Gorham High School first created the Guidance program in 1950. Principal Eugene Rourke was also the school's Guidance Director. The program ended in 1955, and was reinstated in 1958. In 1958, Philip Dugas was the new part-time Guidance Director, also teaching, but became full-time in 1960.
A second counselor position was added in 1964.
GHS continued with 2 counselors until the school was renovated in the 1990s, and a 3rd counselor was added in 1998. A 4th counselor was added in 2012 when the Guidance Department underwent structural changes, becoming the Student Services Department. In 2020 the Student Services Department was renamed back to the Guidance Department.
The roles of the counselors include guidance and postsecondary planning, behavioral and emotional support, and career education.
UPDATE 2020-2021
The Guidance Department has undergone a massive structural change during the 2020-2021 year. Students will now have ONE guidance counselor for their four years, rather than the past model of having one counselor each year. This also applies to the student's assistant principal. Rather than the past years, where the assistant principals would rotate and have two classes each, they will now have some of each class on their caseloads.