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Highland Junior High counselors have a Master's degree or higher in school counseling and have been certified as Professional School Counselors by the Arizona Department of Education. They are professional educators with specialized training in academic, career and social development as well as mental health. In partnership with the family, school and community, HJHS counselors advocate for the needs and interests of all students.
Highland Junior High counselors have a Master's degree or higher in school counseling and have been certified as Professional School Counselors by the Arizona Department of Education. They are professional educators with specialized training in academic, career and social development as well as mental health. In partnership with the family, school and community, HJHS counselors advocate for the needs and interests of all students.
Mrs. Megan Barnes
Mrs. Megan Barnes
8th Grade Counselor
Hi! I am Mrs. Megan Barnes, the 8th Grade School Counselor at Highland Jr High School. I am your student’s counselor throughout their time at Highland Jr. High School. I am passionate about helping students to work through and overcome the challenges they face in life, whether it be in the classroom or beyond. I believe in meeting my students and their family where they are emotionally and mentally, as I come alongside in helping them to accomplish their goals and work towards being successful in the classroom, at home, and in the community. Goal setting is important and is incorporated into the work I do with my students, as well as helping my students to learn new coping skills to better handle the challenges they face.
I am a graduate of Liberty University, located in Lynchburg, VA, with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Over the years I have obtained my experience in working with adolescents in different settings. All of my experience comes from working in youth ministry for many years, in addition to working as a paraprofessional in a school district, in counseling clients as a student counselor, working in a behavioral health hospital, and now in my role as a school counselor.
Mrs. Joan Proft
Mrs. Joan Proft
7th Grade Counselor
Hello! I am Mrs. Joan Proft, the 7th Grade Counselor at Highland Junior High. My goal, as a Professional School Counselor, is to support your child academically, emotionally, and socially so that he or she becomes a productive citizen and life-long learner. I serve the entire 8th Grade student body and offer a variety of services to meet every student’s needs. Along with the 8th Grade Counselor, Mrs. Megan Barnes, the Counseling Department offers many programs and resources to support all of our students and parents at HJHS. We are here to serve you.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Education from ASU, a Master of Education in Counseling from NAU and a Master of Arts in Education in School Counseling from Ottawa University. I am the mother of three adult daughters who are all proud to be former Gilbert Public Schools students, and are STEM field graduates from Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. I am a former GPS English teacher for 10 years, and I have been a GPS School Counselor at HJHS for 13 years! I'm married for 39 years to my awesome husband! I also am the proud Nana to our two adorable little grand daughters! In my spare time, I do group fitness, hot yoga, travel, hike and spend time with my family.
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