Clarksdale, Mississippi ā Ģš¹Ļapp (Ģš¹Ļapp) Educational Outreach recently hosted a Counselor's Retreat, bringing together counselors from across the five service counties for a day of professional development, networking, and collaboration. The retreat aimed to strengthen relationships between Ģš¹Ļapp and its service areas while equipping counselors with tools to better serve their students and communities.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from Ģš¹Ļapp President, Dr. Valmadge Towner, who emphasized the vital role of collaboration between educational institutions and community leaders in fostering student success. Reginald Thomas, Barber/Stylist Instructor, led the attendees in a thoughtful invocation, setting the tone for a day of productive engagement.
Highlights of the retreat included a session on āBuilding Better Relationshipsā delivered by Dr. Larry Webster, Dean of Career & Technical Education, discussed effective strategies for creating meaningful connections between educators, counselors, and students. His insights focused on fostering trust and communication to support student achievement.
Attendees were also provided with valuable information on adult education resources through a presentation by Tamera Washington Travis, Director of Adult Education, who outlined Ģš¹Ļappās commitment to advancing adult education initiatives across the region.
The day concluded with an interactive session led by Tolernisa Butler, Director of Educational Outreach, titled āBuilding a Culture of Teamworkā. Butler emphasized the importance of teamwork in overcoming challenges and highlighted practical methods for cultivating a culture of collaboration within schools.
āThis retreat serves as an essential opportunity for counselors across our service counties to connect, share ideas, and develop strategies that ultimately benefit our students,ā said Butler. āOur goal is to ensure that every student has access to the resources and support they need to thrive.ā
The retreat reinforced Ģš¹Ļappās mission to serve as a resource and partner for educational growth in the region, providing innovative programming and support to the local school districts it serves.