KINGSPORT, Tenn. – National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated from February 1-5, 2016, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school districts and how students are impacted as a result of what school counselors do.

Kingsport City Schools will be joining all public school districts acknowledging the tremendous effect school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

"We are blessed to have a talented group of school counselors who work with our students in many ways, such as removing potential learning barriers by addressing academic concerns, fostering a college and career awareness culture, and by helping students with personal and social skills,” said KCS Superintendent Dr. Lyle Ailshie. “Comprehensive school counseling programs that include activities such as the D-B YES Club and College and Career Day are ways to help increase student achievement and provide a much-needed resource for students, their parents and teachers.”

Recently implemented this school year, the D-B YES Club is a student club in which Dobyns-Bennett High School students are screened and trained to become peer mentors to elementary school students. Another program within the district is College and Career Day, held the first Wednesday of each month. KCS employees, students, families and the community are encouraged to wear a college or career related shirt that day in order to foster the college and career readiness culture at KCS.

School counselors are actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today's world; focusing on positive ways to enhance students' social/personal, educational and career development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. The combination of training and experience makes school counselors an integral part of the total educational program.

More than 30,000 school counselors nationwide will be participating in the week's festivities. Many school counselors will be hosting special events and activities to call attention to the myriad benefits of a comprehensive school counseling program.

More information can be found on ASCA's website, www.schoolcounselor.org.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is a worldwide nonprofit organization based in Alexandria, Va. Founded in 1952, ASCA supports school counselors' efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so they not only achieve success in school but are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. The association, which is the school counseling division of the American Counseling Association, provides professional development, publications and other resources, research and advocacy to more professional school counselors around the globe.

Kingsport City Schools (KCS) is a public school district located in Kingsport, Tenn., serving students in Sullivan and Hawkins county. The district is comprised of 13 schools, including a Pre-K, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and a non-traditional school; with total enrollment over 7,100 students. The vision of Kingsport City Schools is to be, Student Focused … World Class.

KCS has been named the top school district in Tennessee as winner of the 2014 SCORE Prize District Award by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) and has earned the 2014 Achievement Award in the annual Excellence in Tennessee Recognition Program by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNPCE).

For more information on KCS, visit k12k.com, listen live on WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, read our blog, We Are KCS, or call (423) 378.2100. We’re social too; follow us on Facebook (Kingsport City Schools), Twitter (@KCS_District) and check out our YouTube Channel (KPTSchools).

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