Anonymous wrote:I have a kid registered for a honors level class and I want to drop her down to regular. I emailed earlier in July but counselor was not in for the year yet. Will that be a problem?

It should not be a problem. You might want to email again so your new email is at the top of the email list. We have always been able to request changes in the summer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chantilly parent here. Years ago, DS's counselor--who was wonderful--left for Westfield. We were extremely disappointed. However, replacement counselor was good, too. Did not need as much interaction, but was happy with the counselor.

When Westfield opened, lots of great teachers went there from all over FCPS. Football coach was, I think, from Fairfax and built an awesome team.

Administration is important and key in any school. I'm not sure the top administrator of FCPS understands that is what makes the school system work well.

Administration is truly key. Sounds like Westfield needs someone high up to step in and make changes or at least hold them accountable to do what is right for kids.

That part of Region 5 is left to fend for itself year after year.

Anonymous wrote:Chantilly parent here. Years ago, DS's counselor--who was wonderful--left for Westfield. We were extremely disappointed. However, replacement counselor was good, too. Did not need as much interaction, but was happy with the counselor.

When Westfield opened, lots of great teachers went there from all over FCPS. Football coach was, I think, from Fairfax and built an awesome team.

Administration is important and key in any school. I'm not sure the top administrator of FCPS understands that is what makes the school system work well.

Yup.

Anonymous wrote:Chantilly parent here. Years ago, DS's counselor--who was wonderful--left for Westfield. We were extremely disappointed. However, replacement counselor was good, too. Did not need as much interaction, but was happy with the counselor.

When Westfield opened, lots of great teachers went there from all over FCPS. Football coach was, I think, from Fairfax and built an awesome team.

Administration is important and key in any school. I'm not sure the top administrator of FCPS understands that is what makes the school system work well.

Administration is truly key. Sounds like Westfield needs someone high up to step in and make changes or at least hold them accountable to do what is right for kids.

Chantilly parent here. Years ago, DS's counselor--who was wonderful--left for Westfield. We were extremely disappointed. However, replacement counselor was good, too. Did not need as much interaction, but was happy with the counselor.

When Westfield opened, lots of great teachers went there from all over FCPS. Football coach was, I think, from Fairfax and built an awesome team.

Administration is important and key in any school. I'm not sure the top administrator of FCPS understands that is what makes the school system work well.

Anonymous wrote:Reassigning seniors is ridic

Westfield does not put students first. When my oldest was there with Dr. Copeland it was a well run school where you felt like kids were cared about. Now it's an adminstration that ignore issues and often will blame it on the size of the school. The staff turnover is high-part of the reason I'm sure for the guidance counselor changes. FCPS likes to keep their eyes shut- they do not do exit interviews. But it's ok because Gatehouse is being well taken care of.

Reassigning seniors is ridic

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid registered for a honors level class and I want to drop her down to regular. I emailed earlier in July but counselor was not in for the year yet. Will that be a problem?

If you are at Westfield good luck. We just received an email today that my DS who is a senior will be getting a new guidance counselor(senior year!) He is on counselor number three at Westfield and all three years there have been issues with scheduling. The excuse is always the school is too big....my two older sons did not experience the lack of care we now see when they were at Westfield- seems to be an admin issue. Stay on top of them.

+1 from a parent of a rising junior there. We are annoyed. His counselor from 9th and 10th grade was great. I wish they could've figured out some kind of grandfathering system for at least the 11th and 12th graders.

The counselor left or is still there?

I never liked when my students got a new counselor year after year but if the counselor done left what do you want them to drive back to Westfield for your precious

Out counselor is still there they re-assigned the whole school. Just stop you sound stupid

Yeah this was odd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought they worked year round but I guess not.

Today they come back

My kid emailed her counselor last week to upgrade to an a AP class, but still no response.

It would have been nice to have had an auto-response or some sort out of office reply from the counselor re: July 31

Oh well….

this is probably the counselor fro your school or lazy gatehouse

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid registered for a honors level class and I want to drop her down to regular. I emailed earlier in July but counselor was not in for the year yet. Will that be a problem?

If you are at Westfield good luck. We just received an email today that my DS who is a senior will be getting a new guidance counselor(senior year!) He is on counselor number three at Westfield and all three years there have been issues with scheduling. The excuse is always the school is too big....my two older sons did not experience the lack of care we now see when they were at Westfield- seems to be an admin issue. Stay on top of them.

+1 from a parent of a rising junior there. We are annoyed. His counselor from 9th and 10th grade was great. I wish they could've figured out some kind of grandfathering system for at least the 11th and 12th graders.

The counselor left or is still there?

I never liked when my students got a new counselor year after year but if the counselor done left what do you want them to drive back to Westfield for your precious

Out counselor is still there they re-assigned the whole school. Just stop you sound stupid

In general, counselors leave schools for the same reason teachers do

1. Commute

2. Family

3. Poor leadership from the director of student services (you can have great admins but if your dss is horrid then people don’t want to work for them no matter how great the school is)

4. Lack of admin support/guidance

5. Don’t mesh with the schools “internal” mission (e.g. the school principals special I went to a conference in the summer and it spoke to me were doing that now after we’re abandoning what made me gitty three years ago). Shocker people don’t like that

6. Been there so long they retire or they just want to move on like normal folk

7. They were bad counselors for about three years and need to get out because someone’s about to notice and it’ll go sideways

8. Promoted to a director of student services job

9. Have a speciality area accreditation and get the niche county job in the area (think director for all blind or deaf student programs)

10. Get the college career specialist position somewhere else

So basically all the reasons teachers leave. But when the good ones go…I gotta tell you…as parents and kids, I know you feel it but teachers feel it too. I worked with some amazing counselors in my time and when they left for greener pastures it was a huge loss for everyone

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid registered for a honors level class and I want to drop her down to regular. I emailed earlier in July but counselor was not in for the year yet. Will that be a problem?

If you are at Westfield good luck. We just received an email today that my DS who is a senior will be getting a new guidance counselor(senior year!) He is on counselor number three at Westfield and all three years there have been issues with scheduling. The excuse is always the school is too big....my two older sons did not experience the lack of care we now see when they were at Westfield- seems to be an admin issue. Stay on top of them.

+1 from a parent of a rising junior there. We are annoyed. His counselor from 9th and 10th grade was great. I wish they could've figured out some kind of grandfathering system for at least the 11th and 12th graders.

The counselor left or is still there?

I never liked when my students got a new counselor year after year but if the counselor done left what do you want them to drive back to Westfield for your precious

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought they worked year round but I guess not.

Today they come back

My kid emailed her counselor last week to upgrade to an a AP class, but still no response.

It would have been nice to have had an auto-response or some sort out of office reply from the counselor re: July 31

Oh well….

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid registered for a honors level class and I want to drop her down to regular. I emailed earlier in July but counselor was not in for the year yet. Will that be a problem?

If you are at Westfield good luck. We just received an email today that my DS who is a senior will be getting a new guidance counselor(senior year!) He is on counselor number three at Westfield and all three years there have been issues with scheduling. The excuse is always the school is too big....my two older sons did not experience the lack of care we now see when they were at Westfield- seems to be an admin issue. Stay on top of them.

+1

It actually was Westfield lol.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought they worked year round but I guess not.

Today they come back

My kid emailed her counselor last week to upgrade to an a AP class, but still no response.

It would have been nice to have had an auto-response or some sort out of office reply from the counselor re: July 31