Magee High School is welcoming a lot of new faces this year to the staff and faculty. One that incoming principal Dr. Tom Duncan is really excited about is that of Kelly Anderson, the new guidance counselor for the students.
Anderson is not new to the Simpson County School System as she was a counselor at Mendenhall Junior High. In addition she brings to the position five years of teaching experience from in Raleigh.
She has a background in language arts as well as inclusion and special education.
Anderson also is Nationally Board Certified in counseling. This means that through her direction students will have the highest and best level of counseling and standards available.
Anderson said one of the most important things she would like to implement is helping children with classes that will assist them to become career ready. This means that the students will have the class background standards to get the degrees that will allow them to pursue their chosen career paths. She said all too often students are just taking classes that are required,but her goal is to have students taking classes that will achieve their career goals. She said this needs to start as soon as the ninth grade.
One of the programs she wants to include is Career Exploration. She said programs are offered that will assist students in discovering what they would like to do as a career.
Another important opportunity that Anderson plans to implement is scholarship opportunity for students. She said that she will work with the English Department to have students write essays that will make it easier for them to apply for scholarship opportunities. The practice will make the process easier once students are in a position to apply for scholarships because they have had training and instruction in this arena.
She said the school would hold a FAFSA day in October. This is to assist students who would like to apply for federal assistance for future education.
Anderson said one of the biggest challenges she has faced so far is gaining student and parent trust. She said, “She said out goal is to ensure student success.”
She said she has been inspired that everyone has been working together so well and that parents are willing to do whatever they need to do to help her achieve her student goals.
Anderson is 29 years old and married with one child.
