School counselors lend each other a helping hand during their annual conference. Plus: The first formal gathering of marijuana investors.

Can you “Build Magical Futures“? That’s the theme of the 2014 American School Counselor Association’s Annual Conference, which will be held from June 29-July 2 in Orlando, Florida.

As educators nationwide grapple with the Common Core State Standards implementation, the digital divide, and higher ed concerns like better tracking student achievement, ASCA will tackle issues revolving around student development and fostering success.

Workshops include guidance on creating safe spaces for LGBTQ students, school safety planning, and coping with limited budget resources.

And as the conference continues, even more specific issues will be addressed, from how to help student athletes headed to college, tips on speaking to students with suicidal thoughts, and how to ensure students with chronic illness overcome academic challenges.

The Week Ahead

June 29-July 2: Another educational association, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, will soon host the 2014 National Charter Schools Conference in Las Vegas. The alliance has pulled in several high-profile speakers, including Khan Academy founder Sal Khan, political strategist Frank Luntz, and journalist Campbell Brown.

June 29: The legal marijuana industry continues to grow, with states loosening regulations, associations that were strict legalization opponents changing their stance, and now, investors in the industry gathering for the inaugural WeedStock Cannabis Investor Conference in Denver.

July 1-5: The National Association of the Deaf is holding its 52nd biennial conference in Atlanta. Registration has closed, but you can take a look at the schedule of events and keep up to date on events via Twitter.

Down the Line

July 12-19: Many of the world’s premier researchers in the field of dementia will gather in Copenhagen next month for the five-day Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Registration for the event is still open, and topics of discussion will range from educational workshops to discussion of dementia from a primary care perspective.

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