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Counseling Resources for Parents and Students

Career and College Interest:
The College Board
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/?navid=gh-cp
This webpage offers a multitude of resources for college and career exploration.  Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.

Achieve Texas
http://www.achievetexas.org/
An education initiative designed to prepare students for a lifetime of success. It allows students to achieve excellence by preparing them for secondary and postsecondary opportunities, career preparation and advancement, meaningful work, and active citizenship.

College for Texans
http://www.collegefortexans.com/
Here is everything a Texan needs to know about preparing for, applying for, and paying for college or technical school.  And it's all in one up-to-date, easy to navigate mega site almost as big as the state itself.  Four billion is available every year to help Texans attend college.

Federal Student Aid
https://studentaid.ed.gov/home
This site was built by the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with students. It is intended to be the go-to source for information and resources about planning, preparing and paying for postsecondary education (such as 2- or 4-year colleges and universities, and vocational or career schools). Most importantly, it is intended to provide inspiration and hope to all students and encourage them to consider and pursue a postsecondary education.

Social Development and Social Skills:
Social Skills (National Association of School Psychologists)
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/factsheets/socialskills_fs.aspx
Good social skills are critical to successful functioning in life. These skills enable us to know what to say, how to make good choices, and how to behave in diverse situations. The extent to which children and adolescents possess good social skills can influence their academic performance, behavior, social and family relationships, and involvement in extracurricular activities. Social skills are also linked to the quality of the school environment and school safety. This website assists in the definition of types of social skills, the identification of social skills deficits, social skills interventions, and examples of evidence-based social skills programs.

5 Keys to Social and Emotional Learning (Edutopia)
http://www.edutopia.org/keys-social-emotional-learning-video
Studies show that sustained and well-integrated social and emotional learning (SEL) programs can help schools engage their students and improve achievement. Explore the classroom practices that make up the best and most effective SEL programs.  National and local experts discuss how educating the whole child by including social and emotional skills with academics is critical for success in school and in life.

Social Skills Activities for Children and Teenagers: Ideas Inspired by Research (Parenting Science)
http://www.parentingscience.com/social-skills-activities.html
Here you will find activities that may help kids learn specific social skills, from staying in line to negotiating a compromise with peers.  The list is divided into two parts.  The first part features games and activities appropriate for preschoolers and school-aged children. The second part describes social skills activities for teenagers.

Social and Emotional Changes: Adolescence (Raising Children)
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/social_and_emotional_development_teenagers.html
During adolescence, you’ll notice changes in the way your child interacts with family, friends and peers. Every child’s social and emotional development is different. Your child’s development is shaped by your child’s unique combination of genes, brain development, environment, experiences with family and friends, and community and culture.  Here you can find descriptions of social and emotional changes that your child might undergo as well as information on how to support social and emotional development.  You can also access helpful guides on how to discuss various issues with your child and videos to assist in the time of change also.

Academic Success:
Texas Education Agency
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index.aspx?id=2147495412&menu_id=720&menu_id2=785&cid=2147483654
This is a link to the Texas Education Agency, and the Education and Curriculum section of that website.  Visitors may view this website to find current news in education, school and graduation requirements, information on careers, and more.

Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/
Edutopia is a place where students and parents, teachers and administrators, policy makers and the people they serve are all empowered to change education for the better; a place where schools provide rigorous project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and access to new technology; a place where innovation is the rule, not the exception; a place where students become lifelong learners and develop 21st-century skills, especially three fundamental skills:
•how to find information
•how to assess the quality of information
•how to creatively and effectively use information to accomplish a goal.

Tools for Student Success:  U. S. Department of Education
http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/tools-for-success/index.html
The U.S. Department of Education has developed a number of publications featuring the latest research and most effective practices in subjects such as reading, homework, and staying drug free. This catalog provides brief descriptions of each volume, as well as information on how to obtain these publications in hard copy or online. Each is provided at no cost. This catalog will be updated as new publications become available. In the meantime, readers are invited to check out the various titles listed here.
The research-based, yet easy-to-understand information in these publications can help families and educators make good decisions about children's learning. Well-informed parents and teachers are essential to an America where every child will be educated and no child left behind.

Other Needs:
Special Education Needs (Texas Education Agency)
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147491399
Here you can find answers to questions that you might have regarding Special Education.  The topics are listed alphabetically from A-Z making your search inquiries user friendly!

Children with Special Needs:  Parents' Guide to IDEA
http://www.ncld.org/parents-child-disabilities/idea-guide
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the key federal education law that serves students with LD. Being informed will help you support your child’s learning needs and advocate for his or her success. Visit the chapters below for information on requesting an evaluation, student discipline and more.  Parents can access information on what to do if a child is struggling in school with learning, what happens next once a child has been identified with a learning disability, and information on how to ensure a child’s success and plan for the future.

Grief and Loss for Children:  National Alliance for Grieving Children
http://childrengrieve.org/
The National Alliance for Grieving Children promotes awareness of the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who wants to support them.

When Families Grieve (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/parents/whenfamiliesgrieve/
In this primetime special, Sesame Workshop presents personal stories about coping with the death of a parent. Katie Couric joins Elmo and his furry friends to model communication between adults and children. They’ll also offer thoughtful suggestions and strategies that help the whole family.  The program addresses specifics like: how to talk to kids about death, how to work through difficult feelings, how to strengthen relationships, and how to move forward as a family.  This site also offers printable tools to aid in the grieving process and additional online resources to help families who are coping with the death of a loved one. 

Stopbullying.gov
http://www.stopbullying.gov/
Bullying can affect you in many ways. You may lose sleep or feel sick. You may want to skip school. You may even be thinking about suicide. If you are feeling hopeless or helpless or know someone that is, please call the LIFELINE at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program:  Violence Prevention
http://www.violencepreventionworks.org/public/index.page
These interactive programs provide key information about bullying, cyber bullying, and dating violence, and explain how schools, community organizations, and parents can create safe, healthy environments.  Visitors to this site also have access to additional material from Hazelden; who is the leading publisher of evidence-based programs and curricula for students in kindergarten through high school. Based on years of research, our prevention products include targeted tools you can use to avert violent behaviors in children and young adults.