Counseling
Ohio Virtual Academy High School Counseling Department
Personalized Support for Online High School
At Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) by K12, our counselors partner with high school students and their families to support each teen’s academic success, emotional well-being, and growth from 9th through 12th grade.
Why is counseling important for your high school student?
OHVA School Counseling Mission Statement
The high school years are a time to discover, explore, and look to the future. At OHVA, our high school counselors collaborate with students and parents to deliver a comprehensive, data-informed counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model.
Rooted in OHVA’s commitment to being student-centric, innovative, and empowering, we ensure that every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has equitable access to the resources, support, and opportunities needed to thrive in high school and beyond.
OHVA School Counseling Vision Statement
The School Counselors at Ohio Virtual Academy believe:
- All students can achieve their full potential.
- Every student is valuable and should be treated with dignity and respect.
- All students will have access to high-quality school counseling services provided by a full-time licensed, professional school counselor.
- Student diversity is respected and integral to the design and delivery of school counseling services.
- All students can expect the OHVA online school environment to be safe, nurturing, and responsive.
- The student and parents/Learning Coaches are responsible for monitoring the student’s educational progress, with the assistance of a licensed school counselor, to evaluate and monitor progress toward graduation requirements.
Meet Your OHVA High School Counselors
What qualifications do OHVA high school counselors have?
High school counselors at Ohio Virtual Academy by K12 are required to hold a master’s degree and Ohio certification in school counseling. Maintaining certification includes ongoing professional development to stay current with education reform and challenges facing today’s students. At OHVA, counselors uphold ASCA ethical and professional standards to enhance their own knowledge and effectiveness in helping your student.
High School Counselors by Student Last Name
E–Claq
Wilson, M–Wol and Modified Curriculum Students
Carolyn Morgan
How can OHVA counselors help my high school student?
School counselors work closely with OHVA families to help students feel confident, capable, and ready to learn! Learn more about the support our online counselors provide below.
Academic Support
Graduation Requirements At-A-Glance
Students must complete a minimum of 20 credits to graduate. Students are considered on track for graduation based on the following minimum credit guidelines:
| Grade Level | Beginning of the Year | End of the Year |
| 9th Grade | 0 Credits | 5 Credits |
| 10th Grade | 5 Credits | 10 Credits |
| 11th Grade | 10 Credits | 15 Credits |
| 12th Grade | 15 Credits | 20 Credits |
Step-by-Step Graduation Requirements
All students must earn 20 credits in the following subject areas:
- English – 4 credits
- Math – 4 credits (one must be Algebra 2 or equivalent)
- Science – 3 credits (physical, life, & advanced sciences)
- Social Studies – 3 credits (including world history, American history, and American government)
- Health/PE – 0.5 credits each
- Electives – 4.5 credits (one must be a fine art credit)
- Financial Literacy requirement (OHVA has two courses that meet this requirement for the class of 2026 and beyond) – 0.5 credits.
Visit the resources below and speak to your school counselor to determine what courses you should select to stay on track to graduate
Students must take all Ohio State Tests and earn a score of 684 or higher on the Algebra 1 and English 2 tests.
Students unable to obtain these scores can use one of the Competency Alternatives shown. An additional competency alternative is to earn a remediation-free score in English/Reading and Math on the ACT or SAT.
Visit the links below for more information on testing resources or contact your school counselor.
Ohio Department of Education & Workforce (ODEW) Testing Resources
Students must earn two (2) Graduation Seals. Below are all of the seals offered at OHVA. Watch our Seals Fair session to get a brief overview of each seal.
Remember that one seal must be a state-defined seal. Access the most recent information about state-defined seals from the Ohio Department of Education website.
State-Defined Seals
Citizenship Seal: State Defined
Citizenship Seal Video Explanation
College Ready Seal: State Defined
College Ready Seal Video Explanation
Honors Diploma Seal: State Defined
Honors Diploma Video Explanation
Industry-Recognized Credential Seal: State Defined
IRC Video Explanation
Military Enlistment Seal: State Defined
Military Seal Video Explanation
Ohio Means Jobs Seal: State Defined
Ohio Means Jobs Seal Video Explanation
How to Complete the OMJ Student Form
Science Seal: State Defined
Science Seal Video Explanation
Technology Seal: State Defined
Technology Seal Video Explanation
Locally Defined OHVA Seals
Community Service Seal: Locally Defined
Community Service Seal Video Explanation
Fine & Performing Arts Seal: Locally Defined
Fine & Performing Arts Seal Video Explanation
Student Engagement Seal: Locally Defined
Student Engagement Seal Video Explanation
Once you’ve completed all three steps at OHVA, get ready to graduate!
Honors Diplomas
OHVA students can choose to pursue one of five honors diplomas:
- Academic Honors Diploma [PDF]
- Career Tech Honors Diploma [PDF]
- STEM Honors Diploma [PDF]
- Fine & Performing Arts Honors Diploma
- Social Science and Civic Engagement Honors Diploma [PDF]
Students, contact your assigned high school counselor for additional information and support about earning an honors diploma.
College and Career Guidance
Planning for life after high school can feel overwhelming — we’re here to help!
College Profile Information
- Ohio Public Universities
- Ohio Private Colleges
- Ohio College Campus Interactive Map
- Ohio Transfer Credits
Tuition Reciprocity Agreements
Did you know that there are colleges in Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia that offer in-state tuition for students in Ohio? See the full list here
College Planning Timelines
- College Planning Timeline – Freshman Year [PDF]
- College Planning Timeline – Sophomore Year [PDF]
- College Planning Timeline – Junior Year [PDF]
- College Planning Timeline – Senior Year [PDF]
- University HQ College Planning Guide
College Prep Center
Visit the K12 College Prep Center for more resources!
College Application Help
- Request for School Counselor Letter of Recommendation
- Student Questionnaire – Brag Form [PDF]
- College Application Types: What’s the Difference? [PDF]
- Common Black College App
- Class of 2027 Scholarships from Scholarships.com
Career Planning: Ohio Means Jobs
The Ohio Means Jobs website is an excellent resource for any level of training — from a high school diploma to post-graduate level education. There is something for everyone!
Social and Emotional Learning & Wellbeing
- Provide a caring space for students to talk through friendships, worries, grief, or big emotions
- Support students coping with trauma, community events, or personal loss
Group & Individual Support
OHVA High School Counselor Corner Sessions
In addition to individual student counseling, we provide group counseling and classroom lessons through High School (HS) Counselor Corner sessions.
Every year, we look to the students, parents, and staff of the incoming class to help define their needs and what they want the professional counselors at OHVA to address — topics in the past have included time management and organizational skills, managing test anxiety, identifying learning style(s), and developing positive study habits/skills.
Throughout the academic year, we hold monthly counseling lessons where we investigate the topics identified in our annual needs assessment survey. The information we cover in these sessions directly addresses what our students, parents, teachers, and administrative staff have prioritized as pertinent and relevant to explore.
Group & Individual Support
OHVA High School Counselor Corner Sessions
In addition to individual student counseling, we provide group counseling and classroom lessons through High School (HS) Counselor Corner sessions.
Every year, we look to the students, parents, and staff of the incoming class to help define their needs and what they want the professional counselors at OHVA to address — topics in the past have included time management and organizational skills, managing test anxiety, identifying learning style(s), and developing positive study habits/skills.
Throughout the academic year, we hold monthly counseling lessons where we investigate the topics identified in our annual needs assessment survey. The information we cover in these sessions directly addresses what our students, parents, teachers, and administrative staff have prioritized as pertinent and relevant to explore.
Grade-Level Information for Counseling Sessions
- September 10: Graduation Requirements (this will be emailed out directly from your counselor)
- October 8: Transcripts/Earning Credits
- November 4: Stress
- December 3: Toxic Relationships
- February 4: Holland Codes
- March 4: Career Values
- April 8: Looking Ahead to Summer/Wrap-Up
- September: Graduation Requirements (this will be emailed out directly from your counselor)
- September 18: College Search 101
- October 16: Growth Mindset
- November 13: Career interest inventory/Ohio Means Jobs
- December 11: Résumé Writing/Interviewing
- February 29: Goal Setting
- March 12: Test Preparation/Managing Test Anxiety
- April 23: Summer Planning/Finding a Summer Job/Internship
- September 10: Graduation Requirements (this will be emailed directly from your counselor)
- September 18t: Perseverance, Critical Thinking, Goal Setting
- October 16: Teenage Stress: Understanding & Coping
- November 13: Perfectionism, Performance & Test Anxiety
- December: Myers-Briggs & Career Success
- January 22nd: Post-HS Planning
- February 19: Interpersonal Skillz: Technical vs. Human
- March 12: Work, Service & Volunteerism
- April 9: Plan, Prepare & Pay Off (Career Planning)
11th Grade State-Administered ACT Informational Session Recording
Understanding Your ACT Scores
Setting Up Your District/State ACT account, video
ACT Student ID form (in lieu of State-Issued ID)
- September: Graduation Requirements (this will be emailed directly from your counselor)
- September 18: What’s Next?
- October 16: College Search Process
- October 23: Paying for College (FAFSA & Scholarships)
- November 13: Exploring Careers
- December 11: Beating the Winter Blues
- January 22: Staying Healthy
- February 19: Managing Time and Money
- March 12: Relationships and Peer Pressure
- April 9: Building Support for the Transition to Adulthood