CHS counseling program receives national honor

WESTFIELD TWP. – Cloverleaf High School is one of just two schools in Ohio – and the only school in the state this year – to receive recognition by the American School Counselor Association for its model school counseling program.

The Recognized ASCA Model Program affirms the work of school counseling teams that deliver comprehensive, data-informed services to students in an exemplary educational environment. Cloverleaf is among 101 schools in 21 states to receive the recognition this year, following a rigorous application process. Schools must reapply every five years to maintain their RAMP status.

The RAMP designation is awarded to schools based on data that reflects positive student outcomes in three areas – achievement, behavior and attendance. Twice per year, an advisory council open to Cloverleaf students, staff and community members, reviews data and provides feedback on the counseling program.

Cloverleaf High School’s counseling staff includes: school counselors Catherine Conrad, Andrea Hirst and Robert Preusser; prevention coordinator Samantha Kost; and administrative assistant Heather Osborn.

“We are so honored to have met the criteria as one of the top school counseling programs in the country,” Conrad said. “It reflects the overall commitment to student success shared by Cloverleaf teachers, support staff and administrators. This recognition from our peers lets us know we are on the right track and inspires us to push even harder to meet the needs of our students.”

Counseling initiatives at Cloverleaf High School include:

  • New student orientation
  • Annual 1:1 check-ins with all students
  • Assistance with study and organizational skills
  • College and career planning
  • Connecting students with scholarship opportunities
  • Group and individual counseling
  • Help with coping and conflict-resolution skills
  • Collaboration with parents and teachers
  • As well as referrals to additional services

As preventional coordinator, Kost works with school counselors to help students to recognize their strengths, give them the tools they need to be successful, and empower them to make positive life choices – including avoiding drugs, alcohol and other dangers.

"One of the most important things we have learned from our COVID experiences is that school counselors are vital to our students,” said high school Principal Gary Miller. “The relationships and interactions they have with students on a daily basis are both meaningful and impactful in so many ways. Whether providing academic guidance, individual support, or general advice, our counseling team has a positive influence on our students. To have Cloverleaf High School honored with this designation validates the hard work our counselors have done to meet the needs of our students.”

RAMP-designated schools will be honored during a special ceremony at the American School Counselor Association’s Annual Conference in Atlanta in July.

The mission of Cloverleaf Local Schools, a unified community committed to an interactive approach to lifelong learning, guarantees all students an excellent education that prepares them for life's challenges by providing innovative instruction filled with engaging, experience-based learning opportunities, delivered by highly qualified educators in a safe, stimulating and respectful environment.

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