Counseling Services

American School Counselors Association

National Standards for School Counseling Programs

Standards in this area guide the school counseling program to implement strategies and activities to support and enable the student to experience academic success, maximize learning through commitment, produce high quality work, and be prepared for a full range of options and opportunities after high school.

The academic development area includes the acquisition of skills in decision making, problem solving and goal setting, critical thinking, logical reasoning, and interpersonal communication and the application of these skills to academic achievement.

The school counseling program enables all students to achieve success in school and to develop into contributing members of our society.

Standard A:  Student will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.

Standard B:  Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.

Standard C:  Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community.

American School Counselors Association

National Standards for School Counseling Programs

Standards in this area guide the school counselors to implement strategies and activities to support and enable the student to develop a positive attitude toward work and to develop the necessary skills to make a successful transition from school to the world of work and from job to job across the life/career span. 

Standards in this area also help students understand the relationship between success in school and future success in the world of work.  The career development standards reflect the recommendations of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS, 1991) and the content of the National Career Development Guidelines of the National Occupational Information Coordination Committee (NOICC, 1989).

The school counseling program enables all students to achieve success in school and to develop into contributing members of our society.

Standard A:  Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.

Standard B:  Students will employ strategies to achieve future career success and satisfaction.

Standard C:  Students will understand the relationship among personal qualities, education and training, and the world of work.

The Forsyth County School System has aligned the work of the counseling and guidance program to the Georgia Student Competencies for School Counseling. The Georgia Student Competencies for School Counseling reflect the expectations for all students to achieve.

• 1. School Counseling Curriculum - guidance lessons or activities to promote knowledge, attitudes and skills in three content areas: academic achievement, career development, and personal/social growth. The lessons include classroom guidance, group activities, and parent workshops and instruction.
  2. Individual Student Planning - activities designed to assist students to establish personal goals and develop future plans, which include appraisals and individual or small group advisement.
  3. Responsive Services - activities that meet students' immediate needs and concerns, such as consultation, individual and small group counseling, crisis counseling, referrals, and peer facilitation.
  4. System Support - activities that enhance the school counseling program and support the school. The activities include professional development, consultation and collaboration, and program management and operations.

Our Vision: Empowering all students to achieve personal success

Our Mission: To promote educational performance, providing all students with the opportunities to acquire the academic, career, personal and social competencies necessary to achieve quality learning and life-long success.

• College & Career Readiness
• Counseling Curriculum
• Counselor Recognition
• The Counselors Role
• Dual Enrollment
• International Exchange Students
• Mentor Program
• Scholarship Information
• Transitions
• YouScience & BRIDGE Bill

Forsyth County has many outstanding school counselors.  Once a year, we have the opportunity to give special recognition to a counselor or counselors as Counselor of the Year.  Nominees must demonstrate attributes and qualities of supporting students in the areas of career, personal/social and academic development of students, leadership, advocacy, collaboration, service to school and community and the highest levels of professional and personal ethical standards.  Administrators, school staff, parents and fellow counselors can nominate a counselor for this recognition by sending a letter of nomination to Kristin Keith (kkeith@forsyth.k12.ga.us), Student Support Services, Forsyth County Schools. The nominated counselor must currently be employed full-time, must have been employed in Forsyth County as a school counselor for at least three years and must have served as a school counselor for at least five years.  Thank you for your support.

National School Counseling Week
National School Counseling Week 2024 is February 5 - 9, 2024. 

Forsyth County Schools Counselors of the Year 

2022-2023
Michaela Avila (Haw Creek Elementary School)
Kerry Bryant (Hendricks Middle School)
Chelsey Bucherati (Lambert High School)

2021-2022
Christy Gabbert (Chattahoochee Elementary School)
Sabrina Howell (Little Mill Middle School)
Lindsay Burnell Carlson (Denmark High School)

2020-2021
Jan Howard (Cumming Elementary School)
Susan Sabo (Liberty Middle School)
Josh Owens (North Forsyth High School)

2019-2020
Ashley Johnson (Daves Creek Elementary School)
Randolph Thrower (Piney Grove Middle School)
Allison Rinehart (West Forsyth High School)

2018 - 2019
Kate Rounds (Big Creek Elementary School)
Ashley Kozee (Otwell Middle School)
Corinna Spurlock (Denmark High School) 

2017-2018
Kerry Britt (Cumming Elementary School)
Kristen Johnson (Piney Grove Middle School)|
Whitney Adams (North Forsyth High School)

2016-2017 
Tara Stiffler (Matt Elementary School)
Dawn Densmore (South Forsyth Middle School)
Grace Savage (Forsyth Central High School)
Kevin Harris (Shiloh Point Elementary School)
Diane Orando (Shiloh Point Elementary School)

2015-2016
Cindy McNeill (Daves Creek Elementary School)
Julie Remenick (South Forsyth Middle School)
Josh Owens (North Forsyth High School)

2014-2015
Jennifer Gibbs (South Forsyth Middle School) 

2013-2014 
Sharon McWhorter (South Forsyth High School)

2012-2013
Connie Hohulin (Little Mill Middle School)
Tom Neighbour (Lambert High School)

2011-2012
Sonia Stewart (Chestatee Elementary School)
Denise Eccleston (Lambert High School)     

2010-2011
Kathy Bain (Brookwood Elementary School)
Jody Glude (Little Mill Middle School)
Tracey Winkler (West Forsyth High School) 

2009-2010
Anne Ogilvy (Vickery Creek Elementary School)
Bob Carnaroli (West Forsyth High School)

2008-2009
Leigh Ann Strickland (Chestatee Elementary School)

2007-2008
Denise Eccleston (Settles Bridge Elementary School)
Jolie Kimmel (South Forsyth High School)

2006-2007
Leslie Hamilton (Silver City Elementary School)
Heather Roth (Otwell Middle School)

2005-2006
Diann Branch (Chattahoochee Elementary School)
Carol Smith (Vickery Creek Middle School)

Georgia School Counselor Association (GSCA) Counselors of the Year

2011 Elementary School Counselor of the Year in Georgia
Anne Ogilvy

2008 Elementary School Counselor of the Year in Georgia
Denise Eccleston

2007 Middle School Counselor of the Year in Georgia
Heather Roth

2006 Elementary School Counselor of the Year in Georgia
Diann Branch

American School Counselor Association (ASCA) of the Year

ASCA's School Counselor of the Year honors the top 10 counselors in the nation – school counselors who are running a top-notch, comprehensive school counseling program at either the elementary, middle, or high school level.

Anne Ogilvy, Vickery Creek Elementary School - Top 6 Finalist in 2012
Diann Branch, Chattahoochee Elementary School- Top 10 Finalist in 2007

9^thGrade: Planning for the Future

• Set goals, both academic and personal, that you want to accomplish this year.

• Schedule a meeting for your parent(s) and yourself to meet with your advisor/counselor to develop and review your 4-year plan.

• Enroll in rigorous courses, both academic core and electives, that will help you reach your goals.

• Develop and use good study habits.

• Build positive relationships with your teachers. They want to help you. Ask them!

• Earn good grades so that you maintain eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship/Grant.

• Begin career exploration. On GAfutures you can research possible college majors and programs that lead to careers that interest you.

• Get involved in activities that you enjoy. Your participation shows your interests, your focus and your commitment to college and technical college admissions officers and to employers.

• Visit college and/or technical college campuses, starting with ones in your local community.

• Start researching college and technical college costs. Begin to learn about financial aid.

• Keep your GAcollege411 account current. Regularly post your accomplishments and update your plans.

Parents are the most valuable resource their students have. Parent participation in their children's education impacts not only the quality of their young lives but their career goals and successes, too. Research shows that students learn and perform better when their parents encourage and support learning, demonstrate interest in their students' activities and reinforce the idea that school is important.

The life of a child in school is filled with transitions. Linda Wacyk, author on EduGuide, explains that at all stages of development and in all school transitions, parents can help their children by using the three T's: time, talk and trial runs.

• Time: Prepare students long in advance of any new events.

• Talk: Sometimes the child talks and the parent listens; sometimes the parents talk. Talk about what to expect and how your child might feel. Tell your child that you are confident in his/her abilities even in tough situations.

• Trial runs: Whenever possible, visit new places in advance to make the new seem familiar. Attend school orientations and open houses, tour the school, meet other students and their parents.
   

From Elementary School to Middle School

Summarized from an article by Karen B. DeBord, ClassBrain.com

• Early success in three 'outward journeys' is important for developing positive self-esteem.

  • Social: out of the home, into the friend group

  • Physical: into the world of games and school

  • Mental: into the world of logic and communication

Social and Emotional Development

• Attachment to friends, often a 'best friend,' develops.

• Children are learning the rules of interactions. Give children positive feedback for good behavior; let your child help define the rules.

• Competition: Children want to win, to lead or to be first. Encourage noncompetitive games and help your child learn how to set individual goals.

• Children can become attached to teachers and other adults in their lives and will often quote them, try to please them and compete with other students for the adult 'hero's' attention.

• Children want to talk to their parents and want to have uninterrupted time with them.

• 'Good' and 'bad' are defined by the family's values.

• Physical activity releases energy and tension. Parents can encourage quiet play and conversation before bedtime or when the child becomes over-tired.

• Children become anxious about school, social relationships and disasters. Parents can reassure them with measured does of realism.

• Help children celebrate their positive achievements. They are building a positive self-concept.

• Children are sensitive to criticism and do not yet know how to accept failure. Asking 'can you learn to do that differently next time?' can help them learn.

• Conscience, inner self-control, is being formed. Help your children know that self-control is important and that you value patience, sharing, and respect for others.

Physical Development

• Growth rate is slower than infancy and early childhood. Children's need and desire for food may fluctuate.

• Childhood diseases may spread among groups of children. Parents can prepare for school absences due to illness.

• Children loose their baby teeth; permanent teeth come in.

• Muscle coordination and control is uneven and incomplete. Encourage activities that use high energy. Children need 10 – 12 hours of sleep each night.

• Hand-eye coordination is developing. Handwriting, tying shoes and other fine motor activities become better as children practice and grow. Running and jumping build large motor skills. Both skills are important for physical development.

Mental Development

• Children begin to understand their own behavior. Parents can do simple reasoning with their child. Asking 'what if' or 'how' questions will help your child develop problem-solving skills.

• Children can form ideas mentally. They can group things together even when they belong in more than one category (EX: babies, fathers and mothers are all people). Sequencing and ordering come next, getting students ready for math skills.

• Children are becoming better at reading and writing. They form a basic understanding of numbers. Parents can encourage these skills by letting the children read signs, make lists, count or write prices of objects.

• Children can understand causes of events.

• Children talk as they learn and learn best when they are active.

• Children's attention span is about twenty minutes.

• Children understand the value and uses of money. They can begin to manage an allowance and learn to use money for items they want.

• Children learn about the value of work and can assume regular, realistic chores at home and school. Charts with pictures to check off accomplished tasks help children remember what they need to do.

• Learning about the process of work is more important than the outcome of the work. Children may explore many projects, but may not finish them all. Parents can teach them about tools and new materials and about the joy of exploring.

• Children may put on plays about admired adults and their roles.

• Elementary children begin to show some independence. Adults can encourage positive experiences in school, church and youth organizations.

From Middle School to High School

Summarized from an article by Margery D. Rosen, Scholastic Parents

Middle School! Just when your child is in the throes of roller coaster emotions and physical body changes, the time to begin middle school arrives! As they struggle with these normal changes, they may sometimes be distracted, forgetful, anxious, self-conscious and argumentative. 

And into this these students now must begin middle school where everything is new, too. Students moving to a new school setting may have to separate from some friends and they will have to learn new teachers for every subject. Classes are harder, there will be more homework and the student must manage multiple assignments and some long-term projects. Organizational skills, time management and retaining what they've learned are essential skills for middle schoolers.

But middle schoolers are acutely concerned with what their friends think and that affects their own self-concept and values. Your middle schooler still wants to make good grades and please you, but he/she wants to be popular at school. The experiences students have in middle school and how they feel about those experiences directly affect their learning.

Middle schoolers need their parents! Parents can anticipate the difficulties their child will experience, help them learn how to manage and how to roll with the punches. 

Here are three common challenges middle-schoolers face and ways parents can help.

1. The student has a different teacher for each subject, each with his/her own teaching style and expectations.

• • Attend orientation and open house events. Tour the school and meet the administrators and teachers. Look at the layout of the school, learn where things are, see the lockers, the cafeteria, the restrooms, learn about the structure of the day.

  • Meet your child's counselor. The counselor has skills and training in the developmental needs of early adolescence and will act as a mentor and advocate for your child. 

  • As the year goes by, meet all of your child's teachers. Contact them when you have questions and want to discuss concerns.

  • During middle school learn about high school: the language (GPA, credit, athletic eligibility, etc.), the graduation requirements, which programs and courses are available and how do you know what to choose, etc.

2. Friendships shift: The student is trying to figure out who's in, who's out and where he/she stands on the social ladder. Middle school friendships and alliances shift often, maybe more than once a day. The sudden changes can leave the student feeling confused, angry or overcome with self-doubt.

• • Help your child eat right, exercise and get enough sleep. Teach your child how to manage time and tasks and how to relax.

  • Be approachable. Encourage your child to talk but don't ask too many questions. Reinforce that you can be counted on. Communicating can help your child understand his/her own feelings. Always invite your child to talk: 'If you feel like talking, please join me in the kitchen.'

  • Tune in to your child. Listen in the car sitting in the car, side by side. 

  • Bolster social skills. Model and teach positive ways to interact with others – don't interrupt, share, invite friends over, etc.

3. Your child feels down on him/herself and may be irritable or distracted.

• • Don't overreact. This is a tumultuous time in your child's life. Offer emotional support. Empathize. Continue to teach positive ways to deal with feelings and difficulties. Know that you child is his/her own worst critic but can learn how to substitute positive messages for negative ones.

  • Stay involved in school. Attend school programs, athletic events, plays, teacher conferences, open houses, back-to-school activities. Your involvement sends the message that school is good, important and valuable.

  • Maintain family routines. 'Routine' gives a sense of security to middle schoolers and will remind them that they are loved. When they get home after a hard day of dealing with so many changes, they will know that their parents are on their side.

Forsyth County Schools is now accepting International Exchange Students. We have included some further guidelines and information for the 2025-2026 school year below.  

1. Application Window– January 31, 2025 - March 31,2025.   Deadline is March 31,2025.
2. We only accept applications for international exchange students from CSIET-approved exchange organizations.
3. Exchange organizations may send applications to Mrs. Allison Rinehart at arinehart@forsyth.k12.ga.us for applications to Denmark, North Forsyth, East Forsyth, and West Forsyth High School and Ms. Spencer O’Grady at sogrady@forsyth.k12.ga.us for applications to Alliance Academy for Innovation, South  Forsyth, Forsyth Central, and Lambert High School. 
4. Principals are given the autonomy to approve or deny acceptance of any International Exchange students to their school.
5. All Exchange programs must be approved by CSIET (The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) and registered through the Forsyth County Schools System.
6. For further information, please access our Exchange Student Board Policy 

If you wish to apply, please contact one of the following International Exchange Team Members below. Thank you!

 

Dr. Melanie Dunn

Teaching and Learning, Forsyth County Board of Education

770-887-2461 ext. 202249

mdunn@forsyth.k12.ga.us

  

Allison Rinehart, School Counselor

East Forsyth High School

770-888-1235 ext. 461047

arinehart@forsyth.k12.ga.us

 

Spencer O'Grady, School Counselor

Lambert High School

678-965-5050 ext. 411061

sogrady@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Standards in the personal/social area guide the school counselors to implement strategies and activities to support and maximize each student's personal growth and enhance the educational and career development of the student.

The school counseling program enables all students to achieve success in school and develop into contributing members of our society.

• Standard A:  Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.
• Standard B:  Students will make decisions, set goals, and take the necessary action to achieve their goals.
• Standard C:  Students will understand safety and survival skills.

Please click on one of the following High Schools to see more information:

• Alliance Academy
• Denmark High Scool
• East Forsyth High School
• Forsyth Central High School
• Lambert High School
• North Forsyth High School
• South Forsyth High School
• West Forsyth High School