Vestavia Hills City Schools Celebrating School Counseling Week

VESTAVIA HILL, AL —Vestavia Hills City Schools have joined with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) to celebrate National School Counseling Week (Feb. 7-11), the district has announced.

The district, which has nine schools, has a team of more than 20 counselors, who work to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of the students, according to the district.

"School counselors provide our students with guidance about college and career choices. They also offer critical support for kids navigating the challenges of growing up," said California congresswoman Linda Sanchez, who has sponsored federal legislation to increase the number of counselors in lower-performing schools. "During this pandemic, we've seen just how important school counselors are when it comes to our children's futures.

"Despite all the uncertainty, (counselors have) kept our students engaged and excited about school, and (they have) prepared them for success. As a mother myself, from the bottom of my heart, thank you."

Sanchez said National School Counseling Week also is a time to shed light on the problem of too few counselors, especially in schools where they are needed the most. According to Sanchez, the average counselor-to-student ratio in America's public schools is 1-to-424.

This is why Sanchez has sponsored the Put School Counselors Where They're Needed Act, which would place additional counselors in high schools with graduation rates of 60 percent or lower.

"Our students deserve the individual attention and support that only a school counselor can give them," Sanchez said.

Vestavia Hills City Schools counselors include:

• Cortney McKinney at Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights
• Marla Hatch at Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge and Liberty Park
• Kellie Knight at Vestavia Hills Elementary Dolly Ridge
• Kelsey Brown at Vestavia Hills Elementary East
• Emily Foster at Vestavia Hills Elementary East and West
• Emelie Sara Vines at Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park
• Dawn Norris at Vestavia Hills Elementary West
• Keri Howard and Tre' Munger at Liberty Park Middle School
• Whitney Evans, Amber Payne and Becca Poe at Louis Pizitz Middle School
• Sherilyn Dovi and Megan Drumm at Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus
• Oliver Aaron, Brandon Boggs, Anna Daneri, Daria Howard, Kylie Reagan, Christine Rohling and Aisha Ward at Vestavia Hills High School
• Anna Gaston, serving as Vestavia Hills City Schools District Student Assistance Counselor