Rep. Knezek offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 61.

A resolution to declare March 18-22, 2013, as School Counselor Week in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, The House of Representatives has recognized the importance of school counseling through the inclusion of elementary and secondary school counseling programs in Michigan schools; and

Whereas, School counselors have long emphasized the importance of personal and social development and academic achievement, and help develop well-rounded students by guiding them through their academic, personal, social, and career development; and

Whereas, School counselors play a vital role in ensuring that students are aware of financial aid and college opportunities, and encourage students to pursue challenging academic courses to prepare them for college majors and careers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields; and

Whereas, School counselors help students cope with the serious and common challenges of growing up, including peer pressure, mental health issues, school violence, disciplinary problems, the deployment of family members to conflicts overseas, and problems in the home, and are also instrumental in helping students, teachers, and parents deal with personal trauma and community and national tragedies; and

Whereas, School counselors are among the few professionals in a school building that are trained both in education and mental health; and

Whereas, Despite the important contributions of school counselors to student success, counseling positions are not always protected when budgets are cut; and

Whereas, The average student-to-counselor ratio in Michigan public schools is 634-to-1,  almost triple the 250-to-1 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association, the American Counseling Association, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and other organizations; and

Whereas, The celebration of “Michigan School Counselor Week” would increase awareness of the important and necessary role school counselors play in the lives of students in Michigan; and

Whereas, It is important to acknowledge the role school counselors play in cultivating our most important resource, Michigan’s children; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare March 18-22, 2013, as School Counselor Week in the state of Michigan. .