The Guidance Council is a specialist group of the Alberta Teachers’ Association which:

• advocates for school counsellors in Alberta
• facilitates professional development activities for practicing school counsellors and related helping professionals
• publishes current research on topics of interest and concern to school counsellors
• provides input to the Alberta Teachers’ Association and Alberta Education on current educational issues from a guidance and counselling perspective
• supports comprehensive guidance and counseling program plan approach to school counselling
• Position Paper on Guidance and Counselling in Alberta Released

Executive of the ATA Guidance Council have submitted their position paper, A Proposal for Change: Establishing Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling Programs in Every School in Alberta, to Education Minister David Hancock (Letter attached). Please read and discuss this paper with your colleagues, principal, district office staff, trustees and your MLA. Please pass it on to people who may not be on the mailing list. Write to the minister asking what action is being taken. The paper proposes changes in services and supports provided by the government and our school districts, but also changes in the way school counselling services are offered in schools. More information about Comprehensive Guidance and Counselling programming will be available through the Counselletter, the Voices of Counselling conference, regional councils and executive members.