Counseling

If you are considering a move to the area and would like to schedule a tour of J.C. Booth Middle School, please contact the J.C. Booth PTO at jcboothmspto@gmail.com.  

Why Visit the School Counselor?

School Counseling is a developmental process in which the counselor provides a student or group of students with guidance and encouragement, as well as challenge and inspiration in creatively managing and resolving practical, personal, and relationship issues in order to help students achieve goals.

At J.C. Booth Middle School, we strive to follow the ASCA National Model and Georgia Standards for Counselors. This methodology allows us to reach as many students as we can with positive guidance that helps students in all three domains: Academic, Career/College Preparation, and Social/Emotional concerns. In essence, if there is something getting in the way of a student being successful, we provide tools and guidance to help remove those barriers, whatever they may be.

As professional school counselors, we work with students on an individual basis, in small groups, and in their classrooms. We can also attend parent-teacher conferences at the request of the parent/guardian or teacher, as our schedule allows.

Here are some reasons students might want to talk to the School Counselor:

• "I had an argument with my best friend, and she doesn't want to be my friend anymore."
• "Some kids in my science class are talking about fighting after school."
• "My parents argue all the time and I don't know what to do."
• "My grandfather is really sick and I'm scared he's going to die."
• "My mom just had a baby, and she doesn't have time for me anymore."
• "We're moving again!"
• "My dad wants me to be an engineer like him, but I want to be a pilot."
• "I want to get ready for high school and don't know what to expect."

Here are some reasons parents might want to talk to the School Counselor:

• "This is John's third school this year, and he's having difficulty adjusting."
• "My husband is being deployed in two weeks and Carolyn may need some help coping with this change."
• "Sam used to be excited about school, but lately he doesn't seem to care."
• "My wife and I recently separated and our daughter could use some help understanding this."
• "My son seems to be the target of some teasing and bullying after school. Can you help?"
• "I want to understand more about the academic path my student needs to take after middle school."

Mrs. Williamson was born in Madras, India. She was adopted as a baby and grew up in Clayton County, GA. In her free time, Mrs. Williamson loves spending time with family, riding horses, spoiling her pup, traveling, working out, and supporting the Atlanta Braves. She taught 6th grade ELA for five years before transitioning to a middle school counselor. This will be her 7th year as a counselor at Booth. Mrs. Williamson has a passion for building positive relationships with her students, supporting their needs, and advocating for them.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Education - Georgia College & State University
• Master of Science in School Counseling - Mercer University
• Specialist in Education with a Major in Professional Counseling - University of West Georgia

Certifications:

• P-12 School Counseling
• Middle Grades ELA (Grades 4-8)
• Middle Grades Reading (Grades 4-8)

With more than 30 years of experience in education, Mr. Kelly has served as both a teacher and a school counselor in private schools, public schools, and a college and career academy. A lifelong storyteller, he enjoys finding meaningful ways to connect with students and help them recognize the stories, strengths, and possibilities within their own lives.

Outside of school, Mr. Kelly is a member of the National Audubon Society, Birds Georgia, and the American School Counselor Association. He shares his home with two dachshunds, Graham and Harper Lee—the latter named for the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of To Kill a Mockingbird, his favorite book. His interests include cooking, baking, watching horror movies and documentaries, and attending plays and concerts. An enthusiastic birder, he hopes to travel to Colombia and The Gambia in West Africa for future birding adventures.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts, History, Valdosta State University
• Master of Arts, History, Valdosta State University
• Certificate, European Economic Studies, University of Sunderland (England)
• Master of Education, School Counseling, University of West Alabama
• Specialist in Education with a Major in Professional Counseling, University of West Alabama

Certifications:

• School Counseling (P-12)
• Behavioral Science (6-12)
• Economics (6-12)
• Geography (6-12)
• History (6-12)
• Political Science (6-12)
• Career Development Specialist, American School Counselor Association

Current Georgia Department of Education High School Graduation Requirements

• 4 units of Mathematics
• 4 years of English
• 4 units of Science required for all students (the 4th science unit may be used to meet both the science and elective requirements)
• 3 units of Social Studies
• 1 unit of Health and Physical Education (3 units of JROTC may be used to meet the requirement)
• 3 units of any combination of CTAE and/or Foreign Language and/or Fine Arts.  Students planning to enter or transfer into a University System of Georgia institution must take two units of the same foreign language.
• 4 additional elective units
• 23 Total Units

Promotion criteria:

• 9th grade to 10th grade - 5 1/2 credits
• 10th grade to 11th grade - 11 1/2 credits
• 11th grade to 12th grade - 17 credits

Milestones Information:

Please visit the the GA DOE website for a thorough explanation of the Georgia Milestones Assessment:GA DOE GA Milestones Assessment. The GA Milestones Assessment is taken in certain subjects and counts toward 20% of the final grade. 

College and Career Exploration Tools

J.C. Booth students will be using Family Connection by Naviance. Family Connection offers innovative, easy-to-use web applications for middle school students and their parents. Family Connection will help guide students' academic and career choices, as well as providing them with opportunities of self exploration.  The J.C. Booth counselors will help students to explore career possible career paths and courses of study.

Georgia's Career Pipeline is another valuable tool for students and parents to identify career clusters that fit students' interests and aptitudes.  Here, you will find course descriptions in various pathways and also information about which schools in the state offer programs in each area.  

The GHLE dashboard provides earning information for graduates of Georgia's universities and technical colleges who work in the state after earning their degrees.  Click to see the dashboard and the report.