Hello! I am Mrs. Joan Proft, the 8th 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 12 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.