Like all other high schools, Gorham High School has a Guidance Department. Traditionally, the role of the Guidance Counselor was simply to aid students in making a college selection or a vocational selection, but today's School Counselors aid students in postsecondary planning, behavioral and emotional support, and career planning, in addition to other student needs.
History
The first trial Guidance program was created in 1950. The principal, Eugene Rourke, also served as the Guidance Director. This was not a full-fledged program yet, and was offered part-time. When Mr. Rourke left in 1955 the program seemed to have been phased out.
In 1958 the Guidance program was reinstated, with a part-time Guidance Director who also taught classes. This was the start of the modern program. The part-time director became full-time in 1960.
As the student population grew, it was decided that one counselor was not enough. A second Guidance Counselor was added in 1964.
In 1998, further growth necessitated the addition of a third Guidance Counselor.
In 2012 the department underwent structural changes, and was then known as the Student Services Department. The title of 'Guidance Counselor' was changed to 'School Counselor' and the duties branched out beyond postsecondary planning. The department is known today as either Student Services or Guidance; the name varies.
Until 2020, there was one counselor for each grade, seeing students from their specific grade only. In the fall of 2020 this was changed so that each counselor would see students based on their last name in alphabetical order, so that students would have one counselor for all four years, rather than switching each year.