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Announcements

 

March 27, 2013

Reminder for all school counseling students currently in the degree specialization and certification/licensure only students - if you have not already taken and passed a Basic Skills Test and had your scores reported to ISBE, the Certification Office in Macomb, and to the department chairperson, you need to do so by May 10, 2013. If you are unable to meet this deadline please contact your advisor to discuss your options. Recall, State Law will not permit you to remain in the school counseling specialization if you do not meet this requirement.

 

March 25, 2013

The following counseling resources are now available or will soon be available in the WIU-QC library:

     Face-Spirit: A New Model for Integrating Spirituality Into Counseling and Psychotherapy (Horton-Parker & Fawcett, 2007)
     Rooted Sorrows - Emotional Burden to Emotional Health: Veterans with PTSD (Young, 2010)
     Bullying in Schools: Six Methods of Intervention (Rigby, 2009)
     Play Therapy: Basics for Beginning Students (Baggerly, 2006)
     Suicide Assessment and Prevention (Westefeld, 2008)
     Role Induction in Counseling Supervision: Clarifying Duties and Responsibilities (Osborn & Associates)
     Quality Circle Tine in Secondary School (Mosley)
     Culturally Alert Counseling DVD Series (McAuliffe & Associates, 2009)
     Getting to Know You! A Social Skills Curriculum (Hanken & Kennedy)
     Creating Positive Support Groups for At-Risk Children (Dennison)
     Less Student Stress, More Student Success: Strategies and Activities... (Palomores & Schilling)

 

March 18, 2013

CNED Graduate Assistant positions may be available for the 2013-2014 academic year. Please check your email for the announcement and instructions. Newly admitted students will receive information about these positions at their new student orientation.

 

January 15, 2013

The following courses now have the same new prerequisites:

     CN 600 Diagnosis    
     CN 602 Principles of Mental Health Diagnosis and Pathology for Practitioners in School Settings
     CN 604 Psychopathology

For all of the courses listed above the new prerequisites are as follows:

     CN 545. Majors only.

 

January 7, 2013

The Illinois State Board of Education has extended the timeframe for the Basic Skills Test. You may now use scores up to 10 years old. If this change applies to you please contact Dr. Newgent to discuss your plan of action. For all other School Counseling students please make sure that when you take the Basic Skills Test (ACT + Writing or SAT + Writing) to indicate code 3001 ISBE instead of Western Illinois University as far as where to have your results sent. If you take the Basic Skills Test (TAP) your scores will automatically be sent to ISBE. For further information or questions, please contact Dr. Newgent.

 

November 29, 2012

We are pleased to announce that the PACERS Program has received additional support from AT&T to continue their intensive mentoring and academic program. PACERS is a joint effort between Dr. Holly Nikels and her team from the Department of Counselor Education at Western Illinois University, the Rock Island School District, and community mentors. The goal of PACERS is help reduce the achievement gap by helping students find personal, social, and academic success throughout their entire High School career. We are very grateful to AT&T for their ongoing support of the PACERS Program.

AT&T Supports PACERS 11.29.2012

 

November 19, 2012

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has adjusted their requirements for SCHOOL COUNSELING STUDENTS. These important changes are outlined in a MEMO to SCHOOL COUNSELING STUDENTS. Please read the memo thoroughly. If you are a current or future school counseling student, this applies to you. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Chairperson of the Department of Counselor Education, Dr. Rebecca Newgent, or the Department of Counselor Education School Counseling Coordinator, Dr. Holly Nikels, at 309.762.1876.

Please note that the ISBE is also requiring content on methods of reading and reading in the content area (school counseling) for school counseling students. This requirement may possibly be met through LA 578 Language Arts for Diverse Learners OR through content in specific school counseling specialization courses.

Make sure to check back on the Announcements page as well as your WIU email for important updates and clarifications.

 

August 1, 2012

School Counseling students please read the attached memo from the Illinois State Board of Education. As we are an Illinois school all school counseling students are expected to adhere to these requirements regardless of state of residence or state of employment.

Prior to beginning Internship in the spring, all school counseling students will need to TAKE and PASS the school counselor content exam AND the basic skills test. Note that the basic skills test is now called the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP 400 series). It is now available only online and can be taken any time throughout the year six days a week at a Pearson Vue Testing Center (Davenport). The link for the TAP test is http://www.icts.nesinc.com

To register for the content test please see the following website: http://www.icts.nesinc.com

Please remember that you are required to pass these exams prior to the start of the spring semester you take internship regardless of which state you are a resident of or have your field placement/employment.

 

 

 

 

 

PACERS Program

Thanks to AT&T, Rock Island High School PACERS (Positive Achievement and Creativity Equals Righteous Success)- an intensive mentoring, academic, and volunteer-based program developed through school and community efforts and Western Illinois University- will benefit from a nearly $375,000 infusion to help at-risk ninth-grade students in the Rock Island School District. PACERS will receive the funds as part of a $48 million competitive grant process through AT&T's signature initiative Aspire, which addresses high school success and workforce readiness.

Dr. Holly Nikels authored the grant and is the coordinator for the program. PACERS was started to help at-risk freshman at Rock Island High School and has operated for four years through the volunteer efforts of a small group of individuals from the Rock Island community, RIHS, and WIU. "I am proud to say that every one of those students who started with PACERS can be accounted for today as having complete their high school education in some way. Some graduated from RIHS or other schools, some went on to Job Corps, and some obtained their GED certificates; they all succeeded."

The funding allows for the purchase of school supplies for each student, the addition of ten paid mentors to work with twenty students weekly at the high school, transportation to and from monthly community service projects, school/work site visits, and leadership training opportunities. It will also pay for two WIU graduate assistants, who are school counselors in training, and will work at RIHS for the next four years. Congratulations Dr. Nikels and Rock Island High School!

PACERS A T & T Grant

For more information - check out the PACERS website!

 

Reminders

Change of Address

If you have a change of address or phone number (work, cell, home), please remember to let our office know! Please call the Department at 309-762-1876 or by email at cned@wiu.edu. It is important that we have correct contact information! Thank you!

CNED Listserv

This is the main means of communication of important information and updates that directly affect the CNED student. Messages are sent daily which can impact your progress in the Department. 
                                        
NOTE: This is a moderated listserv (for current students only) and all communications are approved prior to being published.

ECOM / WIU E-mail Account

This is the email account that ends in wiu.edu. All WIU students have an ECOM e-mail available to them – but it must be activated by the student. Please follow the instructions on the GUAVA website to activate your account (Email Options - Guava Activation).

Your WIU e-mail account is the only way Western Illinois University and the Department of Counselor Education will contact you when communicating by e-mail. No personal e-mail accounts will be recognized. Thank you!