What is School Counselors’ Week? Plus 5 Gifts You Can Give!
Main image courtesy of University of Phoenix.
champions for students navigating the complex journey from childhood through adolescence. This week, during National School Counseling Week (February 2-6, 2026), we pause to recognize the profound impact these dedicated professionals have on our schools and communities.
School counselors wear countless hats—they're career guides helping students envision their futures, mental health supporters providing a safe space during difficult times, academic advisors ensuring no student falls through the cracks, and crisis responders ready to step in when challenges arise. They work behind the scenes coordinating services, building relationships with families, and collaborating with teachers to create environments where every student can thrive.
This week is an opportunity to shine a light on these unsung heroes who shape futures, one conversation at a time. Whether they're helping a senior navigate college applications, supporting a middle schooler through friendship struggles, or connecting a family with community resources, school counselors make a difference that ripples far beyond school walls.
What is School Counselors’ Week?
This yearly event is one of the best ways to shine a light on all that school counselors do for students
School Counselors’ Week is the perfect time to acknowledge all that these special folks do to help students. Image courtesy of CUW Blog.
Sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. The observance has been promoted by ASCA since the 1980s and is designed to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems.
School counselors support students in multiple areas: academic achievement, career exploration, and social-emotional development. They help students navigate challenges like bullying, family issues, mental health concerns, and academic difficulties. They also assist with college and career planning, coordinate support services, and work closely with students, families, and educators to create positive school environments.
During this week, schools across the country recognize their counselors through various activities including appreciation events, social media campaigns using #NSCW26, photo challenges, morning announcements, certificates of appreciation, and community celebrations. ASCA provides free downloadable resources including posters, announcements, and promotional materials to help schools participate.
The week serves as both a celebration of school counselors' dedication and an advocacy opportunity to raise awareness about the critical role these professionals play in student success and well-being.
Who are school counselors?
School counselors are certified educational professionals who work in elementary, middle, and high schools to support students' academic, career, and social-emotional development. They are specially trained to address the unique needs of students at different developmental stages.
They typically hold a master's degree in school counseling or a related field and must be licensed or certified by their state. Their training combines coursework in counseling techniques, child and adolescent development, educational systems, career guidance, and mental health support.
Unlike therapists or psychologists, school counselors work within the educational setting to help students succeed academically while also supporting their personal growth. They serve all students in a school, not just those in crisis, and focus on prevention, intervention, and developmental guidance.
These professionals work with diverse student populations, meeting students where they are—whether that's helping a kindergartener adjust to school, supporting a middle schooler through peer conflicts, or guiding a high school senior through college applications. They're trained to work with students from all backgrounds and circumstances, serving as trusted adults who champion every student's potential.
How school counselors support students
School counselors provide comprehensive support that touches nearly every aspect of a student's school experience. Their work spans three main domains: academic achievement, career development, and social-emotional wellness.
Academic Support
School counselors help students reach their full academic potential by assisting with course selection and scheduling, teaching study skills and time management strategies, identifying learning challenges and coordinating interventions, monitoring academic progress and addressing concerns early, and advocating for students who need additional support or accommodations.
Career and College Guidance
From elementary school through high school, counselors help students explore future possibilities. They introduce younger students to various careers and help them understand the connection between school and work. For older students, they provide guidance on college applications, scholarship searches, vocational training options, career assessments and exploration, and planning for life after graduation.
Social-Emotional Development
Perhaps most critically, school counselors provide a safe space for students navigating the challenges of growing up. They offer individual counseling sessions for students facing personal difficulties, facilitate small group counseling on topics like grief, divorce, or friendship skills, deliver classroom lessons on topics like bullying prevention, emotional regulation, and healthy relationships, teach conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, and provide crisis intervention when students experience trauma or emergencies.
Connection and Advocacy
School counselors serve as bridges between students, families, teachers, and community resources. They coordinate with outside mental health providers, connect families with food assistance, housing support, or medical services, facilitate communication between home and school, advocate for students' needs in meetings and planning sessions, and create inclusive environments where all students feel valued.
Preventive and Proactive Care
Rather than only responding to problems, school counselors work proactively by identifying at-risk students early, implementing programs that build resilience and coping skills, creating positive school climates that prevent bullying and exclusion, and fostering environments where students feel comfortable seeking help.
Through these multifaceted approaches, school counselors ensure that students don't just survive school—they thrive, developing the academic skills, self-awareness, and resilience they need for lifelong success.
Key takeaways:
- Academic Support: Help students set goals, improve study skills, and overcome learning challenges
- Career Development: Guide students in exploring career interests and post-secondary options
- Social-Emotional Learning: Teach coping skills, conflict resolution, and emotional regulation
- Crisis Response: Provide immediate support during emergencies or personal difficulties
- Advocacy: Connect students and families with resources and services
- Collaboration: Work with teachers, administrators, and parents to support student success
Reasons for recognizing school counselors (and why it matters)
It’s important to acknowledge all that school counselors do for students
School counselors show up each day to help students succeed, which is why they deserve our thanks! Image courtesy of LSU Online.
Today's students face unprecedented challenges—rising mental health concerns, social media pressures, academic stress, and uncertainty about the future. School counselors are often the first line of support, providing critical intervention during a time when youth anxiety, depression, and crisis situations are increasing. Their work has never been more essential.
Research shows that school counseling programs positively affect student achievement, attendance, behavior, and graduation rates. Counselors help students stay on track academically, explore career paths that match their strengths, and develop skills that serve them throughout life. The guidance a counselor provides can literally change the trajectory of a student's future.
Many school counselors manage caseloads of 400-500 students or more—far exceeding the recommended ratio of 250:1. Despite these constraints, they show up every day to serve students, often working beyond school hours to meet needs, coordinate services, and support families. Their dedication deserves acknowledgment.
School counselors aren't just one thing—they're crisis responders, career coaches, mental health supporters, academic advisors, family liaisons, and student advocates all rolled into one. They adapt to whatever students need in the moment, whether that's calming a panic attack, mediating a conflict, or helping complete a college application.
For many students, the counselor's office is the one place in school where they feel truly heard and supported without judgment. Counselors build trusting relationships that allow students to be vulnerable, ask for help, and work through challenges they might not share with anyone else.
The best gifts you can give to show your appreciation during School Counselors’ Week
Any one of these gifts would be much appreciated by your school’s counselors!
1. PerfectGift gift card
Gift cards allow school counselors to choose exactly what they need or want, whether that's restocking their office snacks, treating themselves to a nice dinner after a long week, or purchasing something they've been wanting but haven't prioritized in their budget. School counselors juggle demanding schedules with little downtime. Gift cards offer convenience—they can redeem them when it fits their schedule, whether that's grabbing a quick meal between meetings or shopping online from home.
That’s why treating them to a PerfectGift gift card is a great idea! But this isn’t just any old gift card, this is a gift card you can personalize, letting the school counselor know how much they mean to you. Just choose from thousands of merchants (or opt to go with a Visa gift card), decide whether you want to send a digital one or a physical card, determine the amount, personalize it with a photo and a message, and hit send! Your gift card will be sent to their phone, or we’ll print it and send it out the same day, as long as the order is placed Monday-Saturday before 4pm.
2. Handwritten notes or cards
While material gifts are consumed or used up, handwritten notes become treasured keepsakes that counselors save for years. Many counselors keep a folder of notes from students and families, rereading them during difficult days as reminders of why their work matters.
Much of what school counselors do happens behind closed doors—the quiet conversations, the crisis interventions, the advocacy efforts. A handwritten note acknowledges this often-unseen labor and lets counselors know their efforts are recognized and appreciated, even when no one else witnesses them.
Generic gifts say "thank you," but a handwritten note can express exactly how a counselor made a difference: "You helped me believe in myself when I wanted to give up" or "Your support during my parents' divorce got me through the hardest year of my life." This specificity makes the gratitude deeply personal and meaningful.
3. Student testimonials or video messages
Student testimonials provide concrete evidence of how a counselor's work changed lives. Hearing directly from students about overcoming challenges, achieving goals, or finding hope through counseling support validates the profound difference counselors make every single day.
Video messages preserve students' genuine emotions, expressions, and personalities in ways written notes cannot. Seeing a student's smile, hearing the sincerity in their voice, or witnessing their growth firsthand creates a powerful, memorable tribute that counselors can revisit repeatedly. Collecting testimonials allows many students to participate in honoring their counselor, creating a chorus of appreciation rather than a single voice. This collective recognition demonstrates the counselor's widespread positive influence across diverse students and situations.
4. Personalized items
Give a counselor the gift of something special like a personalized pen for School Counselors’ Week. Image courtesy of Dayspring Pens.
Personalized gifts demonstrate that someone took extra time to create something unique specifically for the counselor. Adding their name, a meaningful quote, or school details shows the gift wasn't generic or last-minute, but carefully considered and intentionally chosen.
Items bearing a counselor's name or title—like an engraved nameplate, pens, custom coffee mug, or embroidered tote bag—reinforce their professional identity and remind them daily of their important role. These items become sources of pride displayed prominently in their workspace. Personalized desk accessories, water bottles, planners, or office supplies become everyday tools that counselors actually use. Each time they reach for their custom pen or sip from their engraved tumbler, they're reminded of the appreciation behind the gift, making it a constant source of encouragement.
5. School-wide activities
School counselors often work behind the scenes, and their contributions can go unnoticed by the broader school community. School-wide activities like appreciation assemblies, morning announcements, or hallway displays bring their work into the spotlight and ensure everyone—students, staff, and families—recognizes their value.
When the entire school participates in honoring counselors through dress-up days, themed activities, or coordinated events, it transforms appreciation from an individual gesture into a community-wide celebration. This collective effort amplifies the message that the counselor matters to everyone.
Make sure to celebrate School Counselors’ Week with any one of these fantastic gift ideas!
Whether you choose a heartfelt handwritten note, a practical gift card, or organize a school-wide celebration, what matters most is taking the time to recognize your school counselor's tireless dedication. This National School Counseling Week, let them know their work matters—because the support, guidance, and compassion they provide every single day truly changes lives. A simple "thank you" paired with genuine appreciation can be the most powerful gift of all.
