School Counseling
Problems in and out of school can influence how students feel about themselves, behave, and function socially in school. These factors can affect learning. School counselors, certified professionals who hold Master's Degrees, help identify and minimize barriers to student learning and promote student success by supporting academic, college/career, and life skill development. Simply stated, school counselors help all students be more available for learning.
Contact CCPS School Counseling
Grades K-8 School Counseling
Steve McFadden
Phone: (239) 377-0517
Grades 9-12 School Counseling
Kim Dickerson
Phone: (239) 377-0515
To reach your child's School Counselor, please visit the faculty and staff directory on your school's website.
The documents below are only available as PDF documents.
2025-2026 High School Course Book
2025-2026 CCPS School Counselors
Tips for High School Students
Freshman (9th Grade)
- Get to know your School Counselor.
- Confirm your academic schedule reflects all the credits you should be taking as a 9th grader.
- Listen to announcements, log on to your school website and stay informed.
- Develop good study habits and time management skills. Use a student planner or the calendar on CANVAS to keep track of assignments, tests, and your school schedule.
- Get involved in extra-curricular activities: sports, student clubs, performing arts, student leadership and volunteer opportunities.
- Maintain good attendance and work hard to keep your grades up. Your GPA can affect participation in future opportunities and events.
- Attend the annual College Fair in September.
- Review criteria required to earn a Bright Futures Scholarship for college and/or Technical College. Begin logging volunteer hours through Transeo Service.
- Explore the State University System of Florida and its requirements (www.flbog.edu/universities).
- If you plan on playing collegiate sports, become familiar with the NCAA.
- Clearinghouse requirements and make sure your schedule reflects those requirements.
- Ask your counselor about any Career and Technical Education courses you may be interested in taking in the future. Begin thinking about an internship experience.
- Begin thinking about post-secondary programs and careers that fit well with your interests. Take a Career Interest Survey in Xello.
- Consider technical training programs either at the high school, or at one of our Technical Colleges.
- Take the PSAT 8/9 in October as a practice for the SAT.
- Create a Kahn Academy Account and link your PSAT results for individualized practice.
- Keep track of your graduation requirements.
- Become familiar with Advanced Studies programming available to you (AP, AICE or DE).
- Begin a list of accomplishments to start your academic resume.
Sophomore (10th Grade)
- Get to know your School Counselor.
- Review your academic schedule and course history to verify that all requirements are being met for graduation.
- Maintain good study habits and time management skills. Use a student planner or the calendar on CANVAS to keep track of assignments, tests, and your school schedule.
- Continue involvement in extra-curricular activities. Leadership experience is an important component for many post-secondary programs.
- Review requirements for Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Programs and/or the NCAA Clearinghouse to ensure you are selecting appropriate courses.
- Attend the annual College Fair in September.
- Service Learning and Community Service helps you develop skills outside of the classroom setting and provides content for your resume and future applications. Continue logging community service hours in Transeo Service.
- Take the PSAT in October as practice for the SAT (in Spring of Junior year).
- Once PSAT results are received, create a Kahn Academy account and link with your PSAT/College Board account. Review results and identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Review PSAT results for your “AP Potential” to see if you are ready to increase academic rigor through Advanced Studies.
- Talk to your counselor about the Career and Technical Education opportunities available - learn about earning industry certifications and possible college credits.
- Plan your junior year schedule with care and consideration. Ask teachers and counselors questions about courses to help you make your selections.
- Begin researching different colleges/universities/technical colleges. Use Xello to begin your search.
- Dual Enrollment is available to eligible students. Students must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and college ready test scores. See your counselor for more details.
- Plan summer volunteer and/or job-shadowing opportunities.
- Begin building your resume.
Junior (11th Grade)
- Get to know your School Counselor.
- Review your academic schedule and course history to verify that all requirements are being met for graduation.
- Review requirements for Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Programs and/or the NCAA Clearinghouse to ensure you are selecting appropriate courses.
- Continue working on completing community service hours if applying for the Bright Futures Scholarship. Submit proposals and log hours in Transeo Service.
- Attend the annual College Fair in September.
- Take the PSAT, NMSQT in October as a practice test and prepare for the SAT and see if you qualify for a National Recognition Program.
- Link your PSAT results with Kahn Academy to get individualized practice to improve your SAT scores.
- Take the SAT and/or ACT in the spring of your junior year. Your scores will be used in the admission process for universities and in qualifying for many scholarship programs, including the Bright Futures.
- Seek leadership opportunities in extracurricular activities: sports, student clubs, etc.
- If you are considering the military as a career/education path, plan to take the ASVAB.
- Dual Enrollment is available to eligible students. Students must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and college ready test scores. See your counselor for more details
- Meet with your counselor to begin discussing options for after high school or to see if you need to make up any credits for graduation.
- Practice interviewing skills, firm up your resume and research possible job shadow/ apprenticeship opportunities
- If you plan on attending a post-secondary program after high school, start setting up college visits, research their programs and sign up to visit with the college representative when they visit your campus.
- Start deciding which colleges/universities you will be applying to. Be sure to look up application deadlines for the schools that you are applying to. Use Xello to help formulate a plan.
- Plan your senior year schedule with care and consideration. If you are planning on attending a university, take as many academic subjects as you can handle successfully. Ask teachers questions about courses to help you make your selections. Ask your counselor questions regarding your senior schedule and post-secondary plans.
Senior (12th Grade)
- Get to know your School Counselor.
- Review your academic schedule and course history to verify that all requirements are being met for graduation.
- Make sure you take the proper classes if you plan to apply for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Programs and/or the NCAA Clearinghouse.
- See your counselor if you need to make up any courses for graduation.
- Dual Enrollment is available to eligible students. See counselor for more details.
- Attend Financial Aid Night and the annual College Fair.
- If you did not take the SAT/ACT during your Junior year, register now to take the exam. The scores will be needed by colleges/universities, some scholarships or to meet testing requirements for graduation.
- Make an appointment to meet with your counselor and discuss postsecondary plans, financial aid and resources to assist in reaching your post-secondary goals.
- If a letter of recommendation is needed for college applications or scholarships, reach out to teachers/counselor/coaches.
- Apply early for colleges/universities. Decide if you want to apply: Early Action, Early Decision or Regular Decision. Keep track of application deadlines.
- Apply for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship (FFAA) after October 1st. The application is available online at: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org.
- Apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after December 1st. The free application is available online at: www.fafsa.ed.gov (fill out FAFSA regardless of financial status, as FAFSA can also qualify you for merit scholarships offered through the college/university you plan on attending)
- If applying for Bright Futures, complete and log service hours in Transeo Service prior to graduation.
- Many post-secondary programs require an essay as part of the application. Prepare essays and ask for feedback if needed.
- If you are considering the military as a career/education path, plan to take the ASVAB.
- Stay focused… you are almost there. If you do not meet graduation requirements, you will not walk across the stage! College, military and job acceptances are provisional and can be revoked!
- Complete resume and practice interviewing skills.
- Keep your counselor aware of any postsecondary school acceptances and scholarship awards you receive.
- Attend any college orientation events during the summer, register for classes and make sure to keep in contact with the financial aid office.
School Counseling Standards
Standard One - Professional, Legal, and Ethical Expectations - School counselors act ethically and according to professional standards to promote the academic success and well-being of all students.
School counselors: hold self-accountable to the Principles of Professional Conduct; adhere to the state and federal legal rights of students and parents or guardians with regard to student records; and seek opportunities for professional learning applicable to the role of a school counselor.
Standard Two - Data-Driven Planning - Effective school counselors utilize resources including available school data to guide decision making and counseling services.
School counselors: gather and synthesize data from a variety of sources to inform the School Counseling Program; communicate data from a variety of sources to students and parents or guardians; and apply appropriate use of data and technology in supporting student learning and development.
Standard Three - School Counseling Program - Effective school counselors develop, implement, and evaluate programs that cultivate a school environment that promotes the academic success and well-being of all students.
School counselors: apply evidence-based strategies that promote academic success, career readiness, resiliency education, civic and character education, and life skill education; apply principles and practices of crisis planning, response, and preventative programs; apply practices for identifying and closing gaps in student achievement; and apply strategies for progress monitoring and sharing School Counseling Program outcomes.
Standard Four - Consultation, Collaboration, and Coordination - Effective school counselors utilize multiple means of communication to promote the academic success and well-being of all students.
School counselors: model and support respectful collaboration practices between school leaders, parents or guardians, district and school personnel and community partners; maintain high visibility and accessibility, and actively listen to and respond to parents or guardians, students, district and school personnel and community partners; recognize parents or guardians, students, district and school personnel and community partners for contributions and engagement that enhance the school community; utilize appropriate technologies and other forms of communication with parents or guardians, students, district and school personnel and families on student expectations and academic performance; utilize state, local school board, and governing board policies and procedures to make appropriate community-based referrals; and apply effective methods and skills for coordinating with community partners in the implementation of a school counseling program.
Standard Five - Counseling Services - Effective school counselors provide direct and indirect services that support the safety, mental health, and well-being of all students.
School counselors: apply counseling skills when delivering evidence-based, direct services to individual students and groups; assist with the provision of resiliency education, civic and character education, and life skill education in the classroom setting; and apply verbal de-escalation strategies to assist in the response and support of students in a crisis situation.
Standard Six - Academic Advising and Planning - Effective school counselors cultivate a caring, rigorous, and supportive school community that promotes the academic success and well-being of all students.
School counselors: promote awareness of student progression, assessment requirements, appropriate educational placement, and high school graduation requirements; assist all students with developing a path to effectively prepare for secondary and postsecondary educational and employment opportunities; provide all students with opportunities for academic enrichment; and support students who are identified as academically at-risk.
Standard Seven - Career Development and Postsecondary Planning - Effective school counselors provide opportunities for all students to develop the behaviors necessary to learn work-related skills, resilience, perseverance, an understanding of lifelong learning as a part of long-term career success, the value of volunteerism and mentorship, and a strong work ethic.
School counselors: promote awareness of application and admission processes for various postsecondary options, including financial resources such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Florida Financial Aid Application for all students and families; apply school counseling strategies and activities that address students’ college and career readiness across developmental levels, including decision-making approaches for students in various stages of career development; apply procedures of formal and informal career inventories and data-driven methods for evaluating students’ college and career readiness; apply college and career readiness counseling services and schoolwide approaches across all levels that promote lifelong learning and career success; utilize resources that provide students with personalized information about postsecondary and career and technical educational opportunities and sources of financial assistance; and apply counseling services to address the challenges experienced by students.
Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. Law Implemented 1012.55, 1012.56 History‒New 6-27-23.