Counseling Services
The School Counselor:
Counseling is a process of helping people by assisting them in making decisions and changing behavior. School counselors work with all students, school staff, families and members of the community as an integral part of the education program. School counseling programs promote school success through a focus on academic achievement, prevention and intervention activities, advocacy and social/emotional development and college and career readiness.
- Consults with students, parents, and staff on topics related to academic and personal success.
- Meets with students annually to select appropriate courses to achieve graduation requirements.
- Monitors academic progress, determine post-secondary plans, and create transition plans.
- Presents information to families and students to access post-secondary and career opportunities.
- Counsels with students, individually and in groups, on normal developmental issues.
- Serves as liaison and resource for students, school staff and parents to community resources.
Post-Secondary Planning:
Preparing for college and careers is a process that should begin before entering high school. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to work directly with the student’s school counselor to create a personalized post-secondary plan, which includes selecting the most appropriate high school courses and preparing to take the needed assessments for college and career entrance (Pre-ACT, PSAT, ACT, SAT, WorkKeys, ASVAB, etc.) Utilization of resources such as College Foundation of North Carolina (www.CFNC.org) will be very helpful throughout the planning process. All courses taken during high school will appear on the student’s official transcript, which will be assessed by all college admissions officers and by many employers and military recruiters. Extracurricular activities, enrichment programs, and volunteer service work are important to add to the student’s resumé, which can be very helpful during the college and scholarship application processes. All federal aid and most college aid are based on the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which needs to be filed as soon as possible after October 1st . Check with the counseling office often for key information and opportunities (college fairs, scholarships, enrichment programs, assessments, etc.).