Monica Anderson Named ISCA 2024 Middle School Counselor of the Year

Franklin Community Schools is excited to announce that Monica Anderson has been named the 2024 Middle School Counselor of the Year by the Indiana School Counselor Association (ISCA). 

“One of Monica’s greatest assets is her dynamic vision,” FCMS Principal Rita Holman said.  “That, combined with her strong student advocacy skills, creates huge opportunities for the students of FCMS.  Monica sees her students not only as middle-level learners but as the future adults they will become.  She believes in them, sees their full potential, and continuously advocates for the whole child.”

One example of Anderson’s contributions to Franklin Schools and its students is the Cubs to Grizzlies mentor program. Anderson designed and implemented the program, which pairs an 8th-grade student with a strong peer role model, a current junior at Franklin Community High School. The high school mentors visit FCMS weekly and, under her direction, work to develop  positive peer relationships with their “mentees.”  Two off-campus all-day field trips are organized to create positive, memorable experiences and build relationships for both groups of students.  Ultimately, these 8th graders are paired with someone to not only serve as a positive role model for them but also allow them to enter high school with a friend/mentor already established, which aids in a successful transition. 

Award winners will be presented their awards at the ISCA Annual Fall Conference on November 9-10, 2023. 

The ISCA Awards promote leadership, advocacy, and collaboration in their work and promote equity and access to opportunities and rigorous education experiences for all students to maximize student achievement. Award winners serve as inspirational leaders to ISCA: they embody the core values of serving students and being committed to education.