Meadowcreek Elemetary school counselor Kelly Cowart is the best in the nation … and she has the title to prove it. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recently named her its 2007 National Elementary Counselor of the Year. She was selected from a group of counselors from around the country. Before the national honor, Ms. Cowart also earned recognition at the following levels:

Kelly Cowart, Meadowcreek Elementary
· Georgia Elementary Counselor of the Year
· Region 2 Elementary Counselor of the Year
· Gwinnett Elementary Counselor of the Year

Ms. Cowart has been a counselor at Meadowcreek Elementary for five years, joining Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) in 2002. She will be honored by the national organization at a June gala in Denver. She is the 29th GCPS school counselor to be recognized at the national level.

For more information about the counselor’s role in GCPS, Contact Dianne Thompson in the Office of Student Academic Support and Advisement, at 678-301-7063. A short bio on Ms. Cowart follows below.

Kelly Cowart, Meadowcreek Elementary
2007 ASCA National Elementary Counselor of the Year

Kelly Cowart says her mission is to promote belonging among students, staff, and families in the Meadowcreek Elementary school community. That commitment is evident in her activities as the school counselor for kindergarten and 1st grade students at her school. Through collaboration with the faculty, early learning agencies, United Way, and area businesses, Ms. Cowart developed a “KinderCamp” program to prepare more than 40 incoming kindergartners for the transition to school, while their parents attended daily “lunch and learn” sessions. Literacy backpacks boosted the students’ literacy exposure and they eagerly awaited the start of the school year.

As chair of the Black History and Culture Committee, Ms. Cowart promotes a sense of belonging for students and their families in the school community. Last summer she spent three weeks in Mexico to learn more about the culture and language to better serve Meadowcreek’s Spanish-speaking students and families. She uses a small-group reading program to help Hispanic girls reading below grade level to feel more capable in the classroom through literacy achievement. 

A lifelong learner and a frequent presenter herself, Ms. Cowart eagerly shares what she learns with her colleagues. A center-based guidance classroom and play therapy techniques are strategies that she has developed for her school.
Principal Margaret Ackerman says of the Elementary School Counselor of the Year, “Kelly Cowart is like E.F. Hutton. When she speaks, those around her stop, listen, and reflect on her wisdom and advice.”