Posted Date: 02/02/2025
National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counseling
Association, will be recognized February 3-7, 2025, to honor the unique contributions of school
counselors in the school system, according to Cassady Hickingbottom, BPSB Supervisor. The
theme for the week is: School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive.
“School counselors make a unique contribution to the school environment,”
Hickingbottom said. “They help students thrive in the school setting while also setting them up
to achieve their goals for the future.”
Counselors in the school system work with student scheduling, coordinate testing and
assessments, provide academic direction in planning for students’ promotion from one grade to
the next, and help guide students through
decision-making and life situations.
In recent years, the social-emotional
needs of students across all grade levels
have significantly increased. School
counselors are critical in addressing these
needs, providing essential support and
guidance to help students navigate their
emotional and mental health challenges.
Recognizing the evolving nature of
their occupation, school counselors engage
in ongoing professional development and
training. This continuous learning ensures
that they are equipped with the latest
strategies and tools to effectively support
their students' well-being and emotional
growth.
“Our school counselors work in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and parents
to maximize student success, emotionally, socially, and academically,” Hickingbottom stated.
“They are experienced educators who have a master’s degree in school counseling, combining
training and experience that make them an integral part of educating our students and promoting
their success.”
There are 16 school counselors assigned to Beauregard Parish schools including, Crystal
Ryan, BAP, Karan Brown, DES, Shamika Hooker and Michelle Miller, DHS, Holli Jones,
DJHS, Lauren Jenkins, EBE, Brooke Reeves, EBHS, Marjorie Wooley, KRH, Leslie Hillin and
Candace Jackson, MHS, Cyndee Weaver, PWE, Haley Raggio, SHS, Tara DeVeau, SBE, Casey
Bollich, SBUE, and Annie Grogan-Hutton and Jessica Hungerford, SBHS.
“The role of the school counselor is multi-faceted as they focus on students’ academic
needs as well as their personal, social, and emotional well-being in the school setting,”
concluded Hickingbottom. “During National School Counseling Week, we want to recognize
and thank our BPSB school guidance counselors for all that they do to help our students thrive.”