The primary purpose of Alachua County Public Schools Comprehensive School Counseling program is to promote and enhance lifelong learning for all students through a cooperative effort with schools, families and the community. Each school counselor is a certified professional with master’s, education specialist or doctoral level training and experience in counseling strategies, theories, assessment, evaluation, career development, learning strategies and other specialized areas.

School counselors provide a program of services and activities to address the academic, career and personal/social needs of students based on an analysis of student data and input from teachers, parents, students and others. Areas addressed through the counseling program may include school success skills, resiliency, safety, self- management, college/career planning and more.

School counselors are also excellent resources for information regarding mental health and suicide prevention. The counselor is able to provide support, assess for risk, and connect students and families with local counseling and mental health services.

The involvement and support of families in the school counseling program is vital. Parents are encouraged to work closely with their child’s counselor. For more information, contact your child’s school or the district’s Office of School Counseling and Student Services at (352) 955- 7676, ext. 1610, or click here for more information about our school counseling program.