OVCA School Counselor Connection
OVCA School Counselor Vision:
All Students at Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy, the highest standard of online public-school in Oklahoma, are adept unique learners who will graduate with tools necessary to be socially responsible contributing members of society and productive lifelong learners.
OVCA School Counselor Mission Statement:
The OVCA School Counseling team is committed to serve all students' unique academic, learning, and success needs. At OVCA, we provide a proactive, comprehensive, and developmentally appropriate program to address our students' academic and career goals in addition to supporting their personal and social needs. We strive to connect with every student, K-12, to ensure that once they graduate they have the tools needed to be productive, successful, contributing members of society, and lifelong learners in our ever changing world.
OVCA School Counselors' Have a Common Belief That:
Every student needs appropriate personal and social skills to achieve optimum benefits from the educational program.
All children are unique and should be heard and treated with respect and dignity.
Every student can succeed.
Learning is a lifelong process.
Students with a Growth Mindset have endless possibilities.
School Counselors are advocates for all students
School Counselors, parents/guardians, teachers, LCs, and community members all enable a student to reach their full potential.
OVCA VISION STATEMENT:
Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy strives to set the standard for online public-school education in Oklahoma.
OVCA MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy is to ensure the growth of every student through personalized learning and to create well-educated, productive citizens both digitally and in life. Our model includes:
• Online instruction led by qualified Oklahoma certified teachers
• Data based individualized instruction
• Structured daily virtual class schedule
• Collaboration with dedicated school support team
• Community partnerships promoting student connection
Meet OVCA's School Counselor Team
We make up the School Counseling Student Success Team for grades K-12 at Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy (OVCA). We work closely together to achieve our united vision of making sure our student's have the tools necessary to be socially responsible contributing members of society and productive lifelong learners, in our ever changing world. We are dedicated to supporting all students’ academic, career, and social emotional needs.
Amanda Coyle, M.Ed. Elementary School Counselor & Student Success Specialist
acoyle@okvirtual.org
(405)259-9478 Ext. 3077
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education Grades 1-8 from Nicholls’ State University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology School Counseling from Texas A&M University. WHOOP! This year will be my 6th year as a School Counselor at OVCA. I’m blessed with my husband and 2 kids. I’m excited about their school year, too! My daughter will be a Senior in High School and my son will be a Senior at OSU. Go Pokes!
Leah Allen, M.Ed. Middle School Counselor & Student Success Specialist
(405)259-9478 Ext. 3196
text only: (405)696-0910
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education and a Master’s Degree in School Counseling both from the University of Central Oklahoma. This is my third year with OVCA, and I love meeting all of our unique and talented students! I have been in education for nine years, and I can't imagine a more fulfilling career. I have two daughters, 21 and 10 years-old, and a 2 year-old son. We have a dog named Brea, two crazy kitties BeBe and Angel, and one betta fish called Bo. My favorite activities are hanging with my family outdoors, being at the lake (or any body of water), kayaking, and listening to mystery podcasts.
Hailey Thomas, MA
Lead HS Counselor
hthomas@okvirtual.org
(405)259-9478 Ext. 3122
I have an M. Ed. in School Counseling and a B. A. in Psychology both from Northeastern University. This is my 4th year at OVCA and my 10th year as a high school counselor. I live in Muskogee, OK, and I have been married for 6 years. We have a 3 year-old son, and a new baby girl that was born in October 2020!
Jenn Preston, MA
HS Counselor
jpreston@okvirtual.org
(405) 259-9478 Ext. 3117
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy. This is my 10th year of working as a school counselor, my 4th year working with OVCA! I am married and have two awesome six-year-old kids. My house is LOUD and fun, we love playing board games or being outside together!
April White, M.Ed.
HS Counselor
apwhite@okvirtual.org
(405)259-9478 Ext. 2123
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Oklahoma and a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Central Oklahoma. This year will be my 8th school year with OVCA. I love to spend time with my husband, our 3 children and our rescue puppy. We love to cook together, attend sports events (especially football), and we enjoy outdoor activities like going to the zoo and the lake.
I am a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) and have been a Family Resource Coordinator with Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy since January 2022. Both my undergraduate and graduate degrees were earned at the University of Oklahoma. My boyfriend and I live in the metro area with our 3 cats (Eevee, Nice, and Milan) and 2 dogs (Pierre and Skipper). Although I have been in a social work position for the past 8+ years this is my first time working in a school setting. My background is in serving primarily children and families through child welfare, behavioral health, domestic violence, and homelessness supports. In my free time I enjoy adventuring outdoors, playing video games, reading, crafting, and cooking.
Raeshelle Sharpnack, MA
Student Family Resource Coordinator (SFRC)
(405)259-9478 Ext. 2140
I started with OVCA in 2015, and I have close to 30 years in Social Services/Education. I have a BA in Social Work from Oral Roberts University and a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Nazarene University. I have worked in various areas of social services and education, ranging from Eating Disorders, Hospice/Medical, Alternative Education, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault/Human Trafficking, and many other areas of Social Services. I am also a Certified Group fitness instructor.
Kaylynn Watts, M. Ed.
Student Family Resource Coordinator (SFRC)
(405)259-9478 Ext. 3341
I am currently the Student Family Resource Coordinator for the western part of the state. Though this is my first year with OVCA, it is my third year in education. I began my career in education teaching 8th grade History and then became a middle school counselor. I have a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Master of Education in School Counseling from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Helping my students meet their educational goals while also serving the social and emotional needs of them and their families is my passion. It is very important to me to know that I have set my students up for lifelong success that goes far beyond their schooling years. Some of my favorite things to do outside of serving my students include baking, working in my garden, hiking, and traveling with my husband and our sweet fur baby girl, Poppy!
Resources
Click on the links below to navigate to your specific area of need. If you require assistance, please contact one of the counselors above and they would be more than happy to help!