hillsboro counselor in the running for school counselor of the year
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Hillsboro Counselor in the running for School Counselor of the YearTRANSCRIPT
Contact: Rachel Bunning (202)286‐8708
HILLSBORO HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR
NAMED AS FINALIST FOR SCHOOL COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR Meri Kock from Nashville, Tennessee Among Top Ten
Alexandria, VA, January XX, 2011 – Meri Kock, a school counselor from Hillsboro High School, has been named one of the top ten school counselors in America. Kock is one of more than 230 elementary, middle, and secondary school counselors nationwide who were nominated for the School Counselor of the Year award. The award, which is presented by the American School Counselor Association, honors the professionals who devote their careers to serving as advocates and often lifesavers for the nation’s students. As the Hillsboro High School Counseling Department Chair, Kock has taken a data driven approach to improving and creating new systems to elevate achievement and overall well‐being of the school’s more than 1,200 students. In her role as senior counselor, Kock’s focus on academically at risk students has been credited with a significant increase in the school’s graduation rate. Beyond graduation goals, Kock has worked diligently to ensure that students and their families are not only aware of scholarship and job opportunities, but makes sure they have the necessary tools to complete the applications. During her tenure at Hillsboro, Kock has advocated on behalf of counselors at the school and district level to minimize their data‐entry and testing coordination tasks with the goal of increasing the time and energy they are able to spend with students. Kock is a leader in the state serving as a member of the Metro Nashville Public Schools School Counseling Advisory Committee, as well as the Tennessee Department of Education’s task force on revising counselor evaluations, created after Tennessee was chosen to receive funds from Race to the Top. Kock was also named 2010 High School Counselor of the Year by the Middle Tennessee Counseling Association. “Meri Kock is one of those rare adults who has changed the lives of adolescents through her empathy, patience and determination to make a positive impact,” said Susanne H. Frensley, 2007 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. “Ms. Kock has made a marked and lasting impact on Hillsboro High School and we always will be grateful for her dedicated service.” The School Counselor of the Year awards program was open to all 100,000 members of the school counseling profession. The top ten school counselors were nominated by their peers and administrators and judged by a select panel to be the “best of the best.” The candidates were judged on several criteria, including: creative school counseling innovations, effective counseling programs, leadership skills, and contributions to student advancement. “School counselors make significant contributions to the overall well‐being of students and their success,” said Richard Wong, Executive Director, American School Counselor Association. “They have unique qualifications and skills that allow them to address students’ academic achievement, personal/social and career development needs.”
Kock, along with the other nine finalists, will be flown to Washington, D.C., on February 2, 2011, for three days of celebratory events. The honorees will have meetings with their Members of Congress, attend a Congressional briefing, and be formally recognized at a black‐tie gala. Congressional co‐chairs for the 2011 School Counselor of the Year program are: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R‐Alaska), Sen. Pat Murray (D‐Wash.), Rep. Raul Grijalva (D‐Ariz.), and Rep. Tom Petri (R‐Wisc.). For additional information on the American School Counselor Association, please visit www.schoolcounselor.org. About the American School Counselor Association The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) professional organization based in Alexandria, VA. ASCA promotes student success by expanding the image and influence of professional school counseling through leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change. ASCA helps school counselors guide their students toward academic achievement, personal and social development, and career planning to help today’s students become tomorrow’s productive, contributing members of society. Founded in 1952, ASCA currently has a network of 50 state associations and a membership of more than 28,000 school counseling professionals.
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