During National School Counseling Week— Feb. 3-7, 2020— Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) honors 2020 counseling award winners and highlights the key role that GCPS school counselors play in the academic success and overall well-being of all Gwinnett schoolchildren! The district’s 142 elementary counselors, 97 middle school counselors, and 154 counselors at the high school level serve more than 182,000 students!
Counselors connect with students every day to assist and support their preparation for college, careers, and a promising future. They provide support and work to find creative solutions when a student needs additional help and resources. Counselors offer individual and group lessons, classroom lessons, advisement, and graduation support to ensure students are ready for the road ahead. They also promote the importance of the home-school connection, attendance, and parent involvement, encouraging tolerance and understanding in diverse and growing communities. And, counselors work with students, families, and teachers to ensure that students are prepared for the future, finding success, and reaching their potential.
Gwinnett County counselors work to develop and elevate students’ skills and abilities in the areas of academics, careers, and personal growth. Using specialized training and data-based interventions and programs, school counselors guide students through activities that raise awareness, lead exploration, and prepare students with the skills necessary to succeed. Counselors work with students throughout their school years, setting and building on the foundation of academic skills, career exploration, and personal/social awareness at each school level— kindergarten to graduation. While the work of the school counselor is unique, school counselors labor to leverage the expertise of all professionals in the building. They work as collaborators and catalysts to help create productive and inspiring learning environments that meet students where they are, and lead them to success. Equipping our students with the tools necessary to be successful in every aspect of life is always the ultimate goal of our comprehensive counseling programs.
We celebrate all of our counselors working to ensure that every student has a bright future!
#ThankACounselor
#AwareExplorePrepare
#GCPSCounseling
GCPS Counselors…
RAISE awareness
Counselors raise awareness in all areas that contribute to a student’s well-being and overall school success. From kindergarten to high school, counselors teach the importance of hard work and a strong work ethic. Through intentional lessons, students learn skills that promote academic achievement, self-management, and appropriate behaviors. Through counselor-led activities, students become aware of their abilities and develop and enhance the skills necessary to fulfill their potential.
INSPIRE exploration
Counselors lead exploration activities and processes to ensure students are reaching beyond the limitations of their personal experiences. They encourage students to dream big and reach higher, working diligently to help their students develop the skills required for success. Through exploration, counselors encourage out-of-the-box thinking, creativity, and new ways of learning. These activities expose students to previously unknown career options and possible futures. Serving as guides, mentors, facilitators, and cheerleaders, counselors move students toward endless possibilities for their futures.
DRIVE preparation
School counselors engage students and facilitate activities that aid in the preparation of critical skills in the areas of academics, careers, and personal success. Skills— such as problem-solving, time management, teamwork, prioritizing, and self-management— are taught early in elementary and continually reinforced and further developed through middle and high school. Counselors ensure that students are able to apply these skills through the lens of self-awareness and situational discernment.