NCSCA History

NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION

The North Carolina School Counselor Association (NCSCA) promotes professionalism and ethical practices in school counseling while providing resources, knowledge and linkages to promote student success in the school, the home, and the community.  The mission of the NCSCA is to promote excellence in the profession of school counseling and the development of all students.

The NCSCA was established in 1960 as a division of The North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA) with the election of the first president, Judy Barrett. NCSCA instantly became the largest division of NCCA and remained the largest division until 2005, when NCSCA became independently incorporated. In 2007, NCSCA celebrates its 40th year as a division of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

The NCSCA Executive Board is composed of elected officers, committee chairs, liaisons, a parliamentarian, and five regional representatives covering the membership regions (Raleigh, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Western). Executive Board Meetings are held at least four times per calendar year across the state.  Board members help provide statewide American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model Trainings for school counselors, administration, and whole school districts. In addition, Board members represent North Carolina’s school counselors at local, state, and national level educational meetings and conferences. 

The NCSCA hosts an annual Legislative Day, where school counselors are trained by the NCSCA lobbyist to promote bills of specific interest to school counselors.  The NCSCA Board communicates regularly with the legislators about pressing issues facing our states professional school counselors. NCSCA is the only professional organization in North Carolina to have a professional lobbyist solely for school counselors.

The NCSCA holds an annual conference to provide school counselors the opportunity for continued professional development. The conference includes pre-conference, keynote, interest level, and luncheon speakers, numerous breakout sessions covering topics of interest to all school counselors, and a large exhibit hall offering complementary and for sale items of interest to school counselors and featuring college and university representatives. The annual conference is one of the largest attended State School Counselor conferences in the US.   

Members of the NCSCA have made a commitment to support the mission, goals, and future of school counselors in North Carolina.   For more information and a membership application, please visit NCSCA’s website at www.ncschoolcounselor.org

NCSCA Past Presidents

2006-07   Portia Bradley-Lambright

2005-06   Tara Bissette

2004-05   Marrius Pettiford

2003-04   Linda Kopec

2002-03   Vicky Rogers

2001-02   Eric Sparks

2000-01   Audrey Thomasson

1999-00   Liz Conroy

1998-99   Sam Almond

1997-98   Nina Cassidy

1996-97   Kenneth Simington

1995-96   Mary Alice Settle

1994-95   Carolyn Patillo

1993-94   Barbara Potts

1992-93   Cheryl Novak

1991-92   Myra Copenhaver

1990-91   Barbara Bray

1989-90   Tom Carr

1987-89   Janet Green

1986-87   Melva Cooper

1985-86   Joan Bishop

1984-85   Judy Wilson

1983 84   Bill Tucker

1982-83   Rachel Schanberg

1981-82   Mary Ellen Taft

1980-81   Neomi TePaske

1979-80   Ruth McSwain

1978-79   Cheryl Posner-Cahill

1977-78   Robert Iddings

1976-77   Juanita Query

1975-76   Patricia Partin

1974-75   Cynthia Terres

1973-74   Carrie Garner

1972-73   Charlotte Cole

1971-72   James Mikkelson

1970-71   Gwendolyn Baucom

1969-70   Betty Knox

1968-69   Marjori Belton

1967-68   Frank Sullivan

1966-67   Bill Tucker

1965-66   Chester Misenheimer