Counseling Center

Elementary School Counseling Department

At Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA) by K12, our counselors partner with elementary school students and their families to support each child’s academic success, well-being, and growth during some of their most foundational years — kindergarten through 5th grade.

Why is counseling important for your elementary school student?

Online School Counseling Mission Statement 

The elementary school years lay the foundation for developing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills children need to become healthy, competent, and confident learners. 

At OHVA, our elementary school counselors can help impact these years by implementing a comprehensive, data-informed counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model and collaborating with school staff, parents, and the community to create a safe and respectful learning environment. 

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.

Elementary Student working with her laptop at home

OHVA School Counseling Program Vision Statement

The school counselors at Ohio Virtual Academy believe: 

  1. All students can achieve their full potential.
  2. Every student is valuable and should be treated with dignity and respect.
  3. All students will have access to high-quality school counseling services provided by a full-time licensed, professional school counselor.
  4. Student diversity is respected and integral to the design and delivery of school counseling services.
  5. All students can expect the OHVA online school environment to be safe, nurturing, and responsive.
  6. The student and parents/Learning Coaches are responsible for monitoring the student’s educational progress, with the assistance of a school counselor, to evaluate progress toward graduation requirements.
View the OHVA School Counseling Plan [PDF]

Meet Your OHVA Elementary School Counselors

Elementary School Counselors by Grade Level

Grades K–2 Counseling

Kindergarten

Mrs. Courtny Leahy

This is Mrs. Leahy’s 6th year with OHVA. She graduated from The University of Akron with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in child and family development. She completed her Master of Education in school counseling at Kent State.

1st Grade

Mrs. Tiffany (Hunka) Schultz

Ms. Hunka is excited to begin another year as a school counselor with OHVA. She completed her bachelor’s degree at The University of Akron and her Master of Education in school counseling at Malone University.

2nd Grade

Mrs. Kristin Pullman

Mrs. Pullman is excited to begin another year with OHVA. She completed her bachelor’s degree at Kent State University, where she also earned her Master of Education in school counseling.

Grades 3–5 Counseling

3rd Grade

Mrs. Georgi Knowles

Mrs. Knowles has been at OHVA since 2021. She completed her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at Kent State University, where she also completed her master’s degree in school counseling. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her dog and going for walks. She also loves riding bikes, going to beaches to look for beach glass, and spending time with family.

4th Grade

Ms. Amanda Bryant

Ms. Bryant has been with OHVA since 2011 and has worked with youth in mental health and school settings since 2001. She is a licensed school counselor, has a background in mental health counseling, and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Bowling Green State University — go Falcons! She is a mother of two and enjoys reading, creating, and gardening when she has time.

5th Grade

Mrs. Jessica Logozzo

Mrs. Logozzo joined OHVA in 2020 and is excited for an awesome school year! She previously worked as an elementary counselor for 10 years and, before that, as a counselor for incarcerated youth in grades 6–12 for 3 1/2 years. She has additional mental health counseling training and earned her bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and her master’s degree from Walsh University. She is married and has two boys. She enjoys reading, baking, and CrossFit.

What qualifications do OHVA elementary school counselors have?

At Ohio Virtual Academy, each elementary school counselor is required to:

  • Hold a master’s degree in school counseling
  • Meet state certification and licensure standards
  • Fulfill continuing education requirements
  • Uphold ASCA ethical and professional standards

How can OHVA elementary school counselors help my 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

  • Help students set goals, stay organized, and build strong study and time-management skills 
  • Identify learning challenges early and help students get the support they need

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

In addition to individual student counseling, we provide group counseling and classroom lessons through Elementary School (ES) 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 — counseling topics in the past have included topics such as time management and organizational skills, managing test anxiety, 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.

Help With Next Steps

Transition to Middle School
5th to 6th Grade Transition Meeting 

Each May, our elementary and middle school counselors hold a transition meeting for all 5th grade students and Learning Coaches, sharing information about what changes to expect as they enter middle school as 6th graders.

View presentation slides from our May 2026 meeting.

Transition Resources From the Child Mind Institute:

How can we help kids with transitions?

View Article

Why do kids have trouble with transitions?

View Article

Questions? Call toll-free: 866.339.9071