (free)
Virtual Relaxation Room – sand tray video and a virtual sand tray app
Nepris – live Virtual Industry Chats and Video Library (for a virtual career fair)
Zoom Etiquette
Virtual “spirit week” from Union Township Middle School

Resources and tools for anxiety:
- Coping Skills: Anxiety Worksheet for adolescents (Spanish version)
- Grounding Exercises Guided Audio activity
- Grounding Techniques Worksheet for adolescents (Spanish version)
- Deep Breathing Guided Audio activity
- Deep Breath Worksheet (Spanish version)
- Mindfulness Walk Guided Audio activity
- Mindfulness Meditation (Spanish version) and Mindfulness Exercises (Spanish version)
- 3 Instantly Calming CBT Techniques for Anxiety
- Anxiety Canada – simple to navigate information on anxiety disorders (handouts and videos), suggested treatment strategies, and worksheets.

FOLLOW ALONG WITH JENN

In partnership with Omega Institute, Jennifer Cohen Harper Founder and CEO of Little Flower Yoga offers a short practice where you can access your inner resources to manage your anxiety and meet the moment head on.

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BRIEF SUMMARY

SHARED WISDOM

RESOURCES

CONTACT TOPIC MANAGER

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