Throughout the school year, the guidance counselor implements activities that build and promote student achievement and positive life skills.

Ongoing activities

• Orientation of new students and parents
• Individual academic advisement conferences for students
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Personal, social, crisis and career counseling
• Mentoring programs
• Guidance record maintenance
• Maintenance of credit sheets for each student in each grade
• Staff development
• Providing parents with community resources
• Referrals to community resources and consultation with outside agencies
• Coordinating efforts with other school staff
• Consultation and referrals: Parents, teachers, administrators and community
• Student monitoring, with parent follow-up
• Student Individual Graduation Plan  enhancement
• Preparation of applications: National Merit/Achievement, college admissions and scholarships
• Coordination of college recruitment and in-school visits
• College recommendation letters
• College scholarship and financial aid information
• Coordination of college tours
• Providing technical school information
• Small student group scheduling
• Advanced Placement course emphasis
• Partnering with businesses and educational institutions
• Coordinating the Gifted and Talented Services
• Coordination of CATS, CTBS, AP, ACT, SAT, PSAT, and PLAN, including interpretation of tests to provide information about student abilities, achievement, interests and needs
• Enrolling and withdrawing students
• Overseeing the implementation of the 504 plans
• Incentive/Recognition/Awards program
• Talent Search program and Upward Bound
• Providing school profile information
• U.K. minority field trip
• Governor's Scholar's program
• Governor's School for the Arts program
• Commonwealth Diploma transcript verification
• Prepare rank-in-class for seniors
• Prepare list of retained students
• Advise students who need to attend summer school/extended school services and prepare referrals and applications

How does a student see the guidance counselor?

• Appointment made by the counselor
• Self -referral
• Parent referral
• Administrative referral
• Teacher and other staff referral
• Drop-in
• Agency referral

What are the counselor's qualifications?

• Master of arts in school counseling
• Master of social work
• Psychology specialist or Ph.D.
• Kentucky state certification in education counseling, school social work or school psychology.

Who do guidance counselors keep abreast of current issues and trends?

• In-service training sessions
• Workshops and seminars
• Conventions and conferences
• Continuing education trainings
• Regular school and districtwide meetings
• County, state, and national association meetings
• Professional journals/books