Our Mission

The mission of the Forest Hills High School Counseling Team is to provide the resources, support, and advocacy to help all students reach their fullest potential and become educated, productive citizens. Our goal is to cultivate successful, resilient young adults who will become productive citizens that contribute to their own communities and the world beyond. Counselors assist students with academic, career, and personal/social development through planning, collaboration, and exploration.

Our Focus

• Personal development
• Academic development
• Career development

School Counselors provide

• Academic Planning
• Career and College Exploration
• Individual Counseling
• Classroom Guidance
• College Advising
• Bullying Interventions  (Report Bullying here)
• Crisis Interventions

School Counseling Staff

Katherine Menacho                 Students with last names A-Cl

Shannon Thomas                    Students with last names Co-Ha

Katie Haigler                            Students with last names He-Me 

Christi Ponder                          Students with last names Mi-Se

Kasey Macedo                         Students with last names Sh-Z

Erin Krull                                  College Adviser

Emily Dilworth                          School Social Worker

Alex Lago                                 LEP Program Counselor

Samantha McGirt                     Best Start Teen Parenting Support Counselor                       

Sarah Easter                            Counseling Administrative Assistant

Confidentiality Statement

School counselors recognize their primary obligation for confidentiality is to the student but balance that obligation with an understanding of the family or guardians’ legal and inherent rights to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives (ASCA Code of Ethics).

The role of the school counselor in regards to confidentiality is:

• To support the students right to privacy and protect confidential information received from students, the family, guardian and staff members
• To explain the meaning and limits of confidentiality to students in developmentally appropriate terms
• To provide appropriate disclosure and informed consent regarding the counseling relationship and confidentiality
• To inform students and the family of the limits to confidentiality when: Student poses a danger to self or others, Court ordered disclosure, Consultation with other professionals in support of the student i.e. colleagues, supervisors, treatment teams, and other support personnel
• To keep personal notes separate from educational records and not disclose their contents except when privacy exceptions exist
• To seek guidance from supervisors and appropriate legal advice when their records are subpoenaed
• To assert their belief that information shared by students is “confidential” and should not be revealed without the student’s consent
• To adhere to all laws protecting student records, health information, and special services (i.e., HIPAA, FERPA, IDEA)