1. Hephzibah Middle School Guidance and Counseling Program
Dr. Cameron Henry, Principal
Will Smith, Assistant Principal
Lisa Byrd, IB Coordinator & Admin Intern
Vera Williams, Guidance Counselor
Amy Strozier, Guidance Counselor
Cathy Peters, Guidance Secretary
HMS

2. Purpose, Mission, and Vision
To impact skills and learning opportunities in a proactive and preventative manner, which ensures that all students can achieve success through:
1.)academic
2.)career
3.)personal/social development
Mission
To strive to have every student in the school to succeed with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions essential for success.
Vision
To provide every student with the assistance and guidance needed to effectively identify, select, plan, and prepare for their career of choice.

3. Philosophy
The middle school guidance and counseling program is a student-centered prevention/ intervention support service designed to aid children in mastering the developmental tasks which are essential for reaching their full potential and positive growth through a focus on:
Classroom Guidance
Group Guidance
Individual Counseling

4. Middle School Counselors
Work with student in a variety of ways:
Individual
Groups
Classroom Guidance Lessons
Help students make the transition from Elementary to Middle school and Middle school to High school
To help students meet academic and emotional needs, middle school counselors work with:
Administrators
Teachers
Parents
Community

5. Goals To Promote the growth and development of all students in:
Self-understanding
Interpersonal relations
Career exploration
Decision-making
Goal setting
Problem solving
To assist students in understanding monitoring and directing their academic progress and personal development
To identify and address the immediate needs and concerns of students which impact academic progress
To facilitate system support activities related to guidance involving:
Program development
Staff development
Material Development
Parent Education
Testing Program Implementation
Community Relations

6. Characteristics of Middle School Students
Physical development is constantly changing!
Height
Weight
Body Chemistry…HORMONES!
Sexual Maturation
Students at this age are sensitive. They seem mature, but often lack the experiences to understand the changes they are experiencing.

7. Characteristics of Middle School Students
They are torn between the desire for independence and the desire to please adults.
Peer approval and acceptance driving social need.
They seek out friendships, groups, cliques, clubs, and others their own age for social interactions.

8. How Does A Student See A Counselor?
Students can see the counselor in any of the following ways:
Self-referral
Request of the Counselor
Parent Referral
Administrative Referral
Teacher or Staff Referral
Referral by friends

9. Stay Connected! Phone: (706)592-4534 Guidance Office: Ext 2108