Canyons is proud to join the American School Counselor Association in paying tribute to the men and women who dedicate themselves to student advisement, achievement, and advancement during National School Counseling Week Feb. 2-6, 2015.

“Counselors are not just changing your schedule; they’re taking a proactive approach and work tirelessly to help students get ready for the next step in their education or future careers, whatever they may be,” said Torilyn Gillett, CSD Counseling and Comprehensive Guidance Coordinator, said of the 50 school counselors working in CSD’s middle and high schools. “They are helping each student create a plan to get ready for college and careers; teaching students skills needed to prepare for the future; and tending to students’ emotional well-being through crisis services, coping strategies, stress management and access to outside resources.”

National School Counseling Week, sponsored by American School Counselor Association, highlights the nation’s 32,000 school counselors, and their unique contributions to students’ success, according to the ASCA website. It is also supported by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, who has declared Feb. 2-6, 2015 as School Counseling Week in Utah.

“School counselors work with all students to remove barriers to learning by addressing students’ academic concerns, career awareness in post-secondary options and personal/social skills,” ASCA Executive Director Dr. Kwok-Sze Wong said. “Comprehensive school counseling programs help to increase student achievement and provide a much-needed resource for students, parents, teachers and administrators. School counselors are integral to student success.”

Several CSD counselors have been recognized for excellence in their fields.

Union Middle’s Nate Edvalson was named the Utah School Counselor Association’s Counselor of the Year in 2011. 

Hillcrest counselors received the Utah High School Counseling Team Award, Indian Hills counselors won the Utah Middle School Counseling Team Award, and Corner Canyon High’s Allyson Hanks, who at the time was working at Brighton, won the Counselor of the Year award from the Utah Association of Career and Technical Education’s Guidance Division in 2012.

CSD counselor David Shirley and Bruce Shuck as a Crescent View Middle School guidance counselor both have received the Human Rights Award from the Utah School Counselor Association.

And former CSD Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Coordinator Lori Jones, now a principal at Sprucewood Elementary, was named the Utah Technology Council’s Educator of the Year, received the Perkins Service Award from the Guidance Division of the Utah Association of Career and Technical Education, and the Human Rights Award from the Utah School Counselors Association.

We salute all of our outstanding school counselors for their dedication to student success.