Counseling
Counseling Information
- Counseling Staff
- Career & College
- Helpful Links
- Mental Health
- Registration
- Request Appointment
- School Profile
Counseling Staff
Josh Owens, Lead School Counselor
Case Load, Last Names: A - B
Email: joowens@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461045
Ashley Kozee, School Counselor
Case Load, Last Names: C - H
Email: akozee@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461047
Allison Rinehart, School Counselor
Case Load, Last Names: I - P
Email: arinehart@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461041
Rafael Santiago, School Counselor
Case Load, Last Names: Q - Z
Email: rsantiago@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461043
Donnice Pitts, Counseling Secretary
Email: f33742@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461030
Kelli Cox, Graduation Coach
Email: f23378@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461037
Karen Carr, Registrar
Email: kcarr@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461033
Danae Sainz-Ruiz, School Social Worker
Email: f45358@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461032
Phil Schmidt, Student Advocacy Specialist
Email: philschmidt@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Extension: 461056
Career & College
Career & College Tabs
- Career Pathways
- College
- Colleges Nearby
- Dual Enrollment
- Financial Aid & Scholarships
- Post High School Options
- Testing Information
- Technical College
- Transcript Requests
Career Pathways
Click here to learn more about our East Career Pathways
College
COLLEGE VISITS
Seniors and Juniors may tour prospective colleges during the school year for no more than 4 days per year. The student must bring documentation from the college indicating that the student visited the school. The visit will be considered as a field trip for attendance purposes. For our students to take full advantage of this privilege, students must complete the College Visit Permission Form (linked below) and submit to the EFHS Attendance office immediately upon return to school.
Students may register for a college campus tour on the website of the college of interest.
GEORGIA MATCH
Georgia Match was introduced by Governor Kemp on October 5, 2023. Georgia Match is an initiative designed to inform high school seniors of the various public colleges and universities within Georgia that they may be eligible for admission. All EFHS seniors should receive a letter in the mail regarding this opportunity. For more information click the image below.
COLLEGE RESOURCES
Seniors may apply to over 900 colleges through Common App!
HOPE Scholarship information, GSFAPP application, college planning, scholarship resources, etc.
Student Federal Financial Aid
Financial aid information, local scholarship opportunities and scholarship search engines
Interested in earning college credit and high school credit simultaneously? Dual Enrollment may be a great fit for you! EFHS partners with the University of North Georgia and Lanier Technical College for Dual Enrollment.
College Board AP Credit Policy Search
From College Board - Your AP scores could earn you college credit or advanced placement (meaning you could skip certain courses in college). Use this tool to find colleges that offer credit or placement for AP scores.
Campus Disability Resource Database
Contact information for people who provide disability services and accommodations at numerous colleges and universities in Georgia.
NACAC Important Factors in Admission Decisions
For the Fall 2023 admission cycle, NACAC member four-year colleges reported that the most important factors in admission decisions were grades in high school courses and strength of the high school curriculum.
College Board Website - Spanish Version
University Systems of Georgia College Resources
Freshman Admission Requirements Staying on Course: The Required High School Curriculum
Find Your Future, Find Your School College Search Tool
Compare Cost of GA College Attendance Tool
Colleges Nearby
Dual Enrollment
Accessible Version
UNG- University of North Georgia
Dual Enrollment Information Nights
- Tuesday October 28th at 6pm (in person only)
- Wednesday, October 29th
Limited seats available and registration required.
UNG's Cumming Campus is located at 300 Aquatic Circle, Cumming, GA 30040. For more information call 470-239-31-5 or email admissions-cmg@ung.edu
Financial Aid & Scholarships
This page will be updated frequently as new scholarships are made available.
Please check back regularly!
CLASS OF 2025 SCHOLARSHIP DOCUMENT
This resource includes local, state, and national scholarships.
2024 - 2025 Financial Aid Night Presentation
HOW DO I SEARCH FOR SCHOLARSHIPS?
FINANCIAL AID
Provides aid and support for students looking to attend college. Students can complete the GSFAPP (Georgia Student Finance Application) on GA Futures.
GA Futures Resources
Paying for College Brochure Spanish
Free Application for Federal Student Aid for students attending college or graduate school. Students can apply for the HOPE Scholarship through FAFSA.
The FAFSA is changing for the 24-25 school year! Visit the FAFSA Simplification Information page for more information!
Georgia Student Finance Commission Outreach Representative
Anna Roberts
404.706.1550
SCHOLARSHIPS
HOPE Scholarship
HOPE Scholarship
Requirements: minimum 3.0 HOPE GPA and at least 4 HOPE rigor courses.
Zell Miller Scholarship
Requirements: minimum 3.7 HOPE GPA, at least 4 HOPE rigor courses, and meet SAT/ACT testing score requirements.
HOPE Career Grant
Financial support for specific certificates and diplomas for high-demand careers at Georgia technological colleges.
Click here for the GAFutures website for more information on HOPE.
QUEST BRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP
Full ride scholarship - eligibility requirements detailed on website.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Scholarship Search Engines
Post High School Options
Please scroll to the bottom of the page to view all possible options.
For additional college information, check out our college and technical college pages.
CAREER EXPLORATION
Access through Infinite Campus→SLDS portal→My Career Plan→YouScience
Features: Career matching based on aptitudes and interests, college info, career info
APPRENTICESHIPS
https://www.apprenticeship.gov/
Career Seekers and apprenticeship finder tool
Check out WorkSource Georgia Mountains and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)!
How to Apply to WorkSource Georgia WIOA
MILITARY
Navy
Army
Marines
Air Force
Coast Guard
Space Force
Features: Dual Enrollment Funding, College/Career Search, HOPE GPA Scholarship Calculation
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
Features: College Search, Career Search, Financial Aid, Navigating College Applications → Find Colleges → College Search
Georgia Department and Labor - Learn About Education and Training
TECH/TRADE SCHOOLS
EFHS Counseling Technical College Website
Technical College System of Georgia
Lanier Technical College
North Georgia Technical College
Gwinnett Technical College
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Visit college and university websites.
EFHS Counseling College Website
University Systems of Georgia
University Systems of Georgia College Resources
Freshman Admission Requirements Staying on Course: The Required High School Curriculum
USG Find Your Future, Find Your School College Search Tool
Princeton Review College Match
Colleges Looking for Students Like You
Southern Regional Academic Board - Academic Common Market
https://www.sreb.org/academic-common-market
*Please note, this is a list of potential post high school options and is not exhaustive.
Testing Information
Click here to visit all Testing related materials.
Technical College
Transcript Requests
East Forsyth High School has partnered with Parchment to order and send your transcript and other credentials securely.
Former East Forsyth High School Graduates must request records through the FCS Inactive Student Records Website. CLICK HERE for additional information.
Helpful Links
Helpful Links Tabs
- Academic Resouces
- Directed Study
- Graduation Requirements
- Non-Traditional School Options
- Yearbook Application
Academic Resouces
Communication Protocol is as follows
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Student to Teacher
-
Parent to Teacher
-
Student/Parent to Counselor
Students and Parents - check Canvas and Student Portal
- What assignments are missing? What assignments are you waiting to be graded?
- What assignments are completed but not turned in?
- What classes/content do you need to focus on in order to be better on your next assessment?
- Parents, are you connected to Parent Portal? Many features including viewing student grades and attendance are available on Parent Portal. Click here for the FCS website for support or speak with the EFHS receptionist.
Speak with your teacher
- Bronco Block
- Schedule time before or after school. Contact your teacher for availability.
Speak with your school counselor
- If you have been absent, your counselor can help you navigate through a recovery plan. This stressful situation can be tricky to navigate and your school counselor is here to help! Visit the Appointment Request tab to the left to make an appointment to meet with your counselor.
Additional Academic Supports
FCS Instructional Resources
- Click here and select a content area to access a list of instructional resources used for the principal source of study for a state-funded course from the FCS main website.
Khan Academy
- Khan Academy is a free online tool that can help in a variety of subject areas and SAT test prep. Click here to access Khan Academy.
Forsyth County Public Library
- All Students are eligible for a free Forsyth County Public Library card that provides access to free online tutoring and test prep daily after school. Click here for the Forsyth County Public Library website.
EFHS Tutor List - This document is a work in progress. We will continue to update it as we are made aware of new resources.
Check out our High School 101 virtual presentation! High School 101 Virtual Presentation
Directed Study
Graduation Requirements
23 credits minimum are required for graduation.
For more information on graduation credits, click this link for the Forsyth County Schools website.
Check your progress towards graduation using our Bronco Credit Check!!
Non-Traditional School Options
Non-Traditional School Options
Sometimes, students are interested in a non-traditional school setting for a variety of reasons.
Click logos below to review virtual and alternate school setting options.
Please meet with your counselor to further pursue any of these options.
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Georgia Virtual Schools Registration Directions
After student and parent/guardian have met with counselor.
For the 2024-2025 school year, a new process will be in place to obtain parent permission for students who wish to take a course through Georgia Virtual School (GAVS). GAVS is an external, accredited program through the Georgia Department of Education. Students may take virtual classes through GAVS as part of their school schedule or take classes as parent/student pay in addition to their school schedule.
Parent permission is required for students to take a GAVS course. This form only needs to be completed once per school year. The instructions that explain how to complete this form are found by clicking here.
Students will still need to submit individual course requests to Georgia Virtual School (https://gavs.geniussis.com/) to request individual GAVS courses.
Yearbook Application
Mental Health
Mental Health Tabs
Resources
Family Ties is one of East Forsyth High School's community partners.
They provide counseling services to students and their families.
Help is available
Click the image above for more information about the new national suicide and crisis line.
Forsyth County Schools - Total Wellness Collaborative
We are glad to have Sources of Strength at East.
Click here to learn more about Sources of Strength.
Forsyth County Mental Health Helplist
Forsyth County Mental Health Helplist
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Resources
Behavioral and Mental Health Provider Education
Resilience: Helping Kids Deal With Ups and Downs
Understanding Anxiety in Kids and Teens
Kids, Social Media and Mental Health
Healthy Coping Strategies for Kids
Coping During COVID-19
Emotional Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Outbreak
NIH - National Institute of Mental Health
NIH Website - NIH Website Espanol
Children and Mental Health - Los niños y la salud mental
I'm So Stressed Out! - ¡Estoy Tan
Estresado!
Teen Depression, More than Just Moodiness - La depresión en los adolescentes,
Algo más que mal genio
Warning Signs of Suicide - Señales De Advertencia Sobre
El Suicidio
Psychology Today Self-Esteem Worksheets
18 Self-Esteem Worksheets and Activities for Teens and Adults
Vaping Resources
Suicide Prevention Resources
Prevent Suicide - Suicide Prevention Program in Georgia
Georgia Crisis & Access Line
Click images for more information
Sources of Strength
What is Sources of Strength?
Mission
Our mission is to provide the highest quality evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance abuse by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact their world through the power of connection, hope, help and strength.
Vision
Our Vision is to empower a well world.
Leadership
Peer Leaders and Adult Advisors
We are fortunate to have received a state grant of $8000 to implement Sources of Strength at our school this year. Sources of Strength is a strength-based, comprehensive wellness program that focuses on suicide prevention but impacts other issues such as substance abuse and violence. The program is based on a relational connections model that uses teams of Peer Leaders mentored by Adult Advisors to change peer social norms about help seeking and encourages students to individually assess and develop strengths in their life. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around students so that when times get hard they have strengths to rely on. We recommend watching this three minute overview about the program. Peer Leaders and Adult Advisors will be meeting at least monthly as a team to begin rolling out positive social messaging campaigns.
We believe Sources of Strength aligns with our Be Better motto and our mission to Connect, Collaborate and Care. Early on, Sources of Strength was identified as an evidence-based program to build a positive learning environment at East. Please let us know if you have any questions!
Registration
Registration Tabs
Current 25/26 Students
New Students
Click here to visit the New Student centralized registration process on our FCS District Page.
Request Appointment
Students- Click here to fill out the form to request a meeting with your counselor.
Parents, if you would like to request an appointment, please email your child's counselor directly.
School Profile
Accessible Version
East Forsyth High School
2024-2025 School Profile
8910 Jot Em Down Road
Gainesville, GA 30506
770-888-1235
CEEB 110388
www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/EFHS
Administration
- Kacey Martin, Principal
- Kim Driesse, AP
- Todd Holbrook, AP
- Emily Reiser, AP
- Vanessa Garcia, AA
- Paul Mallileau, AA
School Counselors-
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Josh Owens, A-B (Lead)
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Ashley Kozee, C-HI
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Allison Rinehart, HO-P
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Rafael Santiago, Q-Z
Vison- The vision of East Forsyth High School is a connected, collaborative and caring culture for the students, staff and community of East Forsyth. At East Forsyth, we believe in building relationships first, treating people with respect, finding the backstory and being a good teammate. We are committed to respecting you, valuing you, and listening to you. These commitments are collectively known as #TheEastWay
Community- Located 50 miles North of Atlanta, East Forsyth High School has roots in an
agricultural community which has always valued the principles of connect, collaborate, and care. East Fosyth is rooted in the Chestatee community which holds a profound respect for the land and the people who nurture it. The One East community is comprised of Chestatee Elementary, Chattahoochee Elementary, Little Mill Middle School, and East Forsyth High School. One East is a pillar in the community providing structure for not only for education, but also for community events. East Forsyth High School has a large population of economically disadvantaged students, with the latest measurement showing 42% of students qualified for economic support.
agricultural community which has always valued the principles of connect, collaborate, and care. East Fosyth is rooted in the Chestatee community which holds a profound respect for the land and the people who nurture it. The One East community is comprised of Chestatee Elementary, Chattahoochee Elementary, Little Mill Middle School, and East Forsyth High School. One East is a pillar in the community providing structure for not only for education, but also for community events. East Forsyth High School has a large population of economically disadvantaged students, with the latest measurement showing 42% of students qualified for economic support.
School- East Forsyth High School welcomed its first students in Fall of 2021 with a
student body of 1200. The class of 2025 will be the first graduating class of students who have been in attendance all four years. East Forsyth High School is located on Jot Em Down Road, which recieved its name from the historic country store where community members could pay by requesting the store “Jot Em Down”. The East student body is now almost to 1600 students. East Forsyth High School officially opened it's doors at our Grand Opening on Saturday, July 17, 2021.
student body of 1200. The class of 2025 will be the first graduating class of students who have been in attendance all four years. East Forsyth High School is located on Jot Em Down Road, which recieved its name from the historic country store where community members could pay by requesting the store “Jot Em Down”. The East student body is now almost to 1600 students. East Forsyth High School officially opened it's doors at our Grand Opening on Saturday, July 17, 2021.
Schedule- East Forsyth High School has a seven period day. Bronco Block, a time for
students to receive additional support, is built into every school day. Students have
the opportunity to pursue in person classes, virtual classes through Forsyth Virtual School, or Dual Enrollment classes at local colleges. Students have the opportunity to participate in the IE2 program which allows for students to leave campus early and not participate in all seven courses. Students can also participate in our Work Based Learning Program, or WBL, where students may stay or leave campus to get on site job experience and receive high school credit
students to receive additional support, is built into every school day. Students have
the opportunity to pursue in person classes, virtual classes through Forsyth Virtual School, or Dual Enrollment classes at local colleges. Students have the opportunity to participate in the IE2 program which allows for students to leave campus early and not participate in all seven courses. Students can also participate in our Work Based Learning Program, or WBL, where students may stay or leave campus to get on site job experience and receive high school credit
SAT- Composite 1033-
- ERW 528
- Math 505
ACT- Composite 20.6
CTAE course programming: A/V Technolgoy and Film Architecture/Drafting and Design Computer Science Construction/Carpentry Culinary Arts Early Childhood Education Engineering and Technology Entrepreneurship Interiors, Fashion, and Textiles Heavy Equipment Operations Marketing and Management Teaching as a Profession East’s CTAE programming provides opportunitie for students participate in career pathways that provide instruction in career and technical education that connects academic and technical skills to future educational and career opportunities. Students gain esposure to industry certified fields with suppplemented top notch prgorsmmins such as Career and Technical Service ORganizations (CTSOs), Mock Interviews, Employability Skills.