Welcome to the LMS Counseling Department!
Ms. Cathcart , Ms. Vanderbilt, and Ms. Lyon come from a wealth of experiences and backgrounds in the mental health and education fields. We are passionate about advocating for students and supporting all individual career and academic, social/emotional and mental health needs!
STUDENTS/PARENTS/TEACHERS CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR COUNSELOR:
Ms. Cathcart (2026/2027 6th grade students )
Applications are now open for Christmas assistance:
Hill Country Christmas Bureau (families within LISD boundaries)
Williamson County Holiday Resources
Operation Turkey- Leander
Call 512-426-9172 to register- Call by mid-november
Check your local food pantry for other options Website
Brown Santa- Williamson County
Cedar Park Blue Santa
In Person Registration: Cedar Park Municipal Court, 911 Quest Pkwy, Cedar Park, TX 78613
Monday- November 2, 2026 5pm-8:30pm
Thursday- November 5, 2026 5pm-8:30pm
Saturday- November 14, 2026 9am-2pm
Wednesday- November 18, 2026 5pm-8:30pm
Friday- November 20, 2026 5pm-8:30pm
Leander Blue Santa Blue Santa application
Online registration opens Oct 10th-December 4th
Distribution day is Dec 20th
Travis County Holiday Resources
H-E-B Feast of Sharing 2026
Austin November 24th 4pm-8pm at Palmer Events Center
Brown Santa- Travis County- Apply online
Toys for Tots
Can do preteens and teens
Apply online
Middle School students are not able to seek credit through correspondence course work until the summer after their 8th grade year. Any 8th grade students wishing to take a high school correspondence class through either University of Texas High School Distance Learning, Texas Tech K-12 Distance Learning, or TxVSN must submit a Correspondence Approval Form to their 8th grade counselor before March 11th.
Any Middle School student interested in taking an Exam for Acceleration, must submit an Exam for Acceleration Request for Approval Form whether they are taking an exam during the district window or on their own. Please review the form linked above for more information on important criteria considerations. Registration for district summer testing will start on March 31st and end on May 1st. The EA approval form must be submitted to your grade level counselor before the May 1st registration deadline. Students taking EA outside the district window must submit their approval form by the March 11th deadline.
Senate Bill 12 Update - Parent Notification
TEA has provided updated guidance regarding the counseling services consent form around counselor guidance lessons: If you wish to opt out of specific lessons or topics, you must reach out to your child’s campus administrator or counselor. Prior consent is still required only for lessons on child abuse, family violence, and human trafficking.
LMS Counselors will continue to post our lessons on our Counselor Classroom Guidance Lessons webpage for parents to view. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns!
If you are having a mental health emergency or experiencing suicidal ideation, please contact with 911 or the resources listed below:
Crisis Text Line: Text "Home" to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: SMS or Call 988
or 1-800-273-8255
Bluebonnet Trails Community Services: 24 Hour Crisis Line 1-800-841-1255
Integral Care 24 Hour Help Line: 24 Hour Help Line 512-472-HELP (4357)
Meet our counselors, Laura Cathcart, April Vanderbilt & Jennifer Lyon, and learn about our counseling program at Leander MS.
Counseling resources (including anonymous alerts, information about SFST, and other therapeutic resources in our community).
Information about registration, MS transition, HS transition, advanced courses, gifted and talented, and off campus physical education.
Explore our fully comprehensive counseling program featuring targeted developmental guidance lessons tailored to each grade level.
American School Counseling Association
The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) empowers school counselors with the knowledge, skills, linkages and resources to promote student success in the school, the home, the community and the world. The mission of ASCA is to represent school counselors and to promote professionalism and ethical practices.
As school counselors, our mission is to help all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow.
School counselors accomplish this mission through a focus on five delivery systems: (a) Guidance Curriculum, (b) Individual Student, (c) Planning, (d) Response Services, (e) Systems Support