1 Announcing the 8 th Annual School Counselor Institute for 2012 AVAILABLE FOR PERSONS WHO HAVE COMPLETED MASTER S DEGREES IN COUNSELING OR A RELATED FIELD AND WHO DESIRE TO COMPLETE STATE AND UNIVERISTY REQUIREMENTS FOR A TYPE 73 SCHOOL COUNSELING CERTIFICATE TO WORK AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR IN ILLINOIS NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY S College of Education and the Department of Counseling, Adult and Higher Education are pleased to announce the 8th Annual School Counselor Institute to be held in the Spring/Summer 2012 for students desiring to complete requirements toward state certification in school counseling. The following information explains what the Institute will provide, who will be served by it, when and where it will be offered, cost information, and answers to frequently asked questions. WHAT Since 2005, NIU has offered a fast-track, intensive School Counselor Institute that has successfully provided the avenue for professionals with a clinical master s degree to complete partial requirements for a Type 73 school counselor certificate. The Institute covers most of the coursework. In addition, participants must also complete a course in the Exceptional Child, or show proof that they have successfully completed a similar course, and complete a school-based Internship through NIU following the Institute. Upon completion of these requirements and successful passing of the state tests, participants can apply for the Type 73 certificate from the Illinois State Board of Education. More than 125 participants have successfully participated in the Institute over the past six years. The Institute is an INTENSE program. It consists of readings, discussions, lectures, guest speakers, field experiences, interviews, projects, reports, and experiential activities packaged into five weekends in the Spring (one each month) and two-full-weeks in the Summer (July). Students will be required to attend ALL components of the Institute and have materials and assignments prepared according to the due dates. Participants must understand the intense nature of this program and be prepared to do a great deal of reading, writing, collaborating, and preparing of assignments. A candidate for the Institute must consider how to balance this with family and work obligations before entering the Institute. The curriculum for the Institute has been carefully developed to meet the requirements in two areas: school counseling preparation and teaching preparation. Students completing the Institute will have met the equivalency of the three classes required in the school counseling specialization for a master s degree: counseling children; consultation and developmental school counseling programs; and school counseling issues, programs, and practices. The curriculum will also cover the requirements for classroom management, curriculum and climate in school settings, and adolescent/child development.
2 The Institute will NOT cover the specific requirement from ISBE addressing the special populations of Illinois students and the laws and programs that meet their needs, or other course work that might be deficient on a student s transcript. Therefore, other coursework may need to be completed for endorsement. All students will have a review of their transcripts made before being accepted into the Institute. Finally, the Institute will NOT cover the State required Internship at a school setting. Students completing the Institute will take Internship in the academic fall (2012) or spring (2013) semester, following successful completion of all requirements for the Institute. Students will have to locate their own internship site and follow all the rules for completing the Internship class at NIU. The internship is a 400 clock-hour experience that is done in a school setting under a field supervisor who is a Type 73 certified school counselor. The Internship is required of all candidates, even if previous internships were completed or completed in a school setting. HINT: Once you know you are admitted into the Institute, you should begin immediately to identify an internship site for the following year. WHO To be eligible for the Institute, you must have completed a master s degree in counseling or a related clinical area by August 31, 2011. This degree must be a clinical degree. ALL candidates must have completed BOTH an internship experience AND a practicum experience. This is a state requirement. If you have not had a practicum, you must complete one BEFORE you can participate in the Institute (completed by December 31, 2011). NIU DOES NOT offer Practicum courses to students not enrolled in their master s program. Social workers, psychologists, or others who do not currently identify as a counselor should realize that completing this Institute and the requirements will result in the development of a school counselor identity. This makes the assumption that as school counselors, participants will join school counseling organizations, follow the ethical guidelines of counseling organizations, and work from a developmental model in the school setting. Assumptions are also made in the Institute that a candidate knows the skills involved in professional counseling. This includes the ability to build a relationship with a client, apply ethical considerations, and understand how to work as a counselor within a clinical setting. Students currently enrolled in a counseling Master s program are not eligible for this Institute unless they graduate by August 31, 2011. Finally, the Institute is limited to 25 participants. Therefore, all candidates are screened and an admitting committee selects those for participation. What this means is that it is possible a candidate may apply but not be admitted into the Institute. Candidates need to know this since it is possible that other courses are being completed in anticipation of being accepted. However, there is no guarantee of admittance until the committee meets to consider all applicants. The deadline for the 2012 Institute will be November 17, 2011. The admitting committee will meet following the deadline date to review the files. All eligible candidates will also be expected to attend an evening admissions workshop to be held on Thursday, December 8, 2011, from 4:45-8:00 p.m. Attendance at this workshop is mandatory for all candidates. Candidates will be notified no later than Thursday, December 15 th via email and regular mail of their admittance status.
3 HOW *****VERY IMPORTANT NOTE****** Students must apply and be accepted for the Institute. To do this you must complete and submit the required materials in the Application Packet no later than November 17, 2011, to College of Education, Office of External Programs, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115. The office can also be reached through the email at ceduexternal@niu.edu or phone Sue Brammerlo Dirker at 815-753-6907. Materials received after this date will not be considered for the 2012 Institute. Other questions in regards to the Institute should be directed to Dr. Toni Tollerud at tollerud@niu.edu or at 815-753-9311. The Application Packet consists of a cover letter, the application, two letters of reference, the written essay, and official transcripts. Students will also be REQUIRED to attend the admissions workshop where participants will be interviewed regarding the Institute. This admissions workshop will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2011, in the early evening from 4:45-8:00 p.m. Candidates MUST attend this workshop. This event will start on time so it is imperative that people arrive no later than 4:45 p.m. It will be held on NIU campus in Graham Hall in a room to be determined. When your materials are all in, you will be sent a parking permit for that evening and information on the room and building where the meeting will be held. The School Counselor Institute will be limited to 25 people for 2012. Therefore, depending upon the number of applicants, admission may be competitive. A timetable for the Institute deadlines and meetings is listed in this notice. Students who commit to the Institute MUST attend all meetings and sessions, and pay fees according to the time schedule. At the end of the Institute a certificate will be presented indicating the student s completion of the requirements met in the Institute. This will fulfill partial requirements for the endorsement recommendation from NIU to the certification office for the Type 73 certificate. NOTE: People who were accepted into the previous Summer Institute must indicate they are reapplying. Letters of recommendation and materials may be reused, but the applicant must indicate their interest in reapplying in writing by the deadline dates. A minimum of 20 participants are needed in order for the Institute to be held in 2012. WHEN & WHERE The 2012 School Counselor Institute will be offered at NIU on the main campus in DeKalb, IL. Participants will provide their own transportation to and from campus. Hotel accommodations are available for people who wish to stay over at their own expense. Exact classroom assignments will be given at a later date. All rooms will be accessible. The Institute will be meeting approximately 120 clock hours to cover the requirements. The following dates indicate the meeting times. Participants must be available for all meetings. Weddings, vacations, travel plans that are previously scheduled are not excuses to miss class. If these are on your calendar, plan to do the Institute at a later date. INSTITUTE KICKOFF WEEKEND: JANUARY 27-28, 2012
4 INSTITUTE WEEKEND TWO: FEBRUARY 24-25, 2012 INSTITUTE WEEKEND THREE: MARCH 30-31, 2012 INSTITUTE WEEKEND FOUR: APRIL 27-28, 2012 INSTITUTE WEEKEND FIVE: JUNE 15-16, 2012 SUMMER DATES: WEEK ONE: JULY 9-12, 2012 8:30-5:00 (Monday through Thursday) WEEK TWO: JULY 16-19, 2012 8:30-5:00 (Monday through Thursday) (Luncheon Ceremony will be held last day at 12:00-1:30 p.m.) COST The cost for the 2012 School Counselor Spring/Summer Institute is $3500. This fee does not include books, housing, or graduate credit. A continental breakfast will be provided for each morning session and a final luncheon will be held on the final day. Payment will be handled through NIU Outreach. Down payment for attending the Institute is due NO LATER THAN Friday, January 6 th, 2012. ($500 non-refundable) Minimal First Installment due NO LATER THAN Friday, March 2 nd, 2012. (additional $1000 non-refundable) Final Installment due Friday, June 1 st, 2012 (balance of $2000 non-refundable) Those students who pay the full amount before the first class on January 27, 2012, will be given a 5% discount off the registration fee. Just pay the reduced full amount of $3,325 before January 27, 2012. CREDIT The Institute is a non-credit program. The fees you pay do not cover the cost of graduate credit. It covers the cost of the Institute, materials, speakers, breakfasts, celebration lunch, etc. You may also receive graduate credit for the Institute, but you must pay additionally for this credit. Graduate credit is available in increments of 3, 6, or 9 credits. The decision to take the Institute for graduate credit does not need to be determined until June of 2012. Please note that registering for graduate credit is optional and not required. Participants will need to pay for graduate credit when registering for the Internship in the Fall 2012 or Spring 2013.
5 FINANCIAL AID Financial Aid is RESTRICTED for students who are students-at-large. This means that Pell Grants are not available. You may contact the Financial Aid office to see what financial aid may be appropriate. If you do work with grants and loans, please see that they become available prior to the due dates for tuition. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. Will I get graduate credit for the Institute? Registering for the Institute and paying the cost does NOT include university credit. You may receive graduate credit by paying additionally for the credit and registering for independent study hours. The cost per hour is approximately $570 per hour. The decision to take this for credit must be made by June 1, 2012. Students who want to register for summer credit may talk with one of the instructors to take independent study graduate credit. A student can register for 3 credits, 6 credits, or 9 credits. Remember that the cost for these hours is additional to the cost of the School Counselor Institute. 2. What about the internship? All students must find and arrange for their own school internship site. NIU counseling faculty can help make recommendations, but this task is up to you. If you are not affiliated with a school setting, you should start identifying locations early. You may NOT, however, start the internship until after you have completed the Institute. 3. When do I take internship? You must participate in the internship class in the fall or spring following the Institute. You will need to register for this class as a student-at-large and pay the tuition for the class (prices will vary according to the rate at the time of registration). You will need to complete a minimum of 400 clock hours and register for 4 credits for fall or spring. It is easy to complete a 400 hour internship if you are doing it full time. Otherwise you can break it up into two consecutive semesters (200 hours and 2 credits per semester). The internship rule is that you must work in the internship setting for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours in a day as a school counselor. Also you must have a supervisor who is a certified (Type 73) school counselor and has at least two years of experience as a school counselor. 4. What if I have not taken a class that addresses the diversity of Illinois students and the laws and program that meet their needs, as required by ISBE? You will need to complete this class separate from the Institute, although it may be taken concurrently with the institute. You may also take this from another institution. You cannot get a Type 73 certificate until you have completed this class. It must appear on your transcript for review when you apply for certification.
6 5. What if I need other courses? When you send your application, and your materials are reviewed in a transcript analysis, NIU faculty will determine if you need additional classes. If you are deficient in a course, you will be contacted and you will receive, in writing, the fact that you will need to complete additional coursework that will not be covered in the Institute. The earlier you complete and submit your packet the earlier this can be determined, however, decisions about who is accepted into the Institute will not be final until the middle of December 2011. 6. What if I need to miss one day of the Institute? The Institute is an all or nothing event. If you need to be away on any of the scheduled days please wait and do the Institute next year. If you do get sick or an emergency arises, you will be asked to audio-tape the class, write a reaction paper to the tapes and possibly do additional reading in lieu of missing the class. Please do not register if you know that you will miss days of class. 7. What if I have already had coursework in areas that will be covered in the Institute? Can I do parts of it? The Institute must be completed in its entirety. If you have had coursework in some of the areas, consider this a review and be sure to offer your training and expertise as a part of the Institute. You will not be allowed to skip any part of the Institute or not complete any of the assignments. The assignments are what guarantee that we are completing the required Illinois state standards for counselor preparation. 8. What if I cannot do the 2012 Spring/Summer Institute? Are there other alternatives for completing the certification only requirements at NIU? The Counseling program at NIU exists for students completing master s and doctoral degrees in counseling. Helping people who have completed degrees but who lack requirements for school counselor certification is a secondary role of our program. At this point, students who do not have a teaching certificate or the school counseling work will only be able to complete the requirements toward certification through the Institute. Starting November 1, 2004, to be eligible for an endorsement for the Type 78 Interim School Counselor Certificate, a student must be admitted and registered for the Institute. If this is not feasible, students are encouraged to seek out other programs to meet the certification requirements. 9. Exactly what is the timetable for the Institute? July, 2011 Information available on the web page about the 2012 Institute for certification only partial requirements. Application Packet is available online. Return all materials to: 2012 School Counselor Institute Office of External Programs, College of Education Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL 60115
7 November 17, 2011 Deadline for Completed Application Packet to NIU THURSDAY, December 8, 2011, Pre-admission Workshop at NIU, Graham Hall, 4:45-8:00 p.m. Room to be determined. The meeting is REQUIRED of all applicants. December 8-10, 2011 Review of all application packets by Faculty and Admissions Committee December 15, 2011 Decision letters will go out in the mail and on email. NOTE: The Institute will admit up to 25 candidates. If more than 25 candidates are interested, a waiting list will be created. A Listserve will be developed for all members of the 2012 Institute. Down payments should be made by Friday, January 6 th, 2012. Students will be notified of required books and first assignments through email and the listserve. Students must have an email address and be able to access the listserve. January 27-28, 2012 KICK-OFF WEEKEND FOR THE INSTITUTE. Class meeting at NIU on Friday 4:45-9 p.m. Class meeting at NIU on Saturday 8:30-5:00 p.m. 10. If I read this and still have questions who should I contact? If you have read this and you have questions regarding the Institute, you may contact one of the following faculty for the Institute: Dr. Toni Tollerud tollerud@niu.edu Dr. Teresa Fisher tafisher@niu.edu Dr. Scott Wickman swickman@niu.edu Dr. Charles Myers cemyers@niu.edu If your question is about paperwork you have sent in regarding your application, please contact Sue Brammerlo Dirker in the Office of External Programs at ceduexternal@niu.edu or call 815-753-6907.