Guidance Staff

Heather MillsHeather Mills
Guidance Counselor
704-814-1065

 

 

 

Heather Mills is the Guidance Counselor at Covenant Day School.  Double-majoring in History/Political Science and Secondary Education with a minor in Bible, she earned her undergraduate degree from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.  She earned her Masters degree in History from Winthrop University. She has nineteen years of experience in Education and fifteen years working with students in the field of guidance counseling. Growing up on college campuses has given her a unique perspective on the significance of the college years.  Her passion is to see students embracing a lifelong love of learning, growing in their knowledge of truth while wrestling with the challenges of life, and discovering how to integrate their faith and learning. She seeks to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses, discover God’s calling in their lives and encourage them to use their giftedness in their vocation.  

She seeks to assist all high school students throughout their academic career in order to be well prepared for a life of service beyond Covenant Day.  This includes course selections, academic counseling and navigating the college search and admissions process.  She makes herself available to meet with all rising freshmen prior to their first year of high school, all juniors and their parents mid-year to discuss the timeline, importance, and process of considering college options and seniors are regularly checking in with Miss Mills throughout their final year.  She recognizes that it is a privilege to walk along side students during these high school years and strives to offer them a helpful perspective. Whether she is having a one on one conversation with a student, meeting with an entire class or presenting to parents at a college information event, Heather reminds her audience of God’s goodness and sovereignty in each of our lives and that rather than determining our futures, we ought to discover them.


Dawn PoultererDawn Poulterer
Professional Counselor
704-708-6120

 

 

 

Dawn Poulterer plays a dual role at Covenant Day School. She both teaches and works in the guidance department. Her undergraduate degree in English was from Messiah College in Pennsylvania. After being inspired by her English teacher in high school, she set out to impact at least one student in the same way she had been impacted. After teaching English for a few years, she felt called to return to school for a counseling degree which she received from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Dawn has a passion for working with adolescents as she believes they are some of the most impressionable individuals on the planet. After working in a private practice setting Dawn came to Covenant Day to continue in the classroom teaching Bible and to use her other time to meet with students in her office.

Dawn’s role in the guidance department is specifically geared toward helping students with life issues. Often she will help kids as they battle the divorce of their parents, the loss of loved ones, spiritual questions, fears, anxiety, depression and a host of other unique struggles. Both her degree and her 15 years working with adolescents have trained her to pay attention to the concerns of the soul. Her goal is to find the root problem, to direct the kids to healthy coping, personal responsibility and ultimately to find their source not in the external things around them, but in Christ. Dawn serves as a professional counselor who serves both parents and students in hard life circumstances, crisis or basic advice in confusing times.


Ginny SchmidtGinny Schmidt
Assistant Guidance Counselor
704-708-6174

 

 

 

Ginny Schmidt is the Assistant Counselor in the Guidance Department at Covenant Day High School.  She is on campus part time, typically Monday’s and Fridays. Ginny earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Covenant College where she deepened her understanding of people and was impacted by her experience of community while in school.  After a few years working in relocation, she was compelled to return to school for a counseling degree.  She completed her Masters in School Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2009 and is excited to be working with students again.

Ginny’s role is working to serve the sophomore class at Covenant Day.  In addition to implementing the PSAT and PLAN ACT, she works with sophomores in a class setting to begin resume writing to prepare for college.  She is available to meet with students to complete an interest inventory to better understand their strengths and weaknesses. She offers academic counseling as needed throughout the year.  Ginny’s motivation for counseling can be summed up by the words of St. Irenaeus “The glory of God is man fully alive”.  She is passionate about seeing students thrive in their physical, spiritual, emotional, academic and social lives.  She hopes be used by God to this end with the families she serves at Covenant Day School.