Counselors and campus administrators from the 26 McKinney ISD schools that earned CREST Awards from the Texas School Counselor Association for excellence in their comprehensive school counseling programs

McKinney, Texas – The 63 educators who make up the McKinney ISD Counseling Department serve more than 23,000 students across the district as they work alongside principals and faculty to implement the state’s required comprehensive school counseling program at MISD schools.

It’s a huge job, but they do it very well. In fact, the Texas School Counselors Association (TSCA) has presented 26 MISD schools with the organization’s annual CREST Award in recognition of their excellence in serving MISD students. It’s the largest number of MISD schools recognized in a single year.

“Comprehensive school counseling programs involve the entire campus community,” said Senior Director of Guidance and Counseling Jennifer Akins. “The efforts of these schools to meet student, parent and staff needs are truly exemplary. I’m so proud of our amazing campuses.”

Schools that receive CREST awards demonstrate a commitment to using the Texas Model to improve the lives and achievement of students in academic, career and personal social domains. The Texas Model itself is a document hundreds of pages in length that Texas public school districts are required to implement through their comprehensive school counseling programs. The documentation that districts submit to TSCA aligns with the Texas Model.

In addition to earning the CREST Award, Press Elementary was one of only six campuses in the state that earned the TSCA Advocacy Award, granted for earning a CREST Award this year and for three prior years, as well as presenting at a professional conference. Lawson Early Childhood School and McGowen Elementary each received the Leadership Award from TSCA for earning a CREST Award this year and for three prior years. Only 30 campuses across the state earned the Leadership Award.

2023 MISD CREST Award Honorees

Bennett Elementary—Counselor: Christie Thompson / Principal: Kassie Halpin
Burks Elementary—Counselor: Katie Wallace / Principal: Al Conley
Caldwell Elementary—Counselor: Myra Mercado / Principal: Karla Massey
Cockrill Middle School—Counselors: Christal Helm, Tana Hoover, Courtney Starnes / Principal: Dr. Amber Epperson
DAEP—Counselor: Carrie Dewey / Principal: Kyle Luthi
Dowell Middle School—Counselors: Rayshana Adams and Jennifer Morse / Principal: Melanie Machost
Eddins Elementary—Counselor: Mandy Biros / Principal: Cari Owens
Faubion Middle School—Counselors: Brooke Jones, Christina Kiefer, Daniel Rodriguez; IMPACT Counselor Christyna Skidmore / Principal: Mitch VandenBoom
Finch Elementary—Counselor: Sara Gonzales / Principal: Erika Echegaray
Glen Oaks Elementary—Counselor: Kati Green / Principal: Molly Hovan
Reuben Johnson Elementary—Counselor: Naesha Hobbs-Parker / Principal: Michelle Baumann
Lawson Early Childhood School*—Counselor: Jen Mitchell / Principal: Susie Towber
Malvern Elementary—Counselor: Dina Davenport / Principal: Rhonda Gilliam
McClure Elementary—Counselor: Cricket Tarrant / Principal: Jennifer Harrison
McGowen Elementary*—Counselor: Shiela de Leon / Principal: Kimberly Luyster
McKinney Boyd High School—Counselors: Samantha Culbertson, Mona Daley, Alice Ellenburg, Sara Hayes, Rachel Mitchell, Ximena Morales; MEF College Advisor: Cindy Monogue, IMPACT Counselor: Travis Trayler / Principal: Dr. Jennifer Peirson
McKinney High School—Counselors: Pamala Adams, Susan Bell, Dr. Jeff Cranmore, Andy Crawford, Gretchen Hamilton, Melissa Howard, Lori Mitchell, Brandi Ribble, Angela Wylie; IMPACT Counselor: Jill Lueke, MEF College Advisor: Brandi Ribble, Collin College Campus Counselor: Angela Morales / Principal: Shelly Spaulding
McNeil Elementary—Counselor: Dawn Jones / Principal: Tracy Meador
Minshew Elementary—Counselor: Brandi Moore / Principal: Inetra Nelson
Press Elementary**—Counselor: Susan Washa, Vanessa Arbaiza / Principal: Rachel Corbin
Valley Creek Elementary—Counselor: April Jones / Principal: Dr. Ebonee King
Vega Elementary—Counselor: Jennifer Perry / Principal: Mike Forsyth
Walker Elementary—Counselor: Holli Tate / Principal: Melanie Raleeh
Webb Elementary—Counselor: Jennifer Lidington; McKinney Vento Counselor: Robert Gupton / Principal: Maria Hafner
Wilmeth Elementary—Counselor: Teri Morgan-Boyte / Principal: Kristin Ellis
Wolford Elementary—Counselor: Felisha McGhee / Principal: Ashley Williams

*TSCA Leadership Award Recipient
**TSCA Advocacy Award Recipient

“I am proud because I know that, through the work of our fantastic administrators and counselors, we are running a truly comprehensive school counseling program,” said MISD Counseling Coordinator Errin French. “We are providing services as dictated by the model for our students, and this is a way to show not only our district but the public and the state what we’re doing every day.”

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