Title
Declaring February 3-7, 2020 as "National School Counseling Week" in the City of Philadelphia; recognizing the critical role that school counselors play in meeting students' academic, social/emotional, and postsecondary planning needs.
Body
WHEREAS, School counselors assist students in reaching their fullest potential by helping young people explore their abilities, interests, strengths and talents both in school and as related to career awareness and development; and
WHEREAS, School counselors are vital to every school community, supporting students in the areas of academic achievement, personal and social development, and career development, and bringing an important perspective to school staff in order to resolve issues small and large; and
WHEREAS, School counselors play a unique role in working with parents, teachers and other educators to develop and support the educational, personal, and social growth of young people; and
WHEREAS, Comprehensive school counseling programs are considered an integral part of the educational process that enable all students to achieve success in school and in their social and emotional lives; and
WHEREAS, School counselors are valued as essential members of safe and successful school environments. They are particularly crucial in school communities that face poverty, high rates of housing insecurity, and trauma; and
WHEREAS, School counselors work with families, staff, and young people dealing with violence, illness, death and other traumas that might otherwise go unaddressed and unsupported. They are critically important caregivers and hubs for community services in schools; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia school counselors in particular have resiliently served young people each and every day, many of them in spite of inadequate resources and growing caseloads; and
WHEREAS, School counselors serve our City's most vulnerable students, including City of Philadelphia system-involved youth and students experiencing...
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