Counseling Information
In this section:
Counseling services at OSHS exist to facilitate the growth and development of students as they progress through school. These services are designed to help all students in their educational planning, decision-making, and personal-social development. Counselors are committed to working with parents as well as with students to assist them in gaining the greatest benefit from their school experiences.
Counseling services, which complement both instructional and administrative operations, provide opportunities for students to develop self-understanding, self-evaluation, and self-direction. The counselor's goal is for the student to mature as an individual who understands the responsibility for making decisions and coping with the consequences of those decisions.
The Counselors adhere to the code of ethics established by the American School Counselors Association.
COUNSELING ASSIGNMENTS
Each counselor is assigned specific counseling responsibilities for both counselor-student relationships and group guidance programs. Counselors are available to all students for counseling. Students are encouraged to work with their assigned counselors in order to allow the counselor to get to know the student better. You may also contact the counselor's office directly at (228) 875-0045.
| Cecilia Zahedi | Director of Student Services | czahedi@ossdms.org |
|---|---|---|
| Shannon Pearson | St-Z | spearson@ossdms.org |
| Mandie Carter | Co-Go | amcarter@ossdms.org |
| Kanesha McInnis | A-Cl | kmcinnis@ossdms.org |
| Chasity Underwood | Gir-La | cunderwood@ossdms.org |
| Jason Diaz | Pe-Sp | jdiaz@ossdms.org |
| Christopher O'Quinn | Le-Pa | coquinn@ossdms.org |
| Dorothy Cannon | Career Center | dcannon@ossdms.org |
COUNSELING PROGRAM
The responsibilities of the counselor go beyond that of providing one-to-one counseling, although this is considered the "heart" of the counseling program. Other responsibilities include:
- Working with students in planning a program of studies and in subject selections;
- Administering assessments and interpreting test results;
- Working with faculty members and parents in a consultative role;
- Brief individual and group counseling sessions;
- Making necessary referrals to individuals within community agencies;
- Providing career and college information and planning for high school.
- Conducting evaluation and research on the total school program;
- Working with students to improve in social and academic areas.
- Assisting students as they plan to leave the high school.
- OSHS
An essential element of the district’s post-secondary planning initiative is the Career Center. The Career Center, serving as an extension of the counselors’ office, consists of three major components: college and scholarship materials, career military information, and local business/industry information. The Career Center helps students to get the latest information about colleges, financial aid programs, and occupations and to complete numerous career planning activities.
- OSHS
OSSD graduation requirements are designed to provide students with a balanced program that will help to develop the skills and understanding necessary to become a well-rounded person. The Greyhound Guide is an excellent resource that is provided to students annually during registration for the upcoming school year. To plan a course of study, a range of courses are available. These courses, if wisely selected, will help the student explore and develop his/her own interests and abilities. The Greyhound Guide can be found on the school website.
Each student should carefully consider the following:
- All students must carry four (4) academic credits per term. Any deviation from this requirement must have counselor's approval.
- Each student must know his/her graduation requirements. These are listed elsewhere in this handbook and may vary according to when the student entered the ninth grade. All planning should work toward those requirements.
- Each student must know college entrance and/or technical school requirements and planning should be directed toward meeting those requirements.
- Each student should complete a carefully constructed four-year plan and Individual Success Plan (ISP). The ISP should be updated annually and counselors will give lesson.
- Before selecting a course, each student should check the course description to be sure it fits his/her needs, interests, and abilities, and to ensure that he/she has completed the prerequisite coursework necessary for enrollment in that course.
- Students must be attentive and complete an application if the course requires it. Some courses require pre-approval for enrollment.
- Some courses require additional summer assignments. Teachers will communicate with students before the end of the school year if any additional summer assignments are required.
- OSHS
Ocean Springs High School prohibits schedule changes; only schedule corrections are allowed. Schedule corrections will only be made based on the following justifiable reasons:
- Student has failed a course and needs to retake it.
- Student does not meet a prerequisite for a class they are enrolled in.
- Student has an incomplete schedule or overlapping courses.
- Student has already taken and passed a course. This does not apply to Band, PE, and Theatre.
- Student is missing a course requirement for graduation; only 12th graders may use this correction
- A student must attend the original class to which he/she was assigned until the teacher or student is notified by the counselors’ office that the administrative change process has been completed.
- If a student is permitted to drop a course after the first two days of the term or quarter and is not placed in an alternate class for the remainder of the quarter, the course will appear on the student's records and the record will show a WP (withdrawn-passing) or WF (withdrawn-failing).
- Students who withdraw during the last ten (10) days of a quarter or term will receive an F for the course.
- OSHS