National School Counseling Week 2027 (Feb 1 to 5): Shirts and Ideas

National School Counseling Week 2027 runs Monday, Feb 1 to Friday, Feb 5. It comes right after the January rush of schedule changes, transcript requests and new-semester questions, which is exactly when your school counselor could use a thank-you. Whether you are a principal planning the week, a teacher on the sunshine committee, or a counselor who wants a shirt for the staff photo, here is a day-by-day plan, the order-by date, and the counselor shirts we carry.

National School Counseling Week 2027: dates and theme

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) presents National School Counseling Week, and it is always celebrated the first full week in February. For 2027 that is Feb 1 to 5, and ASCA uses the hashtag #NSCW27. The 2027 theme is "School Counselors Make History," which honors ASCA's 75th year.

The week exists to focus attention on what school counselors contribute to a school, from class schedules and college and career planning to helping students succeed in class. For families, it is a chance to see how a school counseling program supports student success, from academic planning to career readiness. It is also a good time to look at the math. ASCA has recommended one school counselor for every 250 students since 1965, and the national average for 2024-2025 was 372 students per counselor. That is a lot of students for one person, and it is the best argument for making the week about practical help, not just treats.

When to order counselor shirts for Feb 1

Every shirt is printed after it is ordered. Orders ship in 1 to 3 business days. Most orders arrive 3 to 5 business days after shipping. For a Monday, Feb 1 kickoff, count back about eight business days and order by Wednesday, Jan 20, 2027. Since Monday, Jan 18 is MLK Day and many campuses close, the easiest plan is to order the week before that long weekend.

Shipping is $9 on orders under $49, and Economy shipping is free on orders of $49 or more. Two S to XL tees come to $59.98, so a counseling department of two already qualifies. UPS and USPS carrier rates may also appear at checkout, and the checkout total is final. Details are on our shipping information page.

School counselor shirts we carry

All of these are in our school staff shirts collection. Each comes in 15 garment colors and adult unisex sizes S to 3XL, at $29.99 for S to XL, $32.99 for 2XL and $34.99 for 3XL.

• School Counselor Hands Full Heart: "School Counselor" in rainbow block letters over a row of raised hands, each with a small heart, and the line "If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart." This version prints the small line in white, so it shows best on darker shirts like Berry, Blue Jean or Pepper.
• School Counselor Hands Full Heart Bright: the same design with the small line in black, made for light shirts like Ivory, Blossom and Chambray.
• Koala-fied School Counselor: a gray koala resting on a branch between "Koala-fied" in green and "School Counselor" in dark lettering. An easy pun for an elementary campus.
• Koala-fied School Counselor Light Print: the koala design with white lettering for darker shirts. It is shown on Berry.
• In My School Counselor Era: wavy retro lettering in pastel pink, yellow and green with small flowers and a checkered strip. A good pick for a middle or high school counselor who wants something less cutesy.
• In My School Psychologist Era: the same retro style for the school psychologist, with a small disco ball. Shown on Bay.

These counselor and psychologist designs are listed on Comfort Colors 1717, a 6.1 oz, 100% ring-spun cotton tee that is garment-dyed with a relaxed unisex fit. Garment-dyed shirts can vary slightly in shade from one dye lot to the next, so if a counseling team wants matching colors, order all the shirts in one cart.

A day-by-day plan for the week

Most schools do not need a big budget for National School Counseling Week. A simple plan, spread over five days, says more than one big gift. Here is one that works for elementary, middle and high schools.

Monday, Feb 1: kick it off in the morning announcements

Have a student or the principal introduce the counselors by name on the announcements and explain what they do: schedules, college and career planning, small groups, classroom lessons. Some students do not know who their counselor is until they need one. If your team ordered shirts, Monday is the day to wear them and take the staff photo.

Tuesday, Feb 2: student notes

Give every homeroom a stack of sticky notes and five minutes. Students write one line about a time a counselor helped them, and the notes go on the counseling office door. It costs almost nothing, and a door full of notes is easy to photograph and keep.

Wednesday, Feb 3: take something off their plate

This is the most useful idea on the list. Ask teachers and administrators to cover the counselors' lunch duty, bus duty or a testing coordination task for the day. With a ratio well above 250 to 1 in many schools, an hour back is a real gift.

Thursday, Feb 4: make history (the 2027 theme)

Lean into "School Counselors Make History." Older students can make a quick timeline poster of the counseling program at your school: when it started, how many counselors it has had, and a few things it does today. Younger students can draw a picture of something they learned in a counselor's classroom lesson.

Friday, Feb 5: a small treat and a thank-you from the staff

Coffee, breakfast tacos or a dessert table in the workroom, plus a card signed by the staff. If the PTA wants to give a gift, a gift card or a donation to the counseling office's supply budget will get used. A shirt is a nice extra when the PTA already knows the counselor's size.

Is a shirt a good gift for a school counselor?

Sometimes. A counselor shirt works well when a team wants to wear the same thing for the staff photo, or when a principal is buying for the whole counseling department and can collect sizes first. It is a weaker gift from a single family that does not know the counselor's size or style. In that case, a handwritten note from your child is the better choice, and it costs nothing.

If you do buy a shirt as a gift, lay a shirt they already wear flat, or ask a coworker to check their usual size, and compare it to our size and measurement guide. For a district counseling team of 12 or more, send a bulk order request with the designs, sizes and your date. We confirm the timeline with the quote. Schools can also begin on our school orders page.

Quick answers

When is National School Counseling Week 2027?

Monday, Feb 1 to Friday, Feb 5, 2027. ASCA holds it the first full week of February every year.

What is the National School Counseling Week 2027 theme?

"School Counselors Make History," honoring ASCA's 75th year.

What student-to-counselor ratio does ASCA recommend?

ASCA recommends 250 students per school counselor. The national average for 2024-2025 was 372 to 1.

When should I order shirts for the week?

By Wednesday, Jan 20, 2027 for Feb 1. Ordering before the MLK Day weekend is even safer.

How should the shirt be washed?

Cold water, inside out, like colors, and a low dryer setting. Do not use bleach, and do not iron directly on the print.

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