WSCA's Online Learning Program 2025-2026
Online learning opportunities exclusively for WSCA members! Some partner presentations are open to the public.
Schedule of Events
This list will be continuously updated as new sessions are scheduled.
Jump to:
–Funding Futures-How Counselors Can Help Families Plan for Post-Secondary Education Now with 529 Plans (Elementary/Middle)
–FAFSA/Financial Aid Updates (High)
–Chaos to Clarity – Mapping Out Your Elementary Curriculum (Elementary)
–Author Chat: 15 Minute Counseling Techniques – What You Didn’t Learn in Grad School (K-12)
–Online Degree Pathways through the Universities of Wisconsin (High)
–American Indian Conversations (K-12)
–Google AI (K-12)
–Addressing Social Media and Digital Conflict (K-12)
–The Brain Science of Stress Elimination and Workplace/Life Joy, Purpose, and Connection (6-Week) (K-12)
–The 360 Thinking Model – Breakthrough Strategies to Develop Independent Executive Function Skills (K-12)
–Adultification of Black Girls: Understanding the Impact and Taking Action (K-12)
–“Misbehaving” to Learning (K-12)
–Alternative Pathways to a High School Diploma (High)
–Lives Worth Living – Applying Zero Suicide as a Systemic Prevention Approach for Schools (K-12)
–Evidence-Based School Counseling: Brief Interventions (K-12)
–Custom Chatbots (K-12)
–The Psychology of Addictive Technology (K-12)
–Understanding and Addressing Chronic Absenteeism (K-12)
–American Indian Conversations (K-12)
–Safe Teen Driving Resources from Children’s Wisconsin (High)
–Author Chat: Redesigning Schools: A Systemic Change Approach for School Counselors (K-12)
September
Funding Futures-How Counselors Can Help Families Plan for Post-Secondary Education Now with 529 Plans
Open to the public!
September 18 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speakers: Cheryl Rapp & Chelsea Wunnicke, Wisconsin College Savings Program
Presentation Description: Join the State of Wisconsin College Savings Program for a dynamic session on how elementary and middle school counselors can help families open doors to postsecondary opportunities through early financial planning. Understanding 529 College Savings Plans, what they are, how they work, and the many benefits of saving with Edvest 529, Wisconsin’s college savings plan, can be a game-changer for families. Early financial planning is critical to ensuring students have access to their future education, and this knowledge is directly relevant to your role. You don’t need to be a financial expert, the Wisconsin College Savings Program staff are available to meet directly with families and have ready-to-use resources so you can connect them to options without navigating a families personal financial details yourself.
Track/Theme: Academic/Career/Postsecondary
Target Audience: Elementary & Middle
FAFSA/Financial Aid Updates
September 24 POSTPONED, NEW DATE TBD
Speaker: Katie Sprunger, Associate Director of Financial Aid, Edgewood University
Presentation Description: Make sure to attend this online learning session for the latest updates on the FAFSA and financial aid. We’ll talk about what’s changing and what’s staying the same. We’ll also have a brief refresher on how financial aid is awarded and what to advise families to look for when comparing offers from different schools.
Track/Theme: Academic/Career/Postsecondary
Target Audience: High
October
Chaos to Clarity – Mapping Out Your Elementary Curriculum
October 10 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speakers: Sarah Flier, Elementary School Counselor, Hudson School District; Sarah Wiseman, Elementary School Counselor
Presentation Description: Whether you’re a first-year counselor looking to organize your core curriculum or you’re a veteran counselor who is looking to freshen up your lessons, this online learning session will walk through how elementary counselors can use school data to drive and organize the curriculum you provide for all students in your school.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: Elementary
Author Chat: 15 Minute Counseling Techniques – What You Didn’t Learn in Grad School
October 14 @ 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Author: Allison Edwards, Licensed Professional Counselor
Biography: Allison is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist and founder of All the Feels Company, her product company providing effective tools to help kids manage emotions. She graduated from Vanderbilt University where she studied anxiety reduction and emotion regulation in children. Allison simplifies mental health and brain research by teaching practical strategies to empower children and those who care for them.
Book Description: As counselors, we spend our days helping kids. Kids come to us with a variety of problems, searching for answers. They want us to listen. And they need us to give them solutions for the issues they are facing. While these solutions may work temporarily, we really never help kids until we give them tools – or techniques – to manage thoughts and feelings on their own. Our job is not to do it for them. Our job is to teach them how to do it themselves! This is the greatest gift we can give. In 15-Minute Counseling Techniques that Work, Allison Edwards provides tools to use in individual or group counseling sessions with children in grades K-12. Children will learn how to calm their mind and body with Square Breathing, let go of negative thoughts by Changing the Channel, identify their unique gifts by creating a “What I’m Good At” Jar, and so much more.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
From High School to Bachelor’s: Online Degree Pathways through the Universities of Wisconsin
Open to the public!
October 21 Postponed, new date TBD
Speakers: Troy Marshall, Program Manager, Universities of Wisconsin, Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources; Amanda Goetsch, Program Manager, Universities of Wisconsin, Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources
Presentation Description: This presentation introduces school counselors to the clear pathways available for students through the University of Wisconsin’s Independent Learning program, online Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS) degree, and the wide range of UW Online Collaborative bachelor’s completion programs. Students can begin earning transferable credits in high school through the Early College Credit Program, then seamlessly continue into the online semester-based AAS, a foundational liberal arts degree bridging students to a bachelor’s degree. The UW System provides accredited, affordable, and supportive options that equip students with essential skills while ensuring smooth transfer into bachelor’s programs in fields such as applied computing, health information management and technology, nursing, business, and more. Counselors will gain insight into how these online degree pathways offer students flexibility, accessibility, and a high-quality education backed by the collaborative strength of multiple UW campuses.
Track/Theme: Academic/Career/Postsecondary
Target Audience: High
American Indian Conversations
Oct 29 @ 11:30am-12:30pm AND 4:30-5:30pm
Speaker: David O’Connor, American Indian Studies Consultant, WI DPI
Presentation Description: Join David O’Connor for a live, interactive conversation series exploring the Native American experience in Wisconsin, past and present. This is not a lecture, webinar, or book study, but a space for dialogue, questions, and shared learning. Together, we will discuss the histories, cultures, and contemporary realities of Wisconsin’s Native nations, and explore how these perspectives can inform and enrich our work in schools and communities. Sessions will not be recorded, allowing for open, respectful conversation and the opportunity to build understanding in real time.
A lunch time (11:30-12:30) and after-school (4:30-5:30) option has been scheduled to accommodate counselors’ availability to participate. The series will meet on the following dates: 10/29/2025, 01/14/2026, 04/20/2026
Track/Theme: Equity
Target Audience: K-12
November
Google AI Tools for Counselors
November 11 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Eric Curtis
Presentation Description: Discover Google’s powerful generative AI tools and how they can assist school counselors in their daily tasks. In this session we will do a hands-on deep dive in Gemini including practical uses, deep research, the canvas tool, custom Gems, file processing, image and audio generation, Gemini in NotebookLM, data privacy features, and more.
Track/Theme: Leadership/Advocacy
Target Audience: K-12
Addressing Social Media and Digital Conflict
November 19 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Speakers: Ashley Frutos, Licensed Professional Counselor, Ellie Mental Health- Kingwood, Texas; Adeli “Minet” Cortez, Mental Health Intervention Counselor, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD; Lindsey Taylor, Licensed Professional Counselor
Presentation Description: In today’s digital age, social media and mobile applications have significantly influenced how children and adolescents interact and learn. This online learning session will explore their impact, including technology usage statistics and both the positive (increased connectivity and access to information) and negative (cyberbullying, mental health issues, potential addiction) implications as well as discuss the school counselor’s role in helping children safely navigate social media and technology. Participants will gain knowledge in examining the statistical data related to technology (including prevelant social media platforms) usage among children and adolescents and the impact on students’ daily lives, reflect on the school counselor’s role in educating and empowering students to navigate the complexities of social media, address digital drama, and promote a supportive and safe online environment; and identify strategies and interventions to implement to help students develop the necessary skills to engage with social media and technology responsibly.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
The Brain Science of Stress Elimination and Workplace/Life Joy, Purpose, and Connection
(6-Week)
This series will meet on Tuesdays starting in mid November
Speaker: Dr. Niraj (Raj) Nijhawan, The LEO PROGRAM, Life Ecology Organization
Presentation Description: School counselors, are you…
- Feeling stressed?
- Experiencing low energy?
- Have problems eating or sleeping?
We see and hear you! This series continues after the inaugural group of counselors participating last year found great value in continuing to work in the brain “gym” during this six-week cohort. Take advantage of this great opportunity to learn brain strategies to see improvements in your work and personal life by finding joy, purpose, and connection. Join Dr. Raj and a cohort of counselors in taking difficult scenarios at work or in life and using these challenges to activate different components of the Higher Brain to block the negative brain effect of people, situations, and thoughts. Learn how to soothe the Lower Brain, which is linked to stress and survival, while stimulating the Higher Brain, the seat of creativity and critical thinking. Increase tolerance for discomfort, equipping individuals to better manage difficult conversations and adapt to change. Employ a robust toolkit of “brain hacks” —strategic methods based on neuroscience that are applied to real-life challenges and meetings. This toolkit enables organizations to swiftly and effectively navigate and adapt to change, fostering a dynamic and resilient workplace culture. Dr. Raj’s brain-based methods have delivered measurable improvements in workplace well-being and productivity! Dr. Raj’s team uses validated psychological surveys to measure changes in mental health and well-being, with participants consistently reporting significant improvements across all health domains assessed.
Track/Theme: Leadership/Advocacy
Target Audience: K-12
Member Only – Registration Required – Registration Details Coming Soon.
Not a member? Click here to join!
December
The 360 Thinking Model – Breakthrough Strategies to Develop Independent Executive Function Skills
December 3
Rescheduled to December 5 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Speaker: Sarah Ward, Co-Director, Cognitive Connections
Presentation Description: Did you miss international expert on Executive Functioning, Sarah Ward’s, outstanding preconference last year? We are excited she is joining us this year for an online learning session! Whether your students need to complete tasks, classwork, or homework, in this practical strategies online learning session, you will learn concrete tools to help students manage their attention, time, and materials to follow directions, plan, break down, and initiate the steps towards completing and closing out assignments. Help students keep pace to make timely transitions and follow routines. Practical strategies will be given to help with the initiation of more open-ended and complex assignments. Learn dozens of practical strategies to support students in developing independent executive function skills to self-regulate and manage impulses!
Track/Theme: Academic/Career/Postsecondary & Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
Adultification of Black Girls: Understanding the Impact and Taking Action
December 10 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Speakers: Dr. Carolyn Strong, CEO, Strong Conversations
Presentation Description: This online learning session is a must for school counselors because the adultification of Black girls who are perceived as older and less innocent than their peers can profoundly shape their school experience, often resulting in harsher discipline, fewer chances for support, and missed opportunities to thrive. We will examine research findings, discuss the impact of this bias in schools and society, and you will leave with practical strategies to ensure Black girls are treated with the same care, understanding, and high expectations as all students, creating environments where they can feel safe, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
“Misbehaving” to Learning
December 18 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Katie Berg, Supporting Neurodiverse Students Statewide Coordinator, SNS Professional Learning System
Presentation Description: Using the root cause analysis process, participants will work through using language and building belief systems that flip the idea of challenging behavior from its “naughty” behavior to understanding the behavior as a communication of a skill deficit or an inability to perform an expectation. We will dive into the understanding of how educators’ behavior impacts the students’ learning. Walk away with techniques to change your own practice in supporting student behavior utilizing proactive support and environmental design. We will be changing the lens we look at behavior through to overcome the challenging behavioral issues we deal with daily. Already have this belief? Come join us to help gain ways to support others on their learning journey. We don’t change students, we can change our behavior and hope for support in change in others.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
January
Vaping and Adolescent Health: Strategies for School Support from Children's Wisconsin
Open to the public!
Jan 7 @ 11:00am-12:00pm
Speakers: Dr. Louella Amos, Pediatric Pulmonologist, Children’s Wisconsin and Clay Anton, E-Learning Representative, Children’s Wisconsin
Presentation Description: Join pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Amos for an informative session on the growing concern of teen vaping. This webinar will explore the latest research on vaping trends among adolescents, the serious health risks associated with e-cigarettes, and how vaping can affect a child’s overall health—including lung development, cardiovascular function, and mental well-being. Designed specifically for school counselors working with grades 6–12, the session will provide practical strategies for early identification and intervention, helping you support students and promote healthier choices. Online vaping lessons for middle and high school students will also be highlighted.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: Middle, High
American Indian Conversations
Jan 14 @ 11:30am-12:30pm AND 4:30-5:30pm
Speaker: David O’Connor, American Indian Studies Consultant, WI DPI
Presentation Description: Join David O’Connor for a live, interactive conversation series exploring the Native American experience in Wisconsin, past and present. This is not a lecture, webinar, or book study, but a space for dialogue, questions, and shared learning. Together, we will discuss the histories, cultures, and contemporary realities of Wisconsin’s Native nations, and explore how these perspectives can inform and enrich our work in schools and communities. Sessions will not be recorded, allowing for open, respectful conversation and the opportunity to build understanding in real time.
A lunch time (11:30-12:30) and after-school (4:30-5:30) option has been scheduled to accommodate counselors’ availability to participate. The series will meet on the following dates: 10/29/2025, 01/14/2026, 04/20/2026
Track/Theme: Equity
Target Audience: K-12
The Heart of Brave Leadership for School Counselors
January 21 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Kate Adametz Jenkins, Brené Brown Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, Kate Adametz Coaching, LLC
Presentation Description: Effective advocacy begins with courageous communication. In this online learning session, school counselors will engage with Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead principles to better articulate and advocate for their roles within the school community. By embracing vulnerability and leaning into honest, productive conversations, counselors will learn how to set clear boundaries, communicate their value, and foster deeper trust with administrators, teachers, and families. This session provides tools to help counselors not only do the work, but champion it with clarity and confidence.
Track/Theme: Leadership/Advocacy
Target Audience: Middle & High
Author Chat: It Is More Than The Miracle Question: Deconstructing Solution Focused Therapy
January 28 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Author: Mark Gillen, Professor Emeritus, CEO Solution Focused Counseling and Coaching LLC
Biography: Dr. Gillen trained at the Brief Family Therapy Center, where SFT originated, and has practiced Solution Focused Counseling since the mid-1980s. He has worked as a school counselor, adventure therapist, and day treatment therapist. He has been training others on the use and application of SFC for more than thirty years.
Book Description: The impetus for this book is to help counselors, specifically school counselors, figure out how to utilize a theory, or mindset/belief system, in our everyday work with clients. Dr. Gillen’s ideas on how to think like a solution focused counselor were born at the Brief Family Therapy Center (BFTC) in Milwaukee Wisconsin. This is not a strict academic text, instead this guide offers insights and ideas for utilizing Solution Focused Theory based on training at the Brief Family Therapy Center, years of supervised practice using Solution Focused Theory, readings, research, and decades of training others on how to utilize Solution Focused Therapy (SFT).
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
February
Alternative Pathways to a High School Diploma
February 18 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Sherry K. Holly, Alternative Education Consultant & GED/HSED Administrator, WI DPI
Presentation Description: This online learning session explores the importance of alternative graduation pathways and reviews the policies and legal framework impacting students at-risk of not graduating. Learn how local districts can create pathways that will lead to graduation resulting in the economic success of all Wisconsin students and our communities.
Track/Theme: Academic/Career/Postsecondary
Target Audience: High
Lives Worth Living – Applying Zero Suicide as a Systemic Prevention Approach for Schools
February 25 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Stephen Sharp, School Counselor, Hempfield School District (Pennsylvania)
Presentation Description: This online learning session is for school counselors who support youth suicide prevention and school wellness efforts in their schools and is based on Stephen Sharps’ recently published book, Lives Worth Living: Applying Zero Suicide as a Prevention Approach for Schools. The Zero Suicide components, Lead, Educate, Identify, Engage, Care, Connect, Improve, will be contextualized within school settings to shift from reactive to proactive cultures of student support and safety, as well as how this framework integrates into other school structures such as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). This session will offerered insights and actionable tools for school counsel not just to save student’s lives from suicide but to help them create lives worth living.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
March
Evidence-Based School Counseling: Brief Interventions
March 4 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speakers: Kotatee Tamba & Kelsey Maleski, Clinical Psychologists, Clinic for Attention, Learning and Memory (CALM Clinic)
Presentation Description: This online learning session equips school counselors with practical, research-backed brief interventions to support students’ academic, emotional, and behavioral needs. This session covers evidence-based strategies, including Motivational Interviewing, Brief CBT, Solution-Focused Counseling, Mindfulness, and Check-In/Check-Out. Each approach is grounded in recent research (2019–2025) and tailored for use within a school setting. Counselors will leave with tools to implement effective, time-efficient interventions across all grade levels.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
The Power of Personalized Learning: Custom AI Chatbots for Students
March 9 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Eric Curtis, EdTech Consultant
Presentation Description: AI chatbots are a powerful way to provide safe, monitored, personalized support for students. Chatbots can be used for a wide range of engaging activities such as learning about a career, assessing understanding, providing tutoring, or diving into any topic. With AI these chatbots adjust to each student individually to meet their specific needs and interests. In this session we will explore free tools such as SchoolAI, Brisk, and MagicSchoolAI, where you can choose from a wide range of pre-made chatbots or easily create your own.
Track/Theme: Academic/Career/Postsecondary
Target Audience: K-12
The Psychology of Addictive Technology
March 24 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Ryan McKelley, Licensed Psychologist & Professor of Clinical/Counseling Psychology, UW-La Crosse
Presentation Description: This online learning session explores the psychological mechanisms behind why many students spend so much time on smartphones, apps, and video games. Participants will gain insight into how apps and devices are intentionally engineered to capture attention, and how this impacts student focus, behavior, and well-being. The session will conclude with actionable recommendations for home and school-based strategies to promote healthier tech habits and support student self-regulation in an increasingly digital world.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
April
Understanding and Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
April 15 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Speaker: Patrick Hickman, Ohio’s Attendance Advisor, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Presentation Description: Chronic Absenteeism is an international problem, the causes for which existed before and were exacerbated by the pandemic. We have an urgent need for schools, communities, and families to work together to address these causes. No one group can do it alone. School counselors have a critical role to play, and this session will explore that role deeply. Participants will learn about actionable strategies they can put into place immediately to understand why their students are chronically absent and how they can help improve attendance.
Track/Theme: Social/Emotional
Target Audience: K-12
American Indian Conversations
April 20 @ 11:30am-12:30pm AND 4:30-5:30pm
Speaker: David O’Connor, American Indian Studies Consultant, WI DPI
Presentation Description: Join David O’Connor for a live, interactive conversation series exploring the Native American experience in Wisconsin, past and present. This is not a lecture, webinar, or book study, but a space for dialogue, questions, and shared learning. Together, we will discuss the histories, cultures, and contemporary realities of Wisconsin’s Native nations, and explore how these perspectives can inform and enrich our work in schools and communities. Sessions will not be recorded, allowing for open, respectful conversation and the opportunity to build understanding in real time.
A lunch time (11:30-12:30) and after-school (4:30-5:30) option has been scheduled to accommodate counselors’ availability to participate. The series will meet on the following dates: 10/29/2025, 01/14/2026, 04/20/2026
Track/Theme: Equity
Target Audience: K-12
Safe Teen Driving Resources from Children's Wisconsin
Open to the public!
April 30 @ 11:00am-12:00pm
Speaker: Bria Thalacker, Program Coordinator, Children’s Wisconsin and Ashley Baggett, Program Manager, Safe Teen Driving Resources from Children’s Wisconsin
Presentation Description: Teen driving is a serious public health and safety concern due to the high number of teen drivers involved in car crashes. This session will outline the key factors that contribute to teen driving incidents and introduce free, evidence-based programs school counselors can use to promote safer driving habits. Participants will also learn practical ways to integrate these resources and how they play a key role in empowering students to make safer decisions behind the wheel. Other online health education lessons including pedestrian safety will also be demonstrated.
Track/Theme: Equity
Target Audience: High
May
Author Chat: Redesigning Schools: A Systemic Change Approach for School Counselors
May 11 @ 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Author: Stephen Sharp, Author & School Counselor
Biography: Stephen Sharp is a school counselor and best-selling author. He has worked to provide students with the knowledge and skills to be healthy and successful in the 21st century. Stephen has served on the governing boards of both his local, state and national school counseling organizations. Stephen completed his M.Ed at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, and BA from Lycoming College. Steve is a best-selling author, and he is a co-founder of the Leadership Summit, a community-based social justice network to provide students the language and tools to understand and combat the many forms of oppression. Stephen is a Nationally Certified School Suicide Prevention Specialist and worked with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to pilot an electronic behavioral health screening for schools. He works tirelessly across nationally to provide education and training on mental health, substance abuse, and inequality. Stephen frequently presents and writes on school counseling practice, leadership, technology, emerging career skills, mental health and race in education. Stephen was named the 2017 Pennsylvania Middle School Counselor of the Year.
Book Description: The statistics are real: Black students are more likely to be suspended, more likely to attempt suicide, and less likely to attend college than their white peers. What can we do to change these realities? Do you want to just talk about race, or do you want to make real change in the lives of children and what they experience every day? In Redesigning Schools, author and professional school counselor Stephen Sharp shares a new framework for implementing effective and sustainable systems change to counter systemic issues impacting students of color and redesign education. You′ll discover: Why so many systems remain unchanged despite intensive self-discovery and learning, What the Oppression Cycle is and how to disrupt it, Lessons learned from history and how to design a better future by remembering and not repeating the past, Redesigning Schools provides school counselors, leaders, and education professionals a way to conceptualize race, understand systems dynamics and the related tools, and apply these tools to make education better for every student you serve.
Track/Theme: Equity
Target Audience: K-12
