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The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) will welcome approximately 400 school counselors, social workers, homelessness liaisons, behavior specialists, administrators and other student support professionals to the 2026 Student Support Conference at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center this Thursday, Sept. 24.
Stephanie Hayes, WVDE coordinator in the Office of Instructional Leadership, said in the past 10 to 15 years, schools have seen an increased need to address the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students.
“Those student support professionals address the needs of all students, but also focus on supporting those more at-risk students so that they can come to school and be ready to learn and be successful,” she said. “With just an increase in things like depression and anxiety, an increase in behavior issues due to various reasons, we do find a greater need for our student support professionals in the services and interventions they provide.”
Hayes said bringing support professionals together for a day allows them to collaborate and learn from one another and connect with support from the broader community.
“It’s so energizing to see everyone coming together and sharing ideas, to hear about success stories, to hear what is working well in our schools, and what services are being provided, and just the positive results that we’re seeing from these services,” she said.
Christy Day, WVDE director of communications, highlighted the role of the student support specialists in educational success for all students.
“Our public schools are the places where the whole child is supported,” Day said. “I know there are a lot of school choice options, but public schools accept all and they serve all, and these school support specialists are critical to that.”