Dr. Carolyn Stone

Dr. Carolyn Stone is a Professor Emeritus of Counselor Educator at the University of North Florida.  Dr. Stone was the 2006 President of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and served as ASCAs Ethics Chair for twenty years.  Dr. Stone chaired the last four revisions of the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors and wrote 100 legal and ethical columns for ASCA’s School Counselor.  Dr. Stone was awarded ASCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, the Florida School Counselor Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and UNF Distinguished Professor Award in 2016.  She has provided keynote addresses and workshops for all 50 state school counseling associations and presented approximately 840 presentations (700 of which were legal and ethical issues for school counselors) to international/national/state conferences and school districts.  She has completed dozens of webinars for ASCA. Dr. Stone has authored the only legal and ethical book exclusively for school counselors, currently in its fifth edition.  Prior to becoming a counselor educator in 1995, Dr. Stone spent 22 years with the Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida where she served 239 school counselors as their district level supervisor and was an elementary and high school counselor and middle school teacher. 
 

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
The Legal and Ethical Complications of Confidentiality for Students in Schools
October 1, 2024 | 8:00am
The school environment poses competing legal and ethical interests. Mississippi’s Parental Bill of Rights reaffirms parents’ rights to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives especially in value laden issues. Educators must develop a decision-making framework for analyzing and resolving conflicts when applying case and statutory law, school board policy and a student’s request for confidentiality. Through court cases, participants will focus on actions in context for student rights and to understand the rights of parents/guardians under Mississippi law. 

BREAKOUT SESSION
School Counselors Role in Suicide Concern
October 1, 2024 | 9:20am
Without question school counselors want to support students who present as possibly suicidal. When school counselors are placed on notice by any means that a student might even remotely be in danger of suicide, they have an immediate responsibility to alert parents and guardians.  Part of that process will involve trying to give parents all the information that has been given to them and some need to gather additional information. The difficulty is not in the school counselors commitment to support students thinking of suicide; it’s in the use of protocols requiring school counselors to do the impossible; quantify suicide. Guiding principles from ten court cases involving school counselors will be discussed.  Determining suicide risk is problematic on many levels, not the least of which is the exercise of judgment of lethality based on a student's self-report. 

Dr. Diana Virgil

2024 School Counselor of the Year

Dr. Diana Virgil is a distinguished professional, holding the prestigious title of the 2024 School Counselor of the Year as conferred by the American School Counselor Association. She is recognized as an ASCA-Certified School Counselor, National Board-Certified Counselor, National Certified School Counselor and has held a school counselor certification in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.
 
With an academic foundation rooted in Psychology and Biology, Dr. Virgil earned her Bachelor of Science degree, followed by a Master of Education in School Counseling and an Education Specialist in Counseling, all from Mississippi College. Her academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a Leadership emphasis from the University of the Cumberlands in 2023. Her doctoral dissertation delved into the intricate dynamics of middle school counselors responding to cyberbullying incidents within social media.
 
Dr. Virgil brings a wealth of experience to her role, having served as a school counselor, associate licensed counselor, and adjunct instructor. She has imparted knowledge in several courses, including counseling diverse populations, introduction to school counseling, group counseling, legal and ethical issues, and human growth and development.
 
Her professional journey spans nine years in the field of education and school counseling. Beyond her accomplishments, Dr. Virgil has actively contributed to the counseling community. She has served as the Region Liaison for the Georgia School Counselor Association (GSCA), participated in various committees for GSCA, engaged in focus groups for ASCA, and contributed to groups/committees for the Mississippi School Counseling Association. Her commitment to mentorship, publications in esteemed outlets like the Beacon, ACT’s Leadership Blog, Forbes, and recognition as the 2022 Secondary School Counselor of the Year and later the 2023 Alabama School Counselor of the Year by the Alabama School Counseling Association showcase her dedication to the profession. In addition to her roles and accolades, Dr. Virgil currently serves on the Alabama Board of Directors.
 
Outside of her professional pursuits, Diana finds her passion in providing counseling services to individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, anger, grief, and more. Diana also enjoys photography, travel, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and niece. Diana Virgil stands as a beacon of excellence and leadership in the field of school counseling, and she is grateful for the opportunity to serve as your National 2024 School Counselor of the Year.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Authentically You
September 30, 2024 | 10:00am
In this session, Diana Virgil, 2024 School Counselor of the Year, highlights the barriers she experienced in her school counseling career and how she opened doors through collaboration, authenticity and vulnerability. Diana shares how honesty, openness and transparency enable her personal growth and ensure she shows up for her students. Diana’s personal journey offers lessons in identifying and overcoming obstacles and having the courage to be vulnerable.

After attending this session, you will be able to:

• Learn how to identify obstacles in yourself and in your students
• Realize the significance of vulnerability and tackling challenges to promote personal growth
• Understand the impact of collaboration in the school building and community

BREAKOUT SESSION
Data-Informed Dialogues
September 30, 2024 | 2:30pm
Uncover the power of data to tell your school counseling story. In this session, Diana Virgil, 2024 School Counselor of the Year, focuses on using data to collaborate with other team members to reach shared goals toward student success.

After attending this session, you will be able to:

• Recognize the significance of data accessibility, especially when you need it quickly to make your case
• Translate school counselor terminology and program details into easily understandable content for different audiences, including administrators, teachers, families and more
• Learn how to establish common ground for collaboration and shared understanding